A New Frontier For Blue Carbon
A New Frontier For Blue Carbon
The Delta Blue Carbon (DBC) Project is proud to announce a series of groundbreaking new partnerships and initiatives that aim to revolutionise how we deliver on our mission. These collaborations with four industry leaders will help us set new standards for project transparency, data accuracy, and community engagement – driving Blue Carbon science forward through innovation in four key areas.
Leading with Tier 3 Digital Monitoring – An Industry First
Firstly, in collaboration with Inverto Earth, this January we launched our first Digital Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (DMRV) campaign, using drone-based LIDAR and multispectral imaging at unprecedented scale.
In an industry first, the DBC team will be collecting terabytes of Tier 3 biomass data over the coming months for our next monitoring campaign – these will be the most comprehensive, fully-calibrated datasets ever gathered for a Blue Carbon project.
Over time, the goal is to develop a high-resolution ground-truthed model that will serve as a benchmark for Blue Carbon DMRV systems. By grounding these monitoring efforts in precise, site-specific data, we will give stakeholders a clear, measurable view of progress across the entire project area.
Current DMRV models lack real world data at this scale and are largely built for terrestrial forests – not for mangroves, whose unique dynamics are still poorly understood and scarcely documented. By collecting this data at unprecedented scale, we’re delivering real science for real impact. This represents a quantum leap for a sector that has long been dominated by subjective views, competing voices and limited consensus. It's a step towards empowering project developers and reducing the reliance on third-party opinion, enhancing transparency and introducing a higher level of rigour.
Inverto Earth is proud to be helping the pioneering Delta Blue Carbon project to reach a new level in digital MRV, through the latest in drone and sensing technologies combined with machine learning. With this we will provide unparalleled transparency at a high resolution and massive scale.
Refining Protocols with Silvestrum Climate Associates
In another first, the DBC project is partnering with Silvestrum Climate Associates, established advisors for blue carbon and lead authors of the Blue Carbon VM0033 methodology, to refine and adapt our sampling and accounting protocols for large-scale application.
By combining Silvestrum’s methodological leadership with our on-the-ground insights, we aim to help strengthen the scientific foundations of future Blue Carbon projects and further increase confidence in their outcomes.
As part of this collaboration – which was kickstarted in 2024 – we are also modelling the projected impacts of sea level rise over the next 100 years with greater accuracy, ensuring that our methods account for long-term coastal change.
This forward-looking approach – which goes beyond regulatory requirements – is essential for building resilient Blue Carbon systems and enhancing the credibility and durability of carbon benefits over time.
The carbon market is undergoing significant improvements with upgraded standards and accounting methodologies. We are excited to collaborate with DBC to refine and test the upcoming new versions of VM0033.With our extensive experience in developing and assisting blue carbon projects, we are confident that we can help this project exceed market standards regarding carbon accounting, risk management and community engagement.
Deepening Our Commitment to Communities with IUCN
Community outcomes remain central to the DBC project, and we are delighted to announce our new partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) which was penned in April 2025 .
Together, we are launching a direct distribution programme that will rapidly build on our existing employment and development initiatives – ensuring that the benefits of climate finance are felt directly by local communities.
This key partnership will build our capacity for governance, outreach, and inclusive participation and will flourish as the project progresses.
IUCN is pleased to partner with Delta Blue Carbon to support the direct delivery of community benefits through inclusive and locally grounded initiatives. By combining our expertise in conservation and governance with DBC’s on-the-ground presence, we aim to ensure that climate finance meaningfully reaches the communities who need it most.
Scaling with Support from Trafigura
The DBC project is also proud to announce that our exclusive marketing partner, Trafigura, has increased its pre-financing support to help scale these enhanced monitoring and governance activities.
In addition, Trafigura is also supporting our alignment with the latest Article 6 requirements, helping us prepare for participation in international compliance carbon markets and build confidence with voluntary credit buyers seeking jurisdictional recognition.
We are proud to deepen our engagement with the Delta Blue team through increased funding and support for cutting-edge DMRV and methodological enhancements, supported by Silvestrum and Inverto Earth, and the launch of a direct distribution program for communities, administered by IUCN, The Delta Blue Carbon project remains at the forefront of innovation and best practices, exemplifying the scale and impact that public-private partnerships can achieve when prioritising integrity and communities at the core of its design.
Collaborate With Us at the Home of Blue Carbon
Over the coming months we will be sharing our new insights and findings through a monthly newsletter to be published on our website.
We believe that by shifting to cutting-edge geospatial monitoring and empirical soil sampling, the project is systematically addressing the largest sources of uncertainty (allometry, SOC, natural risks).
These improvements (DMRV) will ensure transparent, verifiable carbon accounting while strengthening adaptive management against climate threats.
Furthermore, DBC welcomes further partnerships from across the industry to join us in this effort. We have the largest Blue Carbon lab on the planet spanning 600,000 hectares. By working collaboratively, we can co-develop the tools and technologies that advance Blue Carbon initiatives globally.
Please contact us at innovation@deltabluecarbon.com if you would like to participate in this new frontier for Blue Carbon.
