Meet the 2026 Blue Carbon Hub (IORA) ECOP Cohort
Four emerging ocean professionals. Four important questions. One shared goal: building practical solutions for the future of our blue carbon ecosystems.
The Blue Carbon Hub is delighted to welcome four Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs) from across the Indian Ocean region to Perth, Western Australia, for our 2026 ECOP program.
Joining us from Sri Lanka, Madagascar and Indonesia, the four participants will spend October and November developing their individual ECOP projects, expanding their knowledge of blue carbon, connecting with researchers and practitioners, and building the networks and skills needed to contribute to ocean and coastal solutions in their home countries and across the region.
Their projects tackle a diverse range of challenges – from plastic pollution and mangrove protection to blue carbon accounting, seagrass restoration and the connection between biodiversity conservation and climate action.
Meet our 2026 ECOP cohort and discover the questions they are exploring:
How can we better protect mangroves from plastic pollution? 🌱🌊
Mangroves are highly effective at trapping and storing plastics within their complex root systems and peat, potentially making them long-term sinks for coastal plastic pollution. Yet the specific impacts of plastics on these important blue carbon ecosystems are often overlooked in policy and management approaches.
Amindhi’s project will investigate how countries across the Indian Ocean region can strengthen regional cooperation to tackle transboundary plastic pollution, protect mangroves and support the coastal communities that depend on them.
Her research will explore existing policies, regional agreements and international negotiations to identify practical pathways for action, including approaches that can work even when achieving global cooperation is challenging.
During her time in Perth, Amindhi will build on this work through knowledge sharing, collaboration and engagement with researchers and practitioners working across blue carbon and coastal policy.
How reliable are our estimates of mangrove blue carbon? 🌱🌊
Mangroves are powerful carbon stores but determining exactly how much carbon they contain is not always straightforward. Different approaches to measuring biomass and soil carbon can produce significantly different estimates, creating challenges for blue carbon accounting and comparisons between countries.
Ravishani’s project will compare mangrove blue carbon assessment methods used across Indian Ocean countries to identify key uncertainties, data gaps and opportunities for greater consistency.
Using a Sri Lankan mangrove dataset as a case study, her research will explore how methodological choices influence carbon estimates and identify pathways towards more accurate, comparable and country-specific blue carbon accounting.
By examining how blue carbon is measured, Ravishani hopes to contribute to improved approaches for understanding and accounting for the climate benefits provided by mangrove ecosystems.
Could sea urchin harvesting help restore seagrass meadows? 🌱💙
Seagrass meadows are valuable blue carbon ecosystems that support biodiversity, fisheries, coastal protection and climate mitigation. However, in some parts of the Indian Ocean, overabundant sea urchins can place additional pressure on already-degraded seagrass meadows through intensive grazing.
Inspired by ecological challenges in southwest Madagascar, Sarobidy’s project will explore whether targeted sea urchin harvesting could reduce grazing pressure, support seagrass recovery and potentially enhance blue carbon storage.
Her research will examine restoration approaches across the Indian Ocean and develop a practical framework for seagrass restoration that could help coastal communities improve ecosystem health while creating potential livelihood and blue economy opportunities.
Sarobidy’s work highlights the importance of looking beyond conservation alone and considering how ecosystem restoration can also support the people and communities that depend on coastal environments.
Can blue carbon help strengthen biodiversity conservation? 🌱💙
Mangroves, seagrasses and saltmarshes provide critical benefits for both biodiversity and climate mitigation. Yet policies addressing these priorities are often developed separately, potentially missing opportunities to deliver greater benefits through integrated approaches.
Yani’s project will explore how blue carbon can be recognised as an important co-benefit of biodiversity conservation, particularly through Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs).
By comparing policies and approaches across Indonesia, Australia and other Indian Ocean countries, her research will identify opportunities to better connect biodiversity, climate and sustainable financing policies.
The goal is to develop practical policy recommendations that support effective conservation while strengthening the long-term governance and financing of blue carbon ecosystems.
Building connections across the Indian Ocean 🌏
While each ECOP is exploring a different challenge, their projects share a common thread: turning knowledge into practical action for coastal ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.
Over the course of the program, the four ECOPs will have the opportunity to learn from researchers, policymakers and practitioners in Australia, while also sharing their own knowledge and experiences from across the Indian Ocean region.
The program is designed not only to support the development of their individual projects, but also to build lasting professional networks and encourage collaboration between emerging ocean professionals across the region.
We look forward to following their progress over the coming months and sharing the insights, ideas and experiences they develop along the way.
We look forward to welcoming Amindhi, Ravishani, Sarobidy and Yani to Perth!
Follow the Blue Carbon Hub throughout October and November to hear more about their projects and their ECOP journey.
Comments