People's Perceptions of Blue Carbon: Key to Its Sustainability

Dr. Miguel Fortes
Retired Professor
University of the Philippines – Marine Science Institute
Miguel D. Fortes is a Professor of Marine Science (ret) and Blue Carbon and Citizen Science Specialist at the University of the Philippines; his research is based on ecology and its applications in addressing coastal issues, currently focusing on the role of Blue Carbon Ecosystems (seagrasses and mangroves) in mitigating the impacts of global warming and in enhancing the resilience of coastal communities in the face of environmental uncertainties; with 30 years’ experience in tropical coastal ecosystem research and management, he is the former Head of the UNESCO IOC-WESTPAC Regional Secretariat; his current international commitments include memberships in the International Blue Carbon Scientific Working Group of CI/IUCN/UNESCO, Species Survival Commission (Seagrass Specialist Group IUCN), Tourism and Protected Areas Specialist Group (IUCN) and Climate Change Adaptation Technical Working Group of the Coral Triangle Initiative; spanning 83 countries, his teaching and advocacy on the subjects of his expertise have been deeply rooted in science, but made more effective by his penchant for blending the esoteric details with art and the ‘human touch’.
Professor Fortes is well published, with 147 scientific journal articles and books; he is the recipient of 18 major awards including the Outstanding Young Scientists of the Philippines, UNESCO Chair, the International Biwako Prize for Ecology (in East and Southeast Asia and Russia), Research Professorship in the University of Tokyo, Japan, and Hugh Greenwood Environmental Science Award for his outstanding contribution to the development of seagrass science in Southeast Asia. A professional with a solid ethical background, Prof. Fortes is highly creative, which allows him to assess, plan, design, build, manage, and advice on many aspects of the coastal marine systems in relation to environmental, human and societal needs.