Specialists from 11 countries, including Cuba, recently completed regional training in Bocas del Toro, Panama, organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Panamanian government through the Technological University of Panama (UTP).

The event, held within the framework of project RLA7028, “Strengthening regional capacities for assessing the impact of pollutants on marine ecosystems using isotopic and nuclear techniques,” aimed at standardizing methodologies for evaluating carbon stocks and accumulation rates in blue carbon ecosystems.

Cuban researcher, MSc. Liana Beatriz Carballo Rosado, a research candidate at CEAC represented Cuba at the meeting alongside experts from Panama, Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Argentina, Chile, El Salvador, Venezuela, and Mexico.

“The training allowed us to acquire and strengthen skills in field sampling, laboratory analysis, and data interpretation, essential for evaluating blue carbon reserves using harmonized methodologies,” Carballo Rosado told the press.

The course combined theory and practice, covering everything from sampling design and sample treatment to the determination of organic and inorganic carbon and dating with Pb-210. The expected results point to greater regional technical capacity for planning, conducting, and reporting blue carbon assessments, thus contributing to the sustainability of marine and coastal ecosystems.

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