New Handbook: Blue Credits’ Market as an Adaptation Measure to Climate Change
23/07/2026
A new key output of the BLUE RECHARGE project is now available: D3.1.1 – Handbook: Blue Credits’ Market as an Adaptation Measure to Climate Change.
The Handbook explores how Blue Stewardship and Blue Credit Systems can contribute to climate change adaptation and more sustainable groundwater management, particularly in regions increasingly affected by water scarcity, drought, saltwater intrusion and other climate-related pressures.
It provides a comprehensive framework for the Blue Credits concept, including the role of Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR), governance models, monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV), stakeholder involvement and the mechanisms for issuing, transferring and redeeming Blue Credits. The document also addresses economic valuation, policy and regulatory frameworks, and the conditions needed to scale up Blue Credit approaches.
Within the proposed system, one Blue Credit corresponds to 1 m³ of verified net recharge to a designated aquifer within a defined accounting period, subject to specific quality and monitoring requirements.
By connecting environmental objectives with economic incentives, the Handbook provides practical guidance for public authorities, water utilities, project developers, private actors and other stakeholders interested in supporting groundwater recharge and strengthening climate resilience.
The Handbook is available for download in the Library section on the right side of this page.