Blue Carbon: Why Protecting Oceans Is One of Our Best Climate Bets
Coastal and marine ecosystems — mangroves, seagrasses, and salt marshes — sequester carbon at rates per hectare that dwarf those of terrestrial forests. These blue carbon ecosystems store carbon deep in waterlogged sediments where it can persist for thousands of years. And they are being destroyed at alarming rates.
The Science of Blue Carbon Sequestration
Mangroves can sequester up to 10 times more carbon per hectare than tropical rainforests. Seagrass meadows cover an area roughly the size of France globally and store 10% of the ocean's total carbon despite covering only 0.2% of the seafloor. When these ecosystems are destroyed, they release centuries of stored carbon in a matter of months.
Community Rights and Project Integrity
A 2026 analysis in Nature Climate Change found that rights to coastal ecosystems are narrowly interpreted in project frameworks, leaving local fishing communities and Indigenous peoples vulnerable to dispossession. Properly structured blue carbon projects can simultaneously protect critical ecosystems, generate sustainable income for coastal communities, and deliver verified carbon sequestration at scale.
Tags: Blue Carbon | Mangroves | Seagrass | Coastal Ecosystems | Carbon Markets | Ocean Conservation
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