Question 1

What does "Blue Carbon" mean in the carbon market?

Accepted Answer

Carbon stored by coastal and marine ecosystems such as mangroves, seagrass meadows, and salt marshes. These habitats hold carbon in waterlogged soils as well as in living biomass. Blue carbon attracts buyers who want climate benefit alongside visible co-benefits: storm protection, fisheries, and coastal livelihoods. Per hectare, these habitats store considerably more carbon than most terrestrial forests, much of it in sediments where decomposition is very slow. The trade-offs are practical: soil carbon is harder to measure than standing timber, permanence depends on sea level and coastal development pressure, and land tenure at the coastline is often contested. Mangrove methodologies are the most established of the three, while seagrass and salt marsh approaches are still maturing.

Question 2

Why does blue carbon matter when buying carbon credits?

Accepted Answer

Blue carbon attracts buyers who want climate benefit alongside visible co-benefits: storm protection, fisheries, and coastal livelihoods. Per hectare, these habitats store considerably more carbon than most terrestrial forests, much of it in sediments where decomposition is very slow. The trade-offs are practical: soil carbon is harder to measure than standing timber, permanence depends on sea level and coastal development pressure, and land tenure at the coastline is often contested. Mangrove methodologies are the most established of the three, while seagrass and salt marsh approaches are still maturing.

Blue Carbon

Why blue carbon matters for carbon credit buyers

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