Blue Carbon Ecosystem Restoration
Blue carbon projects replant mangroves, seagrasses, and salt marshes that can store up to 10× more carbon per hectare than terrestrial forests while defending coasts from storms. Restoration teams use drones, biodegradable seed pods, and hydrodynamic modeling to reestablish tidal flows and sediment regimes. Acoustic sensors, eddy-covariance towers, and satellite SAR track biomass and soil carbon, feeding MRV platforms that underpin carbon-credit issuance.
Local cooperatives earn income by maintaining nurseries, patrolling protected zones, and harvesting sustainable products (honey, fish, eco-tourism). Insurance firms and port authorities invest because restored wetlands reduce storm-surge losses, and governments count blue carbon toward nationally determined contributions (NDCs). Blended-finance vehicles pool philanthropic grants, sovereign funds, and carbon buyers to cover upfront costs and ensure long-term stewardship.
Technology readiness is TRL 5: ecological practices are mature, but governance, land tenure, and MRV standardization need work. Organizations like Global Mangrove Alliance, Verra, and Plan Vivo are creating methodologies for permanence and leakage. As shipping, aviation, and corporate buyers seek high-quality nature credits, blue carbon restoration will become a cornerstone of coastal resilience strategies.
