Chelsea Golding

Document Type

Research Project

Publication Date

9-25-2025

Abstract

Blue carbon ecosystems offer a critical solution to nature-based climate change mitigation. These habitats not only sequester significant amounts of carbon per hectare but also support biodiversity and increase climate resilience for coastal communities. Yet, despite the widespread recognition of these benefits in global climate discussions, most existing carbon sequestration and crediting frameworks remain focused on terrestrial ecosystems and fail to account for the greater variability in marine and costal habitats. This policy gap creates a significant barrier in the capacity for costal carbon sequestration projects to be scaled globally. Australia has addressed this implementation gap at a national level by developing an accredited framework for restoring coastal ecosystems. This model sets out requirements for project oversight, transparency in monitoring, and maintaining market trust. By integrating emission reductions, biodiversity, disaster resilience, and community benefits in a single, scalable process, the Australian blue carbon framework provides nations with a tested pathway to move blue carbon restoration from ambition to measurable, impactful climate action. This policy paper therefore recommends that COP30 formally endorse Australia’s blue carbon framework. More specifically, UNFCCC should reference Australia’s blue carbon protocols as a model for high-integrity credits in Article 6, to support the development of regional and global blue carbon projects.

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