Ward et al. (2026): Blue Carbon in an Era of Carbon Accounting
M. Ward, M.T. Costa, A.M. Ricart, S. Crooks, L.M. Wedding and P.I. Macreadie, IN: Annual Review of Environment and Resources, https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-121522-043142
Blue carbon ecosystems—mangroves, tidal marshes, seagrass meadows, and, increasingly, seaweeds—are being rapidly integrated into climate mitigation frameworks. Yet, despite their prominence in global carbon offset discourse, blue carbon projects remain dominated by mangroves (∼89% of projects). Here, the authors synthesize recent developments in blue carbon science, carbon accounting, and market integrity. Global restoration potential could deliver annual removals of ∼109 (98–119; 95% CI) million tonnes of organic carbon, while habitat loss causes annual emissions of up to ∼63 (55–71) million tonnes. Realizing carbon benefits is constrained by monitoring, reporting, and verification costs, data gaps, and methodological challenges.