blue carbon

 This is the carbon which is sequestered by coastal ecosystems and sea grasses.  It is yet another reason for treasuring our tidal wetlands instead of draining them and developing them.  Apparently a good stand of mangroves can sequester more carbon that a terrestrial forest of similar size. We need to bring back the swamps to save the environment.  We also need to restore the sea grasses that have been threatened by climate change and human activity.  Australia has some of the largest seagrass meadows in the world and the greatest diversity of species.  

 Blue carbon projects are being used for carbon offsets, but there are those who see this as a dangerous path to follow.  They argue that it is difficult to measure the amount of carbon captured in coastal ecosystems, a situation that can produce some rubbery figures in the offset calculations.  These ecosystems can change, particularly as the ocean levels rise, so the carbon gains can disappear.  And blue carbon is a distraction from the more straightforward, measureable and manageable measures that we need to take to reduce carbon.