What is blue carbon?
Our oceans and coasts naturally help fight climate change. Marine ecosystems capture and store carbon in plants, animals, seawater, and seabed sediments. This keeps it out of the atmosphere, where it would otherwise contribute to global warming. "Blue Carbon" is the idea of protecting and managing these natural systems so they can lock away even more carbon for the long term.
At NOC, we study how to harness this natural climate solution. We look at coastal habitats like salt marshes, seagrass meadows, mangroves, mudflats, and the seabed, both in the UK and around the world. Our research explores how actions (like restoring habitats, managing land use, adjusting fishing practices, and creating space for the sea) can help these ecosystems store more carbon and stay healthy for the future.
Impact
Our work directly contributes to climate change mitigation. By figuring out how to measure and protect these natural carbon sinks, we can help reduce greenhouse gas concentrations and buffer ocean acidification.
Healthy blue carbon habitats also provide essential ecosystem services. They protect coastlines from erosion and storm surges, sustain fisheries by serving as nurseries for marine life, and support the critical biodiversity that's needed to balance ocean ecosystems.
For people, the benefits are profound. Coastal communities depend on these ecosystems for food security, clean water, and livelihoods like fishing and tourism. Preserving and restoring blue carbon systems strengthens climate resilience by safeguarding natural barriers against rising seas and extreme weather, while also supporting sustainable economies.
If we weren't doing this research, these habitats could continue to decline, unnoticed and unprotected. Their degradation would release vast amounts of stored carbon back into the atmosphere, accelerating global warming and intensifying climate-related hazards. Losing blue carbon ecosystems would also threaten marine biodiversity, reduce fish populations, weaken coastal defences, and endanger communities that rely on these systems for survival.
What does NOC's blue carbon research investigate?
Our team investigates where blue carbon habitats currently exist and where they could be restored or expanded. We assess how effective they are at sequestering and storing carbon and evaluate the likely success of interventions, from local to national scales. We also examine the co-benefits these habitats provide, like coastal protection, biodiversity support, and fisheries enhancement, and how their value changes over time. Alongside ecological studies, we explore the social dimensions. This includes how coastal communities interact with these ecosystems and the relationship between blue carbon health and upstream activities, such as land-use change. This helps us understand both the environmental and human drivers that affect the success of blue carbon solutions.
We use a wide range of cutting-edge tools and infrastructure to get this done:
- Marine autonomy, including autonomous underwater vehicles and surface drones, to map and monitor habitats efficiently
- Sensor networks to track carbon cycling and environmental conditions Oceanographic and ecosystem models to predict future carbon storage potential
- Research ships for field sampling and large-scale habitat surveys Digital tools and inventories, such as ocean accounts, to support decision-making and climate reporting
How does NOC collaborate on blue carbon research?
Collaboration is central to our approach. We're part of projects that bring together scientists from across the UK and internationally, including initiatives linking blue carbon mapping to policy frameworks and marine protection strategies. Our work contributes to (and benefits from) major expeditions focused on seafloor mapping, habitat assessment, and carbon flux measurement. Within NOC, we collaborate closely with teams specialising in seafloor mapping, biogeochemistry, marine ecosystems, and data systems to ensure our research is integrated and impactful.
Through these combined efforts, we're building a robust evidence base that informs sustainable ocean management, advances climate mitigation, and empowers stakeholders to make informed decisions for the health of our coasts, oceans, and communities.
Research Outcomes
Our work has produced clear, actionable outcomes for both climate action and sustainable ocean management. By evaluating the potential benefits of blue carbon schemes for different groups (from marine managers to local communities), we can make evidence-based recommendations for restoration and protection. This includes identifying the most environmentally and socially suitable areas for action and helping decision-makers design projects with the highest likelihood of success.
Our research has also deepened the understanding of blue carbon habitats, strengthening ocean literacy and raising awareness of their value for climate and biodiversity. We've contributed to assessments of how blue carbon can support national climate goals, including greenhouse gas emissions offsetting and reporting for the Paris Agreement.
Key findings have been shared through scientific publications and policy reports. These highlight where blue carbon ecosystems can be most effective and how their protection benefits marine biodiversity, coastal resilience, and human well-being. These outcomes empower stakeholders to invest in nature-based climate solutions that also sustain fisheries, safeguard coasts, and support livelihoods.
We're also helping to shape how marine restoration can be financed. Our projects help inform new mechanisms for nature finance, catalysing investment in blue carbon solutions. We regularly contribute to governmental calls for evidence, ensuring policy and regulation reflect the latest science, and we work closely with stakeholders to support better resource management and long-term ecosystem stewardship.
Sharing Our Research
NOC actively shares blue carbon research through various media and policy channels:
Media and Public Engagement:
- Guest post: The role of 'blue carbon' in addressing climate change - Carbon Brief
- COP28 Carbon Sequestration in Seabed Sediments: Prospects and Perils
- Roundtable Discussion: The Importance of the Ocean Being Part of the Conversation at COP28
- Harnessing blue carbon to mitigate climate change & achieve a sustainable ocean Roundtable - The role of the blue economy in achieving a sustainable ocean
- Why Seagrass Meadows Are Key In Combatting Climate Change | Into the Blue Podcast
- Sleihny Marrey - People of the Sea: A blue carbon journey
Policy Contributions:
- Contributor to: APPG for the Ocean: Turning the Tide on Climate Change
- Bright Tide and the National Oceanography Centre present to the APPG on Blue Carbon Finance Nature-based solutions for net zero: ICOS
- Contributor to: Accelerating marine restoration: Laying the foundations of high integrity marine natural capital markets across the UK - The Crown Estate
Publications
Blue carbon management integrating socioeconomic and environmental interconnectivity in Southeast Asia: an urgent climate priority
Becker, Amani; Bercovici, Sarah K.; Choo, Jenny; Fakhrurrozi, Fakhrurrozi; Fong, Annabelle; Fowell, Sara E. 
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9835-4725; Hossain, Emmy; Hussein, Muhammad Ali Syed; Jamilah, Maryam; Mujahid, Aazani; Müller, Moritz; Ooi, Jillian Lean Sim; Quiros, T. E. Angela L.; Richard, Florina; Saleh, Ejria; Chee, Su Yin; Then, Amy Yee-Hui; Ticman, Kristina; Wee, Julia Lih Suan; Wong, Changi; Affendi, Yang Amri; Yap, Tzuen Kiat; Yoshikai, Masaya; Yusri, Safran; Evans, Claire ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0569-7057.
2025
Blue carbon management integrating socioeconomic and environmental interconnectivity in Southeast Asia: an urgent climate priority.
Frontiers in Marine Science, 12.
10.3389/fmars.2025.1642387
2025
Article
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