The rise and flows of blue carbon credits advance global climate and biodiversity goals

Abstract

Blue Carbon Projects conserve and restore degraded BCEs to mitigate climate change1, 2, 3–4, primarily funded through carbon markets2,4, 5–6, thereby delivering climate finance6, 7–8. Our assessment of 81 BCPs globally (2.0 million ha) shows annual emission reductions of 20.4 MtCO₂e/yr, targeting 5.8 GtCO₂e by 2075—≈2% of estimated potential4,9. Between 2014 and 2025, 6.96 million BCCs were issued and 3.65 million retired, mostly transferred from LDCs and developing to developed nations below real value. © The Author(s) 2025.