Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain
the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in
Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles
and JavaScript.
Ocean ecosystems form a huge active carbon sink and play a critical role in the global carbon cycle and climate. Blue carbon refers to the carbon captured and stored by marine ecosystems, including productive coastal ecosystems, such as mangroves, macroalgal forests, seagrass meadows and saltmarshes. Some countries recognise this potential and have included development, conservation and restoration of coastal ecosystems in their climate mitigation strategies. Conversely, human impacts on marine life and habitats can lead to degradation and loss of coastal ecosystem services, including the drawdown and storage of atmospheric carbon.
In this Collection, we invite articles that document the climate mitigation potential of coastal ecosystems and the potential exacerbation of climate change due to their degradation. We also welcome articles that assess relevant policies and that propose new pathways for enhancing coastal ecosystem services.
This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 14 - Life below water.