How to Incorporate Coastal Wetland Conservation Into National Climate Goals and State Policies

Coastal wetlands, including salt marshes, mangrove forests, and seagrass meadows, are among the most productive—and threatened—ecosystems on the planet. Known as “blue carbon” ecosystems, coastal wetlands can store more carbon per equivalent area than tropical rainforests and provide numerous climate-related benefits to people and wildlife. Protecting and restoring wetlands is a critical nature-based solution that nations and subnational actors—such as states and provinces—can leverage in support of their climate goals.

As part of Climate Week NYC, which took place Sept. 20-26, 2021, The Pew Charitable Trusts convened a virtual panel about blue carbon ecosystems and opportunities to include conservation of these habitats in climate mitigation policies. Leaders, scientists, and experts from Belize, Seychelles, Costa Rica, and the U.S. state of Oregon joined the panel to discuss how they are incorporating protection and restoration of coastal wetlands to advance climate policies and targets.

The webinar featured:

• Andre Perez, Belize’s minister of blue economy and civil aviation
• Angelique Pouponneau, CEO of Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust
• Miguel Cifuentes-Jara, director of climate action unit, Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza 
• Craig Cornu, coordinator, Pacific Northwest Blue Carbon Working Group
• Heather Wade, senior planner and coastal policy specialist, Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development and the Oregon Coastal Management Program