Blue Carbon Policy

International policy processes, such as the United Nations (UN) negotiations focused on climate change, biodiversity and sustainable development, have the potential to enhance coastal conservation, restoration and sustainable use of coastal ecosystems. Each process and its outcomes address one part of this issue; however, no single process addresses the full suite of issues and solutions for the conservation of coastal ecosystems and their multiple benefits.

Policies and actions within and across international policy mechanisms can result in increased domestic and global funding, cooperation between decision-makers in different sectors, and streamline other efforts. This may ultimately lead to more ambitious national commitments, accelerate implementation at the national and global levels, and allow countries to assess collective results and innovate.

The goal of the Policy Framework for Blue Carbon Ecosystems is to facilitate alignment across global policy processes to enhance conservation, restoration and sustainable management of coastal ecosystems. 

To make progress towards this vision, the Policy Framework for Blue Carbon Ecosystems has developed an overarching framework for achieving enhanced coastal conservation via international policy processes. The Project also works with governments, UN bodies and other stakeholders to achieve better global outcomes for coastal habitats.

To ensure conservation, restoration and sustainable management of coastal ecosystems, it is imperative to leverage synergies across international policy processes to enhance global ambition, accelerate implementation, and measure results .

IUCN and CI, along with their many members and partners, have collaborated on coastal blue carbon and other coastal policy issues for over ten year