Context:
Recent studies suggest that mangroves and coastal wetlands sequester carbon at a rate 10 times greater than mature tropical forests and store three to five times more carbon per area.
What is Blue Carbon?
- Blue carbon is simply the term for carbon captured by the world’s ocean and coastal ecosystems.
- Mangroves, sea grasses, and salt marshes, known as blue carbon ecosystems, are highly effective carbon sinks.
- Their roots help prevent soil erosion and keep the soil stable while increasing and providing marine habitats, and supporting biodiversity.
- Blue carbon ecosystems help mitigate climate change, protect coastal areas, and support food security, aiding both mitigation and adaptation for coastal communities.
- Itsdegradation is caused by mangrove exploitation, urban and industrial development, pollution, and pressures from agriculture and aquaculture.
Economic Benefits of Mangrove Restoration in India

- Reinstated mangroves have attracted significant eco-tourism, drawing government funds through India’s Coastal Regulation Zone policy reforms in 2023.
- According to the World Economic Forum (WEF) in June 2023, integrated restoration methods could increase coastal GDPs by up to 15%.
- The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 2024 reports that for every $1 invested in blue carbon restoration, $6 is returned in economic benefits.
Government Initiative for Mangrove Restoration
- India’s MISHTI (Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes) program aims to restore 540 sq km of mangroves across multiple states, with over 250 sq km already restored by December 2024.