BLUE CARBON+
Protecting and restoring mangroves, seagrass, saltmarshes & kelp
Some of the most powerful climate solutions on Earth grow at the water’s edge. Blue Carbon Plus (BC+) is a pioneering approach that protects mangroves, seagrasses and saltmarshes that lock away carbon, safeguarding marine life, shielding coastal communities and driving economic growth at scale.
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Mangroves, seagrasses, and saltmarshes could avoid or sequester up to 1 gigatonne CO2 annually by 2050, while buffering coasts and sustaining fisheries.
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Philanthropy can catalyze viable, replicable local business models that link conservation, carbon and livelihoods at scale
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Blue carbon receives a fraction of conservation finance, and community businesses are often overlooked.
PROBLEM
Coastal blue carbon ecosystems store more carbon per area than almost any other natural system, yet they are being lost at alarming rates. Mangroves alone are disappearing three to five times faster than terrestrial forests, releasing vast stores of carbon and weakening natural defenses against storms and sea-level rise.
Despite their importance, blue carbon habitats are chronically underfunded and underprotected. Restoration efforts are often small, slow and outpaced by destruction. Many fail entirely. Access to carbon finance is complicated and costly, and the areas with the highest potential for carbon credits often lack the enabling conditions to engage the market. Without new models to mobilize investment at scale, the world risks losing one of the most cost-effective, nature-based climate solutions available today, along with the critical fisheries, livelihoods and protection benefits these ecosystems provide.
GRANTEES
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CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL
Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity. Through science, policy, fieldwork and finance, CI spotlights and secures the most important places in nature for the climate, for biodiversity and for people.
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THE NATURE CONSERVANCY
The Nature Conservancy conserves the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, TNC creates innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together.
OPPORTUNITY
BC+, a collaboration between Conservation International and The Nature Conservancy, takes a different approach to blue carbon. Instead of supporting fragile, credit-dependent projects, it funds scalable local businesses that protect and restore mangroves, seagrasses and saltmarshes as part of how they operate and earn revenue.
Through tailored technical and financial support, BC+ is building a scalable pipeline of blue carbon businesses that deliver climate benefits, support biodiversity, and generate direct economic returns for the people who depend on these critical ecosystems.
IMPACT GOAL
Over the next five years, BC+ will catalyze a shift from small-scale, siloed blue carbon projects to regenerative, replicable blue carbon businesses that protect and restore coastal ecosystems while sustaining local livelihoods. Models will be piloted in multiple locations, linked to real market demand, and positioned to unlock larger follow-on investment, ensuring impact that lasts well beyond the life of the initiative.
By 2050, BC+ aims to contribute to the conservation and restoration of up to 16.9 million hectares of coastal ecosystems, deliver climate benefits of up to 2.2 gigatonnes of CO₂e, and increase incomes for more than 50 million people.
WHAT WE FUND
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![Northern lights over snow-capped mountains and ocean, night sky with stars.]()
ARCTIC CONSERVATION
Safeguarding ecosystems and Indigenous livelihoods
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![A man in a brown jacket and wide-brimmed hat is standing in a body of water, holding a large fish. Two boats are nearby in the water, with a backdrop of trees and a cloudy sunset sky.]()
BLUE CARBON+
Protecting and restoring mangroves, seagrass, saltmarsh and kelp
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![Two elderly people, a man and a woman, are repairing fishing nets. The woman is wearing a purple hijab, while the man is wearing a white shirt.]()
COASTAL FRONTLINE INITIATIVE
Strengthening community resilience and securing tenure rights
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![Aerial shot of a sandy coastline with clear green water and artisanal fishing vessels pulled up on the foreshore]()
MARINE CARBON REMOVAL
Responsible and inclusive ocean-based carbon removal
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![A white wind turbine against a clear blue sky.]()
OFFSHORE WIND
Enabling fast, fair & responsible development in emerging markets
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![A large cargo ship with colorful containers sailing in calm waters under a partly cloudy sky.]()
DECARBONIZING SHIPPING
Accelerating zero-emission fuels, ports and policy frameworks
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![Two fishermen sitting on traditional round basket boats on a beach at sunset, with fishing boats anchored in the background under a cloudy sky.]()
OCEAN-CLIMATE DIPLOMACY
Embedding ocean priorities in global climate policy
