From Fish magazine, March 2019:
The term ‘carbon farming’ usually conjures images of land-based agricultural and forestry initiatives. But there’s a new kid on the carbon-farming block, and it occupies the rich ecological niches that hug Australia’s extensive coastline.
As an island nation, Australia boasts one of the longest coastlines in the world: nearly 60,000 kilometres in total. While some of that coastline is occupied by beaches, large swathes are also home to mangroves, saltmarshes and seagrass beds. These are the sources and sinks for ‘blue carbon’ – the carbon stored in coastal marine sediments and plants.
Former Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt advanced the concept of blue carbon at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris. Since then, interest has been growing in how Australia can capitalise on this carbon resource – and, in doing so, help restore ecosystems that are also vital for fisheries. Read more.
Bianca Nogrady 