Author Identifier (ORCID)
Pere Masque: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1789-320X
Anna Lafratta: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8414-2417
Abstract
Blue carbon ecosystems, classically defined as mangroves, tidal marshes and seagrasses, but increasingly expanded to include ecosystems such as tidal flats, macroalgal forests and shelf sediments, contribute to climate change mitigation and biodiversity support. Here, seven years after the last global assessment of research priorities, we conducted a priority-setting exercise to identify persistent knowledge and implementation gaps, and the strategic priorities that must be addressed to enable scalable, high-integrity and equitable management of blue carbon ecosystems in a rapidly evolving policy and finance landscape. The highest priority focuses on managing blue carbon ecosystems to support coastal communities while integrating traditional ecological knowledge, emphasizing the essential role of social legitimacy and equity in enabling scalable, long-lasting outcomes. Additional priorities focus on developing cost-effective restoration methods, improving the accuracy of greenhouse gas flux estimates, quantifying the impacts of human activities on carbon cycling and integrating co-benefits such as biodiversity and coastal protection into natural capital frameworks. Emerging technologies like remote sensing, machine learning and data-sharing platforms are also highlighted as transformative tools to fill knowledge gaps and scale solutions. Collectively, these priorities highlight the complexity of blue carbon science and the need for inclusive interdisciplinary approaches that support the resilience and livelihoods of coastal communities.
Keywords
Blue carbon ecosystems, climate change mitigation, coastal communities, carbon cycling, ecosystem restoration, remote sensing
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
1-1-2026
Publication Title
Nature Ecology & Evolution
Publisher
Nature
School
Centre for Marine Ecosystems Research / School of Science
Funders
Australian Research Council / Future Fellowship (FT250100371) / OBAMA-NEXT (101081642), funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe Programme / The National Research Foundation of South Africa (UID 84375) / US Geological Survey Ecosystems Land Change Science Program / ‘Ramon y Cajal’ Fellowship (RYC2021-034455-I) / ‘Juan de la Cierva-Incorporación’ Fellowship (JC2020-045917-I) / Program Management Unit for Human Resources & Institutional Development, Research and Innovation for the project ‘Capacity building on Nature-based Solution for Carbon Net Zero’ (B13F660071) / HORIZON-CL5-2023-D1-02-02 / UKRI National Capability International Award (NE/X006271/1) / AXA Investment Managers Award 2022
Grant Number
ACR Number : DP200100575
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Comments
Macreadie, P. I., Biddulph, G. E., Masque, P., Kennedy, H., Samper-Villarreal, J., Megonigal, J. P., Morrissette, H. K., Romero-Gonzalez, T. E., Hatje, V., Friedrich, J., Sasmito, S. D., Watanabe, K., Mazarrasa, I., Krause-Jensen, D., Adams, J. B., Cifuentes-Jara, M., Arias-Ortiz, A., Rovai, A. S., Stankovic, M., . . . Austin, W. E. N. (2026). Priority questions for the next decade of blue carbon science. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 10, 751–764. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-026-03020-6