Blue Carbon
Blue carbon refers to the carbon stored in our marine habitats – such as tidal and saltmarshes, seagrasses, mangroves, and the seabed itself. These marine ecosystems and coastal wetlands are the most vulnerable habitats on our planet: they are threatened by centuries of coastal development and now, increasingly, by rising sea levels and coastal erosion. At the same time, they protect us from storms, provide livelihoods for millions and act as storage for blue carbon from the atmosphere and oceans.
Blue carbon research therefore has far-reaching implications for climate mitigation.
Professor Bill Austin is at the forefront of this research: he is Chair of the Scottish Government’s Scottish Blue Carbon Forum and leads on the UN’s Global Ocean Decade Programme for Blue Carbon (GO-BC) around ocean sustainability.
Our GO-BC partners are the UK Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Scottish Government, the Blue Carbon Initiative/Conservation International, the International Partnership for Blue Carbon (IPBC), and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO.
In October 2023, we opened a new Global Research Centre for Blue Carbon at our Scottish Oceans Institute. This is an exciting inter-disciplinary research collaboration drawing on our national expertise and working with international partners including governments, charities, and NGOs.
To address the existing lack of specialist knowledge, we launched a dedicated Blue Carbon Academy in August 2025, bringing together students, scientists and policy experts from around the world. This initiative aims to increase expertise in countries and regions where marine ecosystems and coastal wetlands are particularly at risk.
In September 2025, Scotland’s first-ever Blue Carbon Action Plan (BCAP) was launched by Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy, Gillian Martin MSP, shaped by groundbreaking research from the University of St Andrews.
We will work with our partners and international charities to attach PhD students to global blue carbon conservation initiatives and will empower communities and build knowledge by creating a 'teach the trainer' model.
How you can help
Become part of this cutting-edge international project and help us to explore the climate mitigation potential of blue carbon and address the effects of climate change in our oceans.
Links
Global study identifies urgent blue carbon priorities in the fight against climate change
St Andrews research supports launch of Scotland’s first Blue Carbon Action Plan
Blue Carbon Academy launches summer programme
Blue Carbon Academy opens doors for future leaders
Burying emissions at sea | Research Blog (st-andrews.ac.uk)
Find out more about our ocean and marine research: Scottish Oceans Institute