Coastal wetlands—including salt marshes, tidal forested wetlands, and seagrasses—can sequester more carbon per acre than inland forests, making them some of the world’s most effective natural carbon sinks. So, states [including California] are increasingly incorporating the protection and restoration of these “blue carbon” habitats into their broader initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet their climate change goals. Although states use different approaches to incorporating coastal wetlands into their climate planning, some common elements are high-level leadership and policy goals, quality data and established methodologies for understanding blue carbon trends, and partnerships for effective implementation.

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