by Ugbaad Kosar, senior policy advisor
On June 11, 2020, Senators Whitehouse and Murkowski introduced S. 3939, the Blue Carbon for Our Planet Act. This bill would create a national strategy to protect, restore, and utilize blue carbon ecosystems as a climate mitigation tool as well as strengthen blue carbon research efforts with support from various federal agencies and the National Academies. We’re especially excited that the bill would require the creation of a national map of blue carbon ecosystems and their sequestration potential, launch restoration pilot programs, and improve the stewardship and standardization of coastal blue carbon data.
All in all, we’re big fans of this bill (check out our letter of support below) and think it’s a great example of how carbon removal can catalyze a wide array of co-benefits. In addition to climate mitigation, blue carbon ecosystems can expand and improve sustainable jobs and provide concrete local environmental and human health benefits by improving water quality and protecting shorelines and coastal communities from sea level rise, erosion, floods, and storms.
Blue carbon hasn’t gotten as much attention as some other carbon removal solutions, but with bills like this, we’re hoping that’ll change.
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