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Blue carbon credits hit record high as demand outpaces supply

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By illuminem briefings

· 3 min read


illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on Carbon Credits or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: Blue carbon credits have reached a record high, with Platts’ DBC-1 benchmark hitting $29.30/mtCO₂e in late August 2025
The surge reflects soaring demand for credits linked to coastal and marine ecosystems, while supply remains constrained by slow project development and complex implementation challenges
The sharp rebound in prices marks blue carbon’s emergence as a premium, sought-after asset in voluntary carbon markets

🔭 The context: Blue carbon credits are generated by protecting or restoring carbon-rich coastal ecosystems—mangroves, seagrasses, and salt marshes—which absorb carbon up to four times faster than terrestrial forests
While these credits offer strong co-benefits like biodiversity conservation and coastal protection, fewer than 10 million metric tons are issued annually—far short of market demand
Constraints include land tenure issues, lengthy verification processes, and underinvestment in coastal regions of Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Blue carbon presents a rare intersection of climate mitigation, biodiversity conservation, and community resilience
With the potential to offset up to 3% of global emissions by 2030, it offers a high-integrity path to climate impact—yet risks being underutilized due to slow scaling
The current price spike signals both its value and the urgency to accelerate project development, methodology harmonization, and finance deployment in key geographies

⏭️ What's next: Stakeholders are responding with action: investors are launching dedicated blue carbon funds, Verra and Gold Standard are updating methodologies, and Article 6 of the Paris Agreement could soon integrate blue carbon into compliance markets
However, bottlenecks in project pipelines and the need for enabling policies may keep prices elevated
Long-term contracts and early investments will be crucial for companies seeking high-quality offsets and for governments aiming to unlock coastal carbon potential

💬 One quote: “Demand is growing rapidly, but supply constraints mean blue carbon is shifting from niche to necessity in carbon markets.” — Jennifer L., reporting for S&P Global

📈 One stat: Blue carbon ecosystems can sequester carbon up to 4x faster than forests and currently absorb an estimated 0.5 to 1.0 gigatonnes of CO₂ annually

Explore carbon credit purchases, total emissions, and climate targets of thousands of companies on Data Hub™ — the first platform designed to help sustainability providers generate sales leads!

Click for more news covering the latest on nature and carbon market

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