Solent Blue Carbon Restoration Initiative

This project aims to: build on existing university-wide interdisciplinary expertise to establish a critical mass of research focused on blue carbon as a nature-based solution to the climate crisis. Tackling climate change through nature-based solutions, in which the power of natural processes is used to support carbon uptake and build community resilience, is a significant strategic opportunity for the University of Portsmouth. Restoring degraded coastal habitats (such as seagrass, oyster reefs, kelp, and salt marsh) to capture blue carbon are particularly effective solutions as these habitats are comparatively easy to restore and capture substantial carbon quickly. It is estimated that saltmarsh and seagrass habitats alone fix and store carbon at 2-4 times the rate of mature tropical forests. For the first time, this proposal brings together researchers from across the University to develop a critical mass in blue carbon research. This collaboration will be enriched by targeted regional, national and international partnerships, including expert NGOs, government agencies, and research bodies. We will utilise our position in the Solent, one of Europe’s largest blue carbon sites, as the initial focus of our research with a view to national and international scale-up.