Priority setting of India’s blue carbon ecosystems as nature-based solutions for climate, people and biodiversity

India’s extensive coastline supports all three recognized blue carbon ecosystems (BCEs): mangroves, seagrasses and saltmarshes, with limited spatial and long-term data on seagrasses and saltmarshes. Under the guidance of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC), BCEs can be included for their climate change mitigation capacity under nationally determined contributions (NDCs). These coastal ecosystems also play a vital role in climate change adaptation, providing multiple co-benefits. There is further scope for their inclusion in National Adaptation Plans, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. This study presents 10 priority areas for blue carbon science and policy development in India, identified from a consultative workshop held in Gujarat, India in January 2024. The priority themes that emerged included—data on BCEs extent and stocks across India, establishment of long-term monitoring programmes, assessment of BCEs co-benefits and creation of programmes for capacity building, alternative livelihoods and equitable conservation and restoration. Based on these priorities, a five-step blue carbon roadmap is outlined to support the development of an ambitious national programme for BCEs. Standardized methods and scientific approaches will ensure India’s ongoing efforts to protect and restore these vulnerable coastal habitats. This will contribute significantly to realizing the global benefits of BCEs for climate, people and nature.