Blue Carbon Takes Shape in Indonesia as Seagrass Baseline Is Confirmed

Indonesia has taken a concrete step towards building a blue carbon market, confirming an emissions baseline for its seagrass ecosystems as part of a broader effort to bring the marine and fisheries sector into the country's emissions reduction strategy.

Indonesian underwater seagrass growing densely, storing carbon and supporting ocean life. AI generated picture.

The baseline was produced at a technical workshop in Jakarta, convened by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) with participation from government bodies, academic institutions, and sector stakeholders.

'This data will be an important foundation in formulating climate change mitigation policies in the marine and fisheries sector, while also supporting the achievement of national emission reduction targets,' said A. Koswara, director general of marine management at the KKP.

Before emissions can be reduced or traded, a baseline must exist. It captures the current state of carbon stocks in an ecosystem and estimates what would be released if that ecosystem were disturbed or degraded. That reference point then shapes policy and any future crediting methodology.

The seagrass baseline sits within a wider national push. Last month, Indonesia launched an action plan to protect and restore blue carbon ecosystems covering 3.45 million hectares of mangroves and 660,000 hectares of seagrass. A technical manual for measuring seagrass carbon stocks, published by KKP in December, laid the methodological groundwork for both efforts.

The stakes are considerable. Indonesia is home to 15 of roughly 60 seagrass species known worldwide, and seagrass ecosystems can lock away carbon for thousands of years under healthy conditions. KKP has flagged that many of the country's coastal meadows are under pressure from coastal conversion, pollution, destructive fishing, and broader environmental degradation—making protective policy and accurate data all the more urgent.