Saltmarshes do store carbon, but their climate impact may have been overestimated

Saltmarshes, or tidal marshes, are able to capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and lock it away at a far higher rate than even forests on land. This has lead to them being championed as a nature-based solution to climate change. However, our research suggests the role played by saltmarshes of the UK and north-west Europe more widely in reducing the amount of carbon in the atmosphere has been significantly overestimated. Saltmarshes, or tidal marshes, are able to capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and lock it away at a far higher rate than even forests on land. This has lead to them being championed as a nature-based solution to climate change. However, our research suggests the role played by saltmarshes of the UK and north-west Europe more widely in reducing the amount of carbon in the atmosphere has been significantly overestimated. Earth Sciences Environment Phys.org – latest science and technology news stories