Overcoming legal barriers to coastal wetland restoration: lessons from Australia's Blue Carbon methodology

Abstract

Globally, there is a recognized need for widespread restoration of coastal wetlands. Despite this recognition, progress in many places has been slow, for reasons including legal and policy barriers. In Australia many of these legal barriers have been overcome in the development of the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative ‐ Tidal Restoration of Blue Carbon Ecosystems) Methodology Determination 2022, which allows for certain coastal restoration projects to be accredited and ultimately receive Australian Carbon Credit Units. This paper describes the new methodology, outlines the key legal barriers which had to be addressed in its development, and analyzes the legal solutions utilized. It concludes with some general observations for fucoastal wetland restoration projects. Despite the jurisdictional focus on Australia, it is anticipated that these lessons will be of broader relevance to other countries grappling with restoration projects in the intertidal zone.