UNF researcher leads coastal wetland study for mitigating climate change

Dr. Scott F. Jones, assistant professor of biology at the University of North Florida, is the lead author of a recently published paper examining when and where coastal wetland restoration is effective as a natural climate solution. The study focuses on three key factors: effectiveness, feasibility and permanence.

Coastal wetlands, including salt marshes, mangroves and seagrasses, are unmatched in their ability to store carbon, making their restoration a powerful tool for mitigating climate change by providing a net cooling effect on the planet. However, uncertainty remains about when and where these projects are most effective.

The study brought together authors from around the world for a global perspective on the issue, finding that restoration efforts are most successful in degraded areas that can deliver significant climate cooling benefits, have strong socio-economic and governance support and are resilient to rising sea levels. It recommends using readily available data, taking a landscape-scale approach and considering methane emissions to reduce uncertainties. The authors argue that these strategies can clarify the effectiveness of coastal wetland restoration and strengthen efforts to combat climate change by removing obstacles preventing the use of restoration as a natural climate solution.

Read "When and where can coastal wetland restoration increase carbon sequestration as a natural climate solution?" in Cambridge Prisms: Coastal Futures.