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Good practice Imported

Zhanjiang Mangrove Afforestation Project — China's First Certified Blue Carbon Trade

China · Zhanjiang · See the China profile

Evidence: Descriptive / self-reported Top 33% 53/100 · Ask Evidence Copilot about this practice

China's first Verra- and CCB Gold-certified blue carbon project restored 380 hectares of mangroves in Zhanjiang (2015–2019), expected to offset 160,000 tonnes of CO2 by 2055; its first credits, 5,880 tCO2e, were sold to the SEE Foundation in 2021.

380 hectares
Mangrove forest restored (2015-2019)
~160,000 tonnes
Projected CO2 offset (2015-2055)
5,880 tCO2e
First credit tranche sold (2021)
Zhanjiang Mangrove Afforestation Project — China's First Certified Blue Carbon Trade

Details

Maturity
Established
Promoter
Third Institute of Oceanography (Ministry of Natural Resources) & Zhanjiang Mangrove National Nature Reserve Administration
Period
2015–2055 (restoration 2015–2019; credit trading from 2021)
Keywords
blue carbon, mangrove restoration, carbon markets, coastal protection

Context

The Zhanjiang Mangrove Afforestation Project, developed by the Third Institute of Oceanography with the Zhanjiang Mangrove National Nature Reserve Administration, restored 380 hectares of mangrove forest within the reserve between 2015 and 2019.

Activities

Using the CDM AR-AM0014 methodology, the project was registered in 2021 as the world's first blue carbon project certified simultaneously under VCS and CCB Standard at Gold level — China's first blue carbon trading project.

Results

The certified carbon sink is projected to offset approximately 160,000 tonnes of CO2 between 2015 and 2055; its first tranche of 5,880 tCO2e credits was purchased in 2021 by the Beijing-based SEE Foundation.

Conclusions

Independent commentators have raised broader concerns about China's rapid mangrove-restoration drive nationally, including risks from fast-growing but ecologically poor-fit species; species-level ecological outcomes specific to Zhanjiang were not found in sources reviewed.

Implementation
Indicative cost
Medium (€50k–€500k)
Time to results
Medium (1–3 years)
Staffing & skills
Third Institute of Oceanography (Ministry of Natural Resources), Zhanjiang Mangrove National Nature Reserve Administration

Conditions for success

  • dual VCS/CCB Gold certification
  • domestic buyer (SEE Foundation) for initial credit revenue

Common failure modes

  • national mangrove-restoration drive criticised for planting fast-growing but ecologically poor-fit species
  • no site-specific species-level ecological data found

Commonly funded by

National / regional programmes

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Data sources

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