When Carbon Rises, Can the Blue Carbon Answer?

Photo courtesy: Jonah Fisher, BBC Environment Correspondent, Weymouth.

Abstract: What if India's pathway to net zero does not end at factories—but begins where terrestrial meets the coastal? As carbon emissions rise and climate risks intensify, the search for solutions has largely remained confined to land-based approaches. Yet beneath the waves lies an overlooked trillion-dollar economic and ecological frontier, one that can absorb carbon, shield coastlines, and sustain growth. The question is no longer whether the blue economy matters, but why it remains on the margins of India’s climate strategy.

(Corresponding author) Sovini Mondal, Research Associate at National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), New Delhi, India (email: smondal@ncaer.org)

Sanjib Pohit, Professor at National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), New Delhi, India (email: spohit@ncaer.org)