Carbon territoriality at the land-water interface

Abstract

Large volumes of organic carbon are stored in wetland ecosystems such as mangrove forests, peatlands, salt marshes and seagrass meadows. Efforts to mitigate anthropogenic climate change are transforming the governance of these naturally saturated carbon sinks. Scientific and market valuations of wetlands as carbon have prompted diverse experimentation with carbon sequestration projects and offset programs. These activities may displace wetland-reliant communities and add to societal equalities. This perspective paper develops the concept of carbon territoriality to explore emerging spaces of climate governance in wetlands. It moves beyond terra-centric policy debates tied to fixed and flat landscapes by integrating literature on the dynamic (sub)surface and atmospheric territorial dimensions of carbon. It posits that combining scientific knowledge of fixed carbon stocks with the inherited knowledge of coastal and riparian communities about fluid land–water connections could foster more inclusive and equitable forms of climate stewardship within biogeophysically relevant boundaries.