KKP Fosters Blue Carbon Emission Data Thru Seagrass Ecosystem

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) is preparing a baseline for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from seagrass ecosystems as a step to strengthen national blue carbon governance and the contribution of the maritime sector in climate change mitigation.

The baseline was produced thru the Technical Workshop on the Agreement of Seagrass GHG Baseline and Governance of Emission Data in the Marine and Fisheries Sector held in Jakarta recently, involving ministries and agencies, academics, and relevant partners.

The Director General of Marine Management, Koswara, stated that the establishment of seagrass emission baselines is an initial foundation in strengthening national blue carbon management. According to him, the preparation of these emission baselines can serve as a strong scientific basis for measuring the contribution of coastal ecosystems in absorbing and releasing greenhouse gas emissions.

"The data will serve as an important foundation in formulating climate change mitigation policies in the marine and fisheries sector while also supporting the achievement of national emission reduction targets," he said in an official statement in Jakarta on Thursday, March 12, 2026.

Seagrass ecosystems are one of the important components of coastal ecosystems that have the ability to absorb and store large amounts of carbon. Together with mangroves and coral reefs, these coastal ecosystems are an important part of nature-based climate change mitigation strategies or blue carbon.

The establishment of an emission baseline is carried out to determine the initial condition of carbon reserves and the potential emissions generated due to changes or disturbances to the seagrass ecosystem. This information serves as the basis for developing emission reduction scenarios while also strengthening policies for sustainable coastal ecosystem management.

Director of Ecosystem Conservation, Firdaus Agung, added that strengthening methodologies and governance of marine sector emission data is an important part of supporting sustainable marine development.

"The development of a methodology to establish the seagrass emission baseline is expected to strengthen the governance of emission data in the marine and fisheries sector to be more integrated and credible, while also supporting the contribution of coastal ecosystems to the climate change mitigation agenda," Firdaus ssaid.