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Transect Laying during Fieldwork

OUR WORK

  • Blue carbon ecosystems—mangroves, seagrasses, and saltmarshes—are unparalleled in their ability to remove and store greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Their efficiency far surpasses that of terrestrial ecosystems, offering a nature-based solution to mitigate climate change.

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    BlueCarbonSG, led by Assistant Professor Hao Tang from NUS Geography and funded by the National Research Foundation and National Parks Board, is a pioneering effort to unlock the potential of blue carbon for Singapore’s climate policy. The project will not only contribute to the Singapore's ambition to meet its net-zero targets but also positions the nation as a leader in blue carbon science and policy, offering a model for other land-scarce and small island nations worldwide.

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    BlueCarbonSG aims to show the potential for blue carbon to contribute to Singapore’s greenhouse gas reporting and climate change targets. The project will undertake the tasks of: assessing blue carbon stocks and fluxes across Singpaore's blue carbon ecosystems (Biophysical Carbon Dynamics), modeling historical, current, and future blue carbon distribution (Geospatial Analysis), and developing a national blue carbon accounting framework (Carbon Policy & Accounting). This framework will be the foundation for incorporating blue carbon into Singapore’s Nationally Determined Contributions, helping the country meet its medium- and long-term climate goals.

  • We explore the factors controlling blue carbon stocks and fluxes in Singapore's mangroves, seagrasses, and mudflats. Additionally, the team explores the role of mudflats as an underappreciated blue carbon ecosystem.

     

    Through extensive sampling of blue carbon stocks and fluxes across environmental gradient, building upon 10 years of mangrove carbon measurements, we aim to build a comprehensive national database of blue carbon dynamics, focusing on the factors that influence their carbon storage capacity. This includes providing scientific evidence to highlight the role of mudflats as a blue carbon ecosystem.

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    Participating Researchers:

  • We aim to develop Singapore’s first detailed map of soil carbon storage and understand how blue carbon ecosystems have changed over time, including their past carbon storage and emissions.​ This work utilizes advanced geospatial technologies such as modeling soil carbon distribution, using optical and LiDAR remote sensing for high-precision mapping, and analyzing archival maps and aerial photos to model historical blue carbon dynamics.

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    Participating Researchers:​

  • We model how blue carbon could evolve under future scenarios and contribute to Singapore’s climate targets, providing insights for policy integration. This work includes developing Singapore’s first National Blue Carbon Framework, a roadmap for incorporating blue carbon into greenhouse gas reporting, while addressing challenges through stakeholder engagement and analysis.

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    Participating Researchers: 

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