The United Kingdom, with its extensive marine and coastal environments, plays a significant role in global blue carbon affairs. Notably, the United Kingdom’s definition of what counts as a blue carbon resource slightly differs from that of many other countries. Nevertheless, since the UK has committed to a legally binding target to reach Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, blue carbon ecosystems still make a significant contribution in terms of carbon capture and coastal ecosystem conservation. Fortunately, the UK has come to recognize the importance of protecting blue carbon ecosystems and the government, academia, and non-governmental organizations have all started taking various measures to conserve and develop blue carbon in recent years.  Despite its loss in blue carbon resources over the last few decades, the UK now has the potential to play a greater role in blue carbon international cooperation in the future and should strive to fully leverage its strengths and celebrate the mutual benefits that would come from cooperation both domestically and internationally.

This quarter’s BCCC Blue Carbon Country Profile aims to help readers better understand government actions, private efforts, and international cooperation on the research, protection, and development of the blue carbon ecosystems in the United Kingdom. While demonstrating and acknowledging the progress that the UK has made on blue carbon protection in recent years, the country profile also offers insights into the future steps that the UK could take to attract private investment to take its blue carbon initiatives to a higher level, as well as cooperating with other countries to promote blue carbon protection and development globally.