China's $13.8 billion coastal wetland restoration yields up to $434 billion in benefits

A comprehensive cost-benefit assessment of 237 coastal wetland restoration efforts in China from 2000 to 2020 reveals that investments ranging from $8.87 billion to $13.8 billion delivered ecosystem benefits valued between $95.9 billion and $434 billion. The study, compiled by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, measured a blue-carbon gain of about 8.5 million tons and highlighted the multifunctional role of wetlands in carbon storage, storm-surge buffering, fisheries support, and habitat provision.

Mangrove projects stood out, achieving benefit-cost ratios as high as 47 to 1, while salt marshes and seagrass beds also produced substantial returns. Findings suggest that wetland restoration can offset a large share of blue-carbon losses from coastal reclamation, with passive and invasive-species-removal methods proving especially effective. The authors recommend treating wetland restoration as a core element of climate and coastal policy rather than a peripheral conservation activity. The results offer a compelling economic case for nature-based solutions worldwide.