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<p>HM Government recognises the important role that nature-based solutions, including
blue carbon habitats, such as saltmarsh can play to prevent biodiversity loss and
support adaptation and resilience to climate change, alongside their carbon sequestration
benefits.</p><p> </p><p>England’s Environment Agency (EA) reports on the extent and
zonation of saltmarsh in England. The latest report (looking at saltmarsh area change
over a decade from 2006-2009 to 2016-2019) is published on GOV.UK and has mapped existing
restoration sites and supports further restoration practices. 38% of UK waters are
already in Marine Protected Areas, covering the majority of saltmarsh habitats. Our
focus is now on ensuring these are effectively managed.</p><p> </p><p>The EA also
lead the ‘Restoring Meadows, Marsh and Reef Initiative’, working with partners across
government, the eNGO sector, academia and industry to streamline regulatory processes,
build capacity and share knowledge to facilitate the accelerated restoration of estuarine
and coastal habitats, with an initial focus on three priority habitats - saltmarshes,
seagrass beds and native oyster reefs. At COP26, as part of this initiative, the EA
also launched its Saltmarsh Restoration Handbook, a guide written by practitioners
and experts to support groups wanting to undertake their own saltmarsh restoration
project, one of 3 ‘Blue Carbon Restoration Handbooks’.</p><p> </p><p>We are also working
to increase private investment in nature. The £10 million Natural Environment Investment
Readiness Fund is also supporting three projects with almost £300k of grants, to explore,
develop and then test methodologies to measure and verify the carbon storage potential
in saltmarsh habitats. This includes a project to develop a Saltmarsh Carbon code
from the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.</p><p> </p><p>Finally, through the UK
Blue Carbon Evidence Partnership, UK Administrations are working with the Department
of Business, Energy and Industrial Estate and Defra to continue to strengthen our
evidence base relating to blue carbon habitats including saltmarsh. The first aim
of the Partnership has been to identify and then clearly set out the most pressing
research questions relating to blue carbon within an Evidence Needs Statement that
will act as a signal to the research community for further work.</p>
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