A mangrove restoration project in Fujian province has become the first marine-based initiative officially registered in the China Certified Emission Reduction (CCER) Program.

The project, located in Yantian township and Changchun town, Xiapu county, Ningde, marks a critical shift for China's marine carbon sinks from simple ecological restoration toward market-based value realization. Under the CCER framework, companies with high emissions can purchase certified emission reductions from projects involving renewable energy, forestry, and marine carbon sinks to offset their own carbon footprints. Previous Chinese carbon trading focused largely on solar, wind, and terrestrial forestry, but recent methodological updates have expanded the scope to include mangrove cultivation and seagrass bed restoration.

Developed by local Xiapu bureaus in collaboration with the Third Institute of Oceanography of the Ministry of Natural Resources, the project utilizes mangrove plantations established between 2016 and 2023. Experts estimate the site will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by an average of 812 metric tons per year, totaling 32,000 tons over its 40-year lifespan. Researchers noted that the registration provides a replicable model for future marine carbon development nationwide.

In recent years, Xiapu county has advanced mangrove conservation and restoration by combining artificial planting with natural regeneration, gradually rebuilding its mangrove wetland ecosystem. By the end of 2025, the county's mangrove area had reached 7,000 mu (466.67 hectares).