Mangroves remove $8.7 billion in nitrogen pollution yearly, study finds

A new study from the Chinese University of Hong Kong finds that mangroves remove roughly 870,000 tonnes of nitrogen from coastal waters each year. The researchers value this service at about $8.7 billion annually, using a method similar to carbon credit pricing. That figure is more than twelve times the typical valuation placed on mangrove carbon storage alone. The study highlights a blind spot in how coastal ecosystems are valued. Most conservation funding and carbon credit projects focus on the carbon mangroves store, but this research suggests their water filtration role may be worth far more. For anyone working on blue carbon projects or coastal restoration, this adds a strong argument for protecting and restoring mangrove forests beyond just their carbon benefits.