Mumbai Mangroves and Wetlands Could Earn Carbon Credits Under Proposed Green-Blue Carbon Bank

A proposal to turn Mumbai's mangroves, wetlands, and urban forests into carbon credit assets is gaining support. NatConnect Foundation has suggested a Green-Blue Carbon Bank for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, where the carbon stored by natural ecosystems could be measured, certified, and sold as credits. Revenue would fund conservation. The plan follows a government valuation of a 12-hectare wetland at Rs 3,600 crore, raising questions about how nature is priced in urban planning. International carbon market experts and the Maharashtra government are reviewing the idea. A six-month study would assess whether these ecosystems can generate credible carbon assets. If successful, Mumbai could serve as a model for other coastal cities in India and beyond, especially as global carbon pricing mechanisms like the EU's CBAM gain traction.