​New research has revealed that Britain's mudflats play a far more crucial role in the fight against climate change than previously understood. Recent studies by the Scottish Association of Marine Science, working with leading environmental organisations, have shown that the UK seabed stores almost three times as much carbon annually as the nation's forests.

This breakthrough highlights the significant contribution of "blue carbon" - carbon stored in marine ecosystems. The UK's mudflats, which are found around much of the coastline, are rich with decaying plant and animal matter, providing an unexpectedly powerful carbon sink.

The research team, who spent two years gathering data, found that just the top layer of seabed mud holds an estimated 244 million tonnes of organic carbon. This finding challenges the long-held focus on forest conservation as the main strategy for carbon capture, suggesting that marine environments are equally vital in reducing greenhouse gases.

Despite their potential, mudflats have often been overlooked. While their importance to wildlife, especially for bird populations, has been recognised for some time, their role in carbon storage is only now being understood. Conservationists are calling for greater protection of these areas, particularly from the damaging effects of commercial activities like trawling and dredging, which disturb the seabed and release stored carbon.

The research underscores the need for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to be more effectively enforced. At present, many MPAs still allow harmful practices, threatening these crucial carbon stores and diminishing their capacity to offset carbon emissions.

As the UK prepares for upcoming climate negotiations, scientists hope this new understanding of the importance of mudflats will prompt stronger conservation efforts to protect biodiversity and to combat climate change more effectively. Mud, long underestimated, may now emerge as a key natural ally in the race to reduce carbon levels.