Aust research to unlock 'blue carbon'

The federal government is set to unveil new research into unlocking "blue carbon" from coastal areas, to offset carbon emissions, at major climate talks in Paris.

The research, to be undertaken by the National Environment Science Program, is part of Australia's aim to become one of the first countries to include blue carbon in its emissions inventory.

The government is also working on including marine carbon incentives as part of the $A2.55 billion emissions reduction fund, which pays Australian organisations to curb carbon pollution.

The research, which will be funded out of the NESP's $A23.9 million six-year funding, builds on previous work done by the CSIRO.

The project will be revealed at an Australian-led roundtable on day three of the United Nations climate change conference on Wednesday.

Research has already demonstrated that coastal ecosystems such as mangroves, seagrass beds and salt marshes can be much more effective than forests at sequestering carbon, the government said.