Singapore, February 2026 – Global Mangrove Trust (GMT) today announces the design certification and registration of the Global Mangrove Trust Blue Carbon Restoration Project in Indonesia, marking the first blue carbon project under the Gold Standard Methodology for Sustainable Management of Mangroves.
The project, located across Pulau Kampai, Pangkalan Siata, Halaban, and Salahaji in North Sumatra, Indonesia, achieved VPA 1 Design Certification in February 2026 and formally registers 146 hectares of validated mangrove restoration areas. Over a 30-year crediting period, the project is expected to generate 203,672 tCO₂e in Verified Carbon Units (VCUs), representing an estimated 1,426.07 tCO₂e removals per hectare. The project is registered under Gold Standard for the Global Goals (GS4GGs) Project IDs GS 23179 (POA) and GS 23180 (VPA 1).
Independent validation was conducted by Carbon Check, an accredited Validation and Verification Body (VVB), in accordance with GS4GG Blue Carbon and Freshwater Wetlands Activity Requirements V1.0 and the Sustainable Management of Mangroves Methodology V1.0.
The GS4GG design certification confirms that the project complies with Gold Standard requirements for additionality, permanence, and environmental and social safeguards. Baseline setting, carbon accounting, and monitoring approaches are applied in accordance with GS4GG requirements, with safeguards embedded directly into project design and implementation. A structured monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) framework underpins long-term credit issuance and performance tracking. This milestone places the project among the earliest mangrove restoration initiatives to achieve design certification under the GS4GG framework.
The project restores degraded mangrove ecosystems while strengthening long-term stewardship with village leadership and the North Sumatran Forest Department. Field implementation is led by Yagasu as the on-ground implementation partner, ensuring ecological integrity and community alignment. Technical spatial analytics and baseline assessment support are provided by Singapore-based Kumi Analytics through the KACSAT application framework whilst financial support is provided by Marex, contributing to the development of a high-integrity blue carbon framework aligned with international certification standards.
This registration establishes the foundation for structured issuance of Verified Carbon Units. In compliance with Indonesian regulations, the project documentation has been formally submitted to the Indonesian SRN PPI (National Registry System for Climate Change Control) for review and authorization by the relevant government authorities.
Indonesia, home to the world’s largest mangrove forests holds significant potential to lead in nature-based climate solutions. With growing alignment between national regulatory frameworks and high-integrity international standards, the country is increasingly positioned to serve as a hub for credible, large-scale blue carbon implementation.
The milestone advances GMT’s mission to structure self-financing regenerative conservation easements around mangrove ecosystems globally and provides a replicable compliance framework for scaling certified blue carbon restoration across Indonesia. We will continue to focus on project implementation, including restoring and monitoring the eligible degraded areas, and sustained engagement with the Indonesian government to finalise SRN registration ahead of first verification.
Statements:
Bastien Declercq, Head of Environmental at Marex, said:
“We’re proud to continue to partner with GMT to bring high‑quality, high‑integrity carbon credits to the market while delivering benefits for local communities. Achieving Gold Standard’s certification further reinforces the project’s credibility, impact, and long‑term social and ecological value while supporting the wider carbon markets.”
Anton Syahputra Siregar, S.P., M.Si, Program Director at Yagasu, added:
“Gold Standard certification ensures high-quality mangrove restoration that integrates measurable emissions reductions, environmental conservation, and tangible positive impacts on biodiversity and sustainable livelihoods for local communities. This standard not only ensures climate resilience but also maximizes positive impacts on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”
Dr. Ryan Merrill, Cofounder and Executive Director at GMT, added:
“Design certification under Gold Standard affirms the carbon integrity of this restoration area within a broader conservation zone of high biodiversity and critical livelihood value. It demonstrates that restoration within wider mangrove landscapes can be structured to deliver measurable climate impact while reinforcing long-term ecological and social resilience.”
Project Overview:
| Project Developer | Global Mangrove Trust |
| Location | North Sumatra, Indonesia |
| Restoration Area (VPA 1) | 146 hectares |
| Crediting Period | 30 years |
| Estimated Volume | 203,672 tCO₂e VCUs |
| Average Removals | 1,426.07 tCO₂e per hectare |
