Halifax, Canada - September 2026

The International Blue Carbon Scientific Working Group (IBCSWG) will hold the 18th annual meeting in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada on September 14-17, 2026. The IBCSWG meeting will be co-hosted by our partners, WWF-Canada, the Community Eelgrass Restoration Initiative and the Confederacy of Mainland Mi'kmaq. Participants will include Canadian, regional, and global scientists and partners.

The IBCSWG meeting will focus on current scientific issues related to blue carbon’s role in climate action and what new information is needed to integrate blue carbon science in policymaking processes worldwide.

With the world's longest coastline, measuring over 240,000 kilometers and spanning three oceans, Canada is home to the longest extent of blue carbon ecosystems. Given the unique importance of coastal wetlands, kelp and eelgrass ecosystems to Canada, the meeting will provide an opportunity for the Working Group to coordinate blue carbon science, policy and project development in Canada as well as learn from and empower local Indigenous voices. This coordination extends beyond academia and will include Indigenous organizations, communities, and individuals who have been the stewards of these ecosystems since time immemorial.