Blue Nitrogen: Global Rates and Economic Importance

Abstract Nitrogen (N) pollution drives widespread coastal ecosystem collapse. In this paper, we argue that mangrove forests represent an undervalued natural mitigation solution for N pollution. By performing a comprehensive global meta‐analysis, we reveal that mangroves remove 870 Gg N annually, which represents an economic value reaching $8.7 billion via N credit‐based valuation. This value is more than 12 times higher than the annual carbon credits value derived from mangrove carbon sequestration. Despite the substantial economic importance of mangroves' N‐removal capacity, it remains largely overlooked in current conservation frameworks. Moreover, we argue that N removal by mangroves has the potential of removing over 5 million tonnes of N each year under optimal conditions. We also highlight critical environmental thresholds demonstrating that this service is vulnerable: extreme eutrophication, rising mean annual temperature above 22°C, and hypersalinity all suppress mangrove N removal capacity. Our findings provide the scientific foundation to integrate “Blue Nitrogen” credits in a larger N‐credit framework, offering a transformative financing mechanism for coastal water quality management that could reshape both mangrove conservation and N pollution mitigation strategies, worldwide.