The magnitude and pace of global climate change demand ambitious and effective implementation of nationally determined contributions (NDCs). Nature-based solutions present an efficient approach to achieving mitigation, adaptation and resilience goals. Yet few nations have quantified the diverse benefits of nature-based solutions to evaluate and select ecosystem targets for their NDCs. Here we report on Belize’s pursuit of innovative, evidence-based target setting by accounting for multiple benefits of blue carbon strategies. Through quantification of carbon storage and sequestration and optimization of co-benefits, we explore time-bound targets and prioritize locations for mangrove protection and restoration. We find increases in carbon benefits with larger mangrove investments, while fisheries, tourism and coastal risk-reduction co-benefits grow initially and then plateau. We identify locations, currently lacking protected status, where prioritizing blue carbon strategies would provide the greatest delivery of co-benefits to communities. These findings informed Belize’s updated NDCs to include an additional 12,000 ha of mangrove protection and 4,000 ha of mangrove restoration, respectively, by 2030. Our study serves as an example for the more than 150 other countries that have the opportunity to enhance greenhouse gas sequestration and climate adaptation by incorporating blue carbon strategies that provide multiple societal benefits into their NDCs.

全球气候变化的规模和速度要求雄心勃勃且有效地实施国家自主贡献（NDC）。基于自然的解决方案提供了实现缓解、适应和复原力目标的有效方法。然而，很少有国家量化基于自然的解决方案的各种好处，以评估和选择其国家自主贡献的生态系统目标。在这里，我们报告了伯利兹通过考虑蓝碳战略的多重好处来追求创新、基于证据的目标设定。通过碳储存和封存的量化以及协同效益的优化，我们探索有时限的目标并优先考虑红树林保护和恢复的地点。我们发现，更大的红树林投资可以增加碳效益，而渔业、旅游业和沿海风险降低的共同效益最初增长，然后趋于稳定。我们确定了目前缺乏受保护状态的地点，优先考虑蓝碳战略将为社区带来最大的共同利益。这些发现告知伯利兹更新的国家自主贡献，到 2030 年分别增加 12,000 公顷的红树林保护和 4,000 公顷的红树林恢复。我们的研究为其他 150 多个有机会加强温室气体封存和恢复的国家提供了范例。通过将可提供多种社会效益的蓝碳战略纳入其国家自主贡献中来适应气候变化。优先考虑蓝碳战略将为社区带来最大的共同利益。这些发现告知伯利兹更新的国家自主贡献，到 2030 年分别增加 12,000 公顷的红树林保护和 4,000 公顷的红树林恢复。我们的研究为其他 150 多个有机会加强温室气体封存和恢复的国家提供了范例。通过将可提供多种社会效益的蓝碳战略纳入其国家自主贡献中来适应气候变化。优先考虑蓝碳战略将为社区带来最大的共同利益。这些发现告知伯利兹更新的国家自主贡献，到 2030 年分别增加 12,000 公顷的红树林保护和 4,000 公顷的红树林恢复。我们的研究为其他 150 多个有机会加强温室气体封存和恢复的国家提供了范例。通过将可提供多种社会效益的蓝碳战略纳入其国家自主贡献中来适应气候变化。