EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The objective of this report is to highlight the critical role of the oceans and ocean ecosys
tems in maintaining our climate and in assisting policy makers to mainstream an oceans
agenda into national and international climate change initiatives. While emissions’ re
ductions are currently at the centre of the climate change discussions, the critical role of
the oceans and ocean ecosystems has been vastly overlooked.
Out of all the biological carbon (or green carbon) captured in sequestration and also through reducing the rate of marine and
the world, over half (55%) is captured by marine living organ- coastal ecosystem degradation. It also explores the options for
isms – not on land – hence it is called blue carbon. Continu- developing a financial structure for managing the contribution
ally increasing carbon dioxide (CO
2
) and other greenhouse gas oceans make to reducing CO
2
levels, including the effective-
emissions are contributing to climate change. Many countries, ness of an ocean based CO
2
reduction scheme.
including those going through periods of rapid growth, are
increasing their emissions of brown and black carbon (such Oceans play a significant role in the global carbon cycle. Not
as CO
2
and soot) as a result of rapid economic development. only do they represent the largest long-term sink for carbon but
Along with increased emissions, natural ecosystems are being they also store and redistribute CO
2
. Some 93% of the earth’s
degraded, reducing their ability to absorb CO
2
. This loss of ca- CO
2
(40 Tt) is stored and cycled through the oceans.
pacity is equivalent to one to two times that of the annual emis-
sions from the entire global transport sector. The ocean’s vegetated habitats, in particular mangroves, salt
marshes and seagrasses, cover <0.5% of the sea bed. These
Rising greenhouse gases emissions are producing increasing form earth’s blue carbon sinks and account for more than
impacts and changes worldwide on weather patterns, food pro- 50%, perhaps as much as 71%, of all carbon storage in ocean
duction, human lives and livelihoods. Food security, social, eco- sediments. They comprise only 0.05% of the plant biomass on
nomic and human development will all become increasingly land, but store a comparable amount of carbon per year, and
jeopardized in the coming decades. thus rank among the most intense carbon sinks on the planet.
Blue carbon sinks and estuaries capture and store between
Maintaining or improving the ability of forests and oceans 235–450 Tg C every year – or the equivalent of up to half of
to absorb and bury CO
2
is a crucial aspect of climate change the emissions from the entire global transport sector, estimated
mitigation. The contribution of forests in sequestering carbon at around 1,000 Tg C yr
–1
. By preventing the further loss and
is well known and is supported by relevant financial mecha- degradation of these ecosystems and catalyzing their recovery,
nisms. In contrast, the critical role of the oceans has been over- we can contribute to offsetting 3–7% of current fossil fuel emis-
looked. The aim of this report is to highlight the vital contribu- sions (totaling 7,200 Tg C yr
–1
) in two decades – over half of
tion of the oceans in reducing atmospheric CO
2
levels through that projected for reducing rainforest deforestation. The effect
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