Last Chance? Vulnerable Marine Biodiversity Combats Climate Change

• September 6, 2024

As the climate crisis accelerates, efforts to combat rising global temperatures often focus on reducing carbon emissions, switching to renewable energy, and cutting back on industrial pollutants. However, one crucial solution often overlooked in the mainstream conversation is marine ecosystem restoration. Restoring marine biodiversity has the potential to not only rejuvenate ocean health but also serve as a significant tool in mitigating the impacts of climate change. By focussing on the restoration of coastal ecosystems and marine biodiversity, we can harness the ocean’s natural ability to combat carbon emissions and protect our planet’s future.

The Role of Oceans in Climate Regulation

Oceans act as Earth’s natural climate regulators, absorbing about 25% of the world’s CO2 emissions and capturing more than 90% of the excess heat generated by human activities. This process, often referred to as the “carbon sink” effect, is crucial in moderating global temperatures. Yet, the health of our oceans is rapidly deteriorating due to overfishing, pollution, and warming waters.

The restoration of marine ecosystems—like mangroves, seagrass meadows, coral reefs, and kelp forests—plays a critical role in enhancing the ocean’s ability to capture and store carbon. These ecosystems are some of the most effective natural carbon sinks on the planet. For instance, mangroves can sequester up to 10 times more carbon per hectare than tropical rainforests . When these systems are degraded or destroyed, they release vast amounts of stored carbon back into the atmosphere, exacerbating climate change.

Restoring Marine Biodiversity

Biodiversity loss is another critical factor in weakening the ocean’s natural defences against climate change. Healthy, diverse ecosystems are more resilient and better able to adapt to changing environmental conditions. By restoring biodiversity, we can improve ocean health and its ability to support both human life and marine species.

Programmes focused on coral reef restoration and seagrass planting, for example, are not only improving local biodiversity but also promoting greater CO2 absorption. Coral reefs support approximately 25% of all marine species , and their restoration enhances ecosystem resilience, providing natural barriers against storms and reducing coastal erosion, both of which are worsening due to climate change.

Nature-Based Solutions (NBS)

An increasingly popular approach to climate change adaptation and mitigation is the use of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS). NBS focuses on working with ecosystems to address societal challenges, including climate change, food security, and human health. Restoring marine habitats aligns perfectly with this strategy by allowing ecosystems to naturally sequester carbon, boost biodiversity, and strengthen the overall resilience of coastal regions.

Some initiatives, like Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA), are already exploring ways to harness nature for both environmental and economic benefits. IMTA mimics natural ecosystems by combining different species—such as fish, seaweed, and shellfish—within aquaculture systems to reduce nutrient waste, increase biodiversity, and promote carbon capture. Such innovations showcase how sustainable practices in marine industries can complement the broader effort to tackle climate change.

How PHAROS Project Makes an Impact

One of the most innovative initiatives in marine ecosystem restoration is the PHAROS project, which actively addresses the deterioration of marine biodiversity while combating climate change. A key highlight of PHAROS’s work is the Marine Forest and Reef Restoration in Gran Canaria, which employs advanced artificial reef structures designed to enhance interactions with sea currents and optimise light distribution.

These reefs, constructed with the advanced parametric intelligence of SER® (Sophisticated Environmental Reefs), are specifically engineered to create favourable conditions for marine biodiversity to thrive. By carefully adjusting their shape and placement, these artificial reefs not only help restore the local marine habitats but also stabilise them, contributing to long-term ecological resilience.

The reef restoration efforts in Gran Canaria provide a dual benefit: restoring biodiversity and promoting carbon sequestration. As marine habitats stabilise, they help trap and store atmospheric carbon dioxide, thus reducing the overall carbon footprint. Moreover, the reefs’ interaction with sea currents boosts water circulation, improving nutrient distribution, which is essential for fostering marine life. By restoring these habitats, PHAROS supports a healthier marine ecosystem that plays an active role in fighting climate change.

Boosting the Ocean’s Power to Absorb Carbon: A Key to Combating Climate Change

Marine biodiversity restoration offers a powerful, nature-based solution to the climate crisis. By focusing on protecting and restoring vital ecosystems, we can significantly enhance the ocean’s capacity to absorb carbon and act as a buffer against the impacts of climate change. Initiatives like the PHAROS project demonstrate that restoring marine habitats isn’t just an environmental necessity but a critical tool in combating climate change. Through innovative technologies and nature-based solutions, we are turning the tide towards a more sustainable and resilient future for our planet.

Protecting the ocean is protecting the climate—two interconnected systems that are vital to the future sustainability of our planet.

Sources:

1. Le Quéré, C., et al. “Global Carbon Budget 2018.” Earth System Science Data, 2018.
2. IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). “Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis.”
3. Donato, D. C., et al. “Mangroves Among the Most Carbon-Rich Forests in the Tropics.” Nature Geoscience, 2011.
4. Hoegh-Guldberg, O., et al. “The Impact of Climate Change on the World’s Marine Ecosystems.” Science, 2010.