The Blue Carbon Protocol outlines how to perform a carbon assessment, from sampling in the field to the lab analysis. The Blue Carbon Protocol outlines how to perform a carbon assessment from sampling[...]

Blue Carbon Explained Videos

Blue Carbon sampling

Blue forests made of marine plants and seaweeds protect our coasts, support biodiversity and capture carbon. Unfortunately, we already lost half of these important and fragile ecosystems worldwide.[...]

Module 5: What Can We Do to Conserve and Restore Blue Forests? (PDF)

Unfortunately, over the last 20–50 years, 50% of salt marshes, 35% of mangroves, and 29% of seagrasses have been lost. Kelp forests are also facing a global decline in abundance of 1.8% per year. Wh[...]

Module 4: Blue Carbon Fieldwork (PDF)

Citizens can certainly play a role in contributing to blue carbon accounting, conducting field assessments of blue carbon following a scientific standardized protocol and after being trained by profes[...]

Module 3: Blue Forests Superpowers (PDF)

Blue forests, such as mangroves, saltmarshes, seagrass, and kelp, are teeming with life and are some of the most diverse habitats on Earth. The value they provide for life above and below water is imm[...]

Module 2: What are Blue Forests? (PDF)

Blue forests refer to vegetated coastal and marine habitats, namely mangrove forests, seagrass meadows, kelp forests, and saltmarshes. Given their key roles and efficiency in sequestering greenhouse g[...]

Module 1: Ocean Literacy and Climate Change (PDF)

For this module, we will highlight the cognitive learning objectives that help us better understand basic marine ecology, ecosystems, the connection of humanity to the sea and the life it holds, inclu[...]

Importance of Blue Carbon in Mitigating Climate Change and Plastic/Microplastic Pollution and Promoting Circular Economy

Blue carbon has made significant contributions to climate change adaptation and mitigation while assisting in achieving co-benefits such as aquaculture development and coastal restoration, winning int[...]

Blue Carbon Conservation in West Africa: A first assessment of feasibility

The loss of blue carbon ecosystems results in significant levels of carbon emissions and decreased supply of other ecosystem services. West Africa contains approximately 14% of the world’s mangrove [...]

Ocean Acidification

The ocean absorbs about 30% of the carbon dioxide (CO2) that is released in the atmosphere. As levels of atmospheric CO2 increase from human activity such as burning fossil fuels (e.g., car emissions)[...]

The Future of Blue Carbon Science

The term Blue Carbon (BC) was first coined a decade ago to describe the disproportionately large contribution of coastal vegetated ecosystems to global carbon sequestration. The role of BC in climate [...]

Status and Trends for the World’s Kelp Forests

Kelp forests are extensive underwater habitats that range along 25% of the world’s coastlines, providing valuable resources, habitat, and services for coastal communities. They grow best in cold, nu[...]

Accelerating Loss of Seagrasses Across the Globe Threatens Coastal Ecosystems

Coastal ecosystems and the services they provide are adversely affected by a wide variety of human activities. In particular, seagrass meadows are negatively affected by impacts accruing from the bill[...]

Seagrass Restoration Enhances “Blue Carbon” Sequestration in Coastal Waters

Seagrass meadows are highly productive habitats that provide important ecosystem services in the coastal zone, including carbon and nutrient sequestration. Organic carbon in seagrass sediment, known a[...]

Seagrass Community Metabolism: Assessing the carbon sink capacity of seagrass meadows

The metabolic rates of seagrass communities were synthesized on the basis of a data set on seagrass community metabolism containing 403 individual estimates derived from a total of 155 different sites[...]

Extinction Risk Assessment of the World’s Seagrass Species

Seagrasses, a functional group of marine flowering plants rooted in the world’s coastal oceans, support marine food webs and provide essential habitat for many coastal species, playing a critical ro[...]

Global Mangrove Deforestation and Its Interacting Social-Ecological Drivers: A Systematic Review and Synthesis

Globally, mangrove forests are substantially declining, and a globally synthesized database containing the drivers of deforestation and drivers’ interactions is scarce. Here, we synthesized the key [...]

Future Carbon Emissions from Global Mangrove Forest Loss

Mangroves have among the highest carbon densities of any tropical forest. These ‘blue carbon’ ecosystems can store large amounts of carbon for long periods, and their protection reduces greenhouse[...]

Seasonal and Temporal CO2 Dynamics in Three Tropical Mangrove Creeks: A revision of global mangrove CO2 emissions

Continuous high-resolution surface water pCO2 and δ13C-CO2 and 222Rn (dry season only) were measured over two tidal cycles in the wet and dry season in three tropical tidal mangrove creeks on the nor[...]

Creation of a High Spatio-temporal Resolution Global Database of Continuous Mangrove Forest Cover for the 21st Century

Global mangrove deforestation continues but at a much reduced rate of between 0.16% and 0.39% per year. Southeast Asia is a region of concern with mangrove deforestation rates between 3.58% and 8.08%,[...]

Global Mangrove Extent Change 1996–2020: Global Mangrove Watch Version 3.0

Mangroves are a globally important ecosystem that provides a wide range of ecosystem system services, such as carbon capture and storage, coastal protection and fisheries enhancement. Mangroves have s[...]

Species Distribution and Habitat Exploitation of Fauna Associated with Kelp (Laminaria Hyperborea) Along the Norwegian Coast

Fauna associated with the common kelp along the Norwegian coast, Laminaria hyperborea, was sampled at four sites covering 1000 km of coastline. Exploitation of the kelp habitat by the fauna, and the[...]

The Protective Role of Coastal Marshes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Saltmarshes lie between many human communities and the coast and have been presumed to protect these communities from coastal hazards by providing important ecosystem services. However, previous chara[...]

Carbon Accumulation and Storage Across Contrasting Saltmarshes of Scotland

Saltmarshes are acknowledged to be “carbon hotspots” due to their capacity to trap and store large quantities of carbon (C) within their soils and potentially have the ability to regulate climate [...]

Marine Ecosystem Services

Marine ecosystems represent some of the most heavily exploited ecosystems throughout the world. For example, coastal zones make up just 4% of the earth’s total land area and 11% of the world’s oce[...]

A Review of Seagrass Economic Valuations: Gaps and progress in valuation approaches

Multiple studies have documented the ecologically important role that seagrasses play in estuarine and marine ecosystems. Unfortunately, economic valuations of these systems have not been as widesprea[...]

Why Protecting & Restoring Blue Carbon Ecosystems Matters

Mangroves and seagrass meadows are coastal ecosystems that cover a small portion of the total ocean area but collectively are widely distributed on every continent except Antarctica. Mangroves are fou[...]

Contribution of Mangroves to Coastal Carbon Cycling in Low Latitude Seas

The contribution of mangrove carbon to the coastal ocean in low latitudes was evaluated. Mangrove forests occupy only 2% of the world’s coastal ocean area yet they account for about 5% of net pr[...]

Mangroves Among the Most Carbon-Rich Forests in the Tropics

Mangrove forests occur along ocean coastlines throughout the tropics, and support numerous ecosystem services, including fisheries production and nutrient cycling. However, the areal extent of mangrov[...]

Marine Pollution Potentially Mitigated by Kelp Farms

Emerging research from the University of Alaska Fairbanks suggests that implementing kelp farms may be an effective strategy for combatting the growing problem of marine pollution. The university stud[...]

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in Coastal Wetlands: A review of their occurrences, toxic effects, and biogeochemical cycling

Coastal wetlands, such as mangroves, seagrass beds, and salt marshes, are highly threatened by increasing anthropic pressures, including chemical pollution. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have a[...]

The Global Flood Protection Benefits of Mangroves

Coastal flood risks are rising rapidly. Authors provide high resolution estimates of the economic value of mangroves forests for flood risk reduction every 20 km worldwide. Authors develop a probabi[...]

Mangroves for Coastal Defence

The role of mangroves in protecting our coasts against natural hazards such as storms, tsunamis and coastal erosion has been widely acknowledged. Even so, the level of protection provided by mangroves[...]

Ecosystems as Fish Factories

The authors’ initial global model of mangrove fisheries was built up front a detailed review of hundreds of studies from around the world, and informed by an expert panel. In terms of natural pr[...]

Long Distance Biotic Dispersal of Tropical Seagrass Seeds by Marine Mega-herbivores

Terrestrial plants use an array of animals as vectors for dispersal, however little is known of biotic dispersal of marine angiosperms such as seagrasses. This study in the Great Barrier Reef confirms[...]

Mangroves as Feeding and Breeding Grounds

Mangroves are considered as ecosystems that provide shelter, food and breeding grounds for many groups of inhabiting fauna. Much of the fauna present are organisms in different stages of their life cy[...]

Seagrass Ecosystems as a Globally Significant Carbon Stock

The protection of organic carbon stored in forests is considered as an important method for mitigating climate change. Like terrestrial ecosystems, coastal ecosystems store large amounts of carbon, an[...]

Keys to Successful Blue Carbon Projects: Lessons learned from global case studies

Ecosystem services such as protection from storms and erosion, tourism benefits, and climate adaptation and mitigation have been increasingly recognized as important considerations for environmental p[...]

Estimating Global “Blue Carbon” Emissions from Conversion and Degradation of Vegetated Coastal Ecosystems

Recent attention has focused on the high rates of annual carbon sequestration in vegetated coastal ecosystems – marshes, mangroves, and seagrasses – that may be lost with habitat destruction (R[...]

The Ocean Carbon Cycle

The ocean holds vast quantities of carbon that it continually exchanges with the atmosphere through the air-sea interface. Because of its enormous size and relatively rapid exchange of carbon with the[...]

A Drop in the Ocean: Closing the gap in ocean climate finance

The ocean is a fundamental economic and environmental engine providing the services that are critical for the success of every economy and the very survival of life on our planet. And yet, it is serio[...]

Ocean Circulation and Climate During the Past 120,000 Years

Oceans cover more than two-thirds of our blue planet. The waters move in a global circulation system, driven by subtle density differences and transporting huge amounts of heat. Ocean circulation is t[...]

Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing and Associated Drivers

Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing accounts for 20% of the world catch and up to 50% in some areas. This industry often uses bonded labour, destructive fishing practices and deceptive p[...]

Closing Loopholes: Getting Illegal Fishing Under Control

Decreasing numbers of fish caught in global fisheries, overcapacity of fishing fleets, and rising demand for fish heighten the negative impacts of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing an[...]

Beyond Plastic Waste

With more than 8 million tons of plastic entering the ocean each year, humanity must urgently rethink the way we make and use plastics, so that they do not become waste in the first place. Cheap, ligh[...]

The Keeling Curve: A daily record of global atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration

The Keeling Curve is a daily record of global atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration maintained by Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. Scripps CO2 measurements at Mauna Loa have bee[...]

Despite Pandemic Shutdowns, Carbon Dioxide and Methane Surged in 2020

Carbon dioxide levels are now higher than at anytime in the past 3.6 million years. Levels of the two most important anthropogenic greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide and methane, continued their unrelen[...]

Adaptive Water Resources Management Under Climate Change: An Introduction

Readers of this journal are well aware of the challenges of managing one of our planet’s most critical natural resources: water. We professionals, the people we serve, and indeed the entire world’[...]

Blue Carbon: The potential of coastal and oceanic climate action

The oceans and coasts are the Earth’s climate regulators. Covering 72 percent of the planet’s surface, they have absorbed about 40 percent of carbon emitted by human activities since 1850.1 Coasta[...]

Ocean Acidification and Other Ocean Changes

The world’s oceans have absorbed about 93% of the excess heat caused by greenhouse gas warming since the mid-20th century, making them warmer and altering global and regional climate feedbacks. Ocea[...]

The Magnitude of Global Marine Species Diversity

The question of how many marine species exist is important because it provides a metric for how much we do and do not know about life in the oceans. We have compiled the first register of the marine s[...]

Why the Ocean Matters in Climate Negotiations

The ocean takes up heat and carbon, reducing the adverse effects of climate change. The ocean plays a central role in regulating our climate and weather. The ocean has taken up more than 90% of the ex[...]

SDG 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources

Sustainable Development Goal 14 is to “conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development, according to the United Nations. The visualizations and data o[...]

This Interactive Chart Shows Changes in the World’s Top 10 Emitters

A lot has happened since countries met in Paris in 2015 and agreed on an accord to combat climate change. So far, 196 countries ratified or otherwise joined the Paris Climate Agreement, representing m[...]

4 Charts Explain Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Countries and Sectors

Globally, greenhouse gas emissions have grown by 53% from 1990 to 2019. Where are these emissions coming from, and who is responsible? WRI’s Climate Watch platform offers comprehensive emissions dat[...]

Value Theory

Multiattribute value theory (MAVT) is a simplification of MAUT: MAVT does not seek to model the decision maker’s attitude to risk. [...]

The Global Flood Protection Benefits of Mangroves

Coastal flood risks are rising rapidly. We provide high resolution estimates of the economic value of mangroves forests for flood risk reduction every 20 km worldwide. We develop a probabilistic, pr[...]

Estuarine fish and shellfish species in U.S. commercial and recreational fisheries : economic value as an incentive to protect and restore estuarine habitat

Commercial and recreational fisheries generate billions of dollars each year for the U.S. economy. In 2006, 9.5 billion pounds of commercial catch was valued at $4.0 billion. This value is enhanced by[...]

Seagrass ecosystems as a globally significant carbon stock

The protection of organic carbon stored in forests is considered as an important method for mitigating climate change. Like terrestrial ecosystems, coastal ecosystems store large amounts of carbon, an[...]

Blue Carbon Quiz

Test your knowledge on blue carbon ecosystems by taking this short quiz by the High Level Panel for A Sustainable Ocean Economy. [...]

Blue Carbon: The Role of Healthy Oceans in Binding Carbon

This report is considered a key document in blue carbon science. The objective of this report is to highlight the critical role of the oceans and ocean ecosystems in maintaining our climate and in ass[...]

Wetland Restoration Citizen Science Program

This short video presents the role of citizens for blue carbon assessment: the Wetland Restoration Citizen Science Program (Australia), also known as the Blue Carbon Army. [...]

Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and 2030 Targets

The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework has 23 action-oriented global targets for urgent action over the decade to 2030. The actions set out in each target need to be initiated immediately [...]

Carbon Neutrality Roadmap 2050: Decarbonizing isn’t an empty word, it is a call to action

Video featuring Portuguese climate goals for 2050. Carbon Neutrality Roadmap 2050 – “Decarbonizing isn’t an empty word, it is a call to action”. Imagine it is the year 2050… desp[...]

Ecosystem Restoration Playbook: A practical guide to healing the planet

Healthy ecosystems are vital to meeting those goals. Restoring them is a massive challenge. But more and more people realize that we must change our ways and move urgently to protect and rebuild natur[...]

After 90% of California’s Kelp Forests Were Destroyed, SeaTrees Is Restoring Them

Video featuring a kelp restoration in California. “Could you imagine if 90 percent of the trees on land disappeared in 10 years?” Kevin Whilden, co-founder of Sustainable Surf and SeaTrees, lobs t[...]

Researchers Rush to Protect the UK’s Saltmarshes from Sea Level Rise

Saltmarshes sequester significant carbon in their sediment — more per hectare than tropical rainforests. They protect the land from storm surges and sea level rise, and they shelter a variety of bir[...]

Project Seagrass

Project Seagrass is a global facing environmental charity devoted to the conservation of seagrass ecosystems through research, community and action. [...]

The World’s Biggest Island Country Battles Coastal Erosion

We are experiencing a dangerous decline in nature: One million species are threatened with extinction, soils are turning infertile and water sources are drying up. But there are glimmers of hope: Made[...]

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)

Nationally determined contributions (NDCs) are at the heart of the Paris Agreement and the achievement of its long-term goals. NDCs embody efforts by each country to reduce national emissions and adap[...]

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the futur[...]

Understanding the Role of Conceptual Frameworks: Reading the ecosystem service cascade

The aim of this paper is to identify the role of conceptual frameworks in operationalising and mainstreaming the idea of ecosystem services. It builds on some initial discussions from IPBES, which sug[...]

Atmospheric Carbon by Birth Year Calculator

How much carbon was in the atmosphere when you were born? [...]

Sustainable development, poverty eradication and reducing inequalities. In: Global warming of 1.5°C. An IPCC Special Report

An IPCC Special Report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response t[...]

On Defining Climate and Climate Change

The aim of the article is to provide a clear and thorough conceptual analysis of the main candidates for a definition of climate and climate change. [...]

Connecting to the oceans

Improved public understanding of the ocean and the importance of sustainable ocean use, or ocean literacy, is essential for achieving global commitments to sustainable development by 2030 and beyond. [...]

Tahiry Honko – a community mangrove carbon project

GRID-Arendal produced an update to this video originally created by Blue Ventures at https://vimeo.com/131638557 Learn how Madagascar's first mangrove carbon project is catalysing locally-led mangrov[...]

World’s first underwater climate strike calls for ocean protection

Young Mauritian scientist and climate advocate, Shaama Sandooyea, has held the world’s first ever underwater climate strike at the heart of the Indian Ocean. The protest took place at the Saya de Ma[...]

Restoration of seagrasses

This video shows seagrass meadows in Portugal that have been restored, and how this was made possible through the SeagHorse project. [...]

Blue carbon manual – Guidelines for estimating blue carbon stocks

Conservation and restoration of blue forests ecosystems has been increasingly addressed in international and national climate change mitigation policy and finance mechanisms. However, to date, countri[...]

Blue Carbon Protocol

The Blue Carbon Protocol outlines how to perform a carbon assessment, from sampling in the field to the lab analysis. The Blue Carbon Protocol outlines how to perform a carbon assessment from sampling[...]

Blue Carbon Protocol

The Blue Carbon Protocol outlines how to perform a carbon assessment, from sampling in the field to the lab analysis. The Blue Carbon Protocol outlines how to perform a carbon assessment from sampling[...]

NASA and Mangroves

Mangroves are coastal ecosystems that provide important services to coastal populations. They offer natural protection against storm surges, hurricanes and tsunamis. Mangroves also contribute to fish[...]

Mangroves: A Super Solution

Mangroves are an amazing #ClimateAction Super Solution, they are effective carbon sinks, storing four times more CO2 than rainforests. And when it comes to storm protection and sea level rise, mang[...]

Blue Carbon Offsetting for Community Benefits in Kenya

James Kairo and Salim Abdalla from Mikoko Pamoja talk about their community-based mangrove carbon offset project in Kenya. This blue solution focuses on climate change mitigation and awareness creatio[...]

Recognizing Ecosystem Services from Blue Carbon Ecosystems

Infographic illustrates the recognition of ecosystem services from Blue Carbon ecosystems through ecosystem connections. Infographic from the Abu Dhabi Blue Carbon Demonstration Project: https://grid.[...]

Blue Carbon Storage Capacity of Blue Forests

Blue Carbon ecosystems provide a highly valuable service by sequestering and storing atmospheric carbon. Infographic from the Abu Dhabi Blue Carbon Demonstration Project. https://grid.cld.bz/The-Abu-D[...]

Introduction to Seagrass Meadows

Introduction to Seagrass Meadows [...]

Introdução às pradarias marinhas

Introdução às pradarias marinhas [...]

How do Blue Forests Provide Coastal Protection Against Storm Surges?

Blue forests ecosystems like mangroves, seagrass, kelp, and salt marshes can help protect coastal communities against storm surge and coastal flooding by absorbing wave energy. This wave tank demonst[...]

Hvilken nytte har vi av blå skog?

Blå skoger gir viktige økosystemtjenester som fiskebarnehager og beiteområder, kystbeskyttelse mot stormer og erosjon, karbonlagring og mye mer. Se videoen for å lære mer om disse tjenestene so[...]

Why are Blue Forests Useful?

Blue forests provide key ecosystem services like fish nurseries and grazing areas, coastline protection from storms and erosion, carbon storage, and much more. Watch to learn about the many benefits[...]

A New Generation of Ocean Farmers are Reducing Pollution with Seaweed

Seaweed soaks up carbon and nitrogen, two pollutants lingering in the water. If ocean farmers devoted a little less than 5 percent of U.S. waters to growing seaweed, they could clean up an estimated 1[...]

Provisioning and Supporting Services of Mangroves

There are a number of tangible products that can be directly utilised and marketed from mangrove forests. [...]

Seagrasses, Nature’s Water Filter

In many systems, vegetated estuarine habitats such as salt marshes and seagrass beds act as a natural water filtration system—where sediment and nutrient-rich water flows in and cleaner water flows [...]

Protecting Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity

Ecosystem services are the engine of the environment. They are essential to life. Land, water, air, climate and genetic resources must be used responsibly if they are to also benefit future generation[...]

What Is Blue Carbon and Why Does It Matter?

Though terrestrial forests typically get most of the attention, they are not the only ecosystems that possess a natural ability to fight climate change. There are three coastal ecosystems that are als[...]

The Colors of Carbon

A full spectrum of colour-based descriptions has emerged to describe the properties and distribution of organic carbon: black, brown, red, blue, green and teal. This colour-based terminology contribut[...]

Hva truer blå skog i Norge?

Blå skoger forsvinner i et alarmerende tempo rundt om i verden, hovedsakelig på grunn av menneskelige påvirkninger og klimaendringer. Se videoen for å lære mer om de underliggende årsakene til [...]

Hva er blå skog?

Blå skoger – ålegressenger, mangroveskoger, tareskoger, tang og tidevannseng-og sump – er kyst- og marineøkosystemer som binder karbon og gir en mengde økosystemtjenester. Se videoen for å [...]

How are Blue Forests Threatened in Norway?

Blue forests around the world are disappearing at an alarming rate mostly due to human impacts and climate change. Watch to learn more about the underlying causes threatening blue forests, and how t[...]

What are Blue Forests?

Blue forests – seagrass meadows, mangrove forests, kelp forests, rockweed, and salt marshes – are coastal and marine ecosystems that sequester carbon and provide a multitude of ecosystem services [...]

The Magic of Seagrass

A toolkit to help raise awareness of seagrass — the ocean’s wild savannas. Use the Toolkit to help inspire seagrass protection and restoration [...]

The Magic of Mangroves

A toolkit to help raise awareness of mangroves — the world’s most important trees. Use it to help inspire mangrove protection and restoration. [...]

What are Mangrove Forests?

Mangroves are shrubs and trees that grow in coastal waters. Mangroves are halophytes, meaning they are salt-tolerant trees that thrive in intertidal conditions. These diverse and productive ecosystems[...]

5 “Blue Forests” That are Vital to Life on Earth

When you think of a forest, chances are you picture trees rising high above you, leaves crunching underfoot. But there are some very different types of forest – in and under the water – th[...]

Understanding Blue Carbon

Blue carbon refers to carbon dioxide that is absorbed from the atmosphere and stored in the ocean. “Blue” refers to the watery nature of this storage. The vast majority of blue carbon is carbon di[...]

What is Carbon Sequestration?

Carbon sequestration – the practice of removing carbon from the atmosphere and storing it – is one of the many approaches being taken to tackle climate change. Find out why this method is being us[...]

Kelp Deforestation: Threats to our Underwater Forests

Kelp forests are some of the most dynamic and ecologically productive marine habitats in the world. A root-like system called a holdfast affixes to the rocky seafloor, supporting a long stipe that ext[...]

The Biological Productivity of the Ocean

Productivity fuels life in the ocean, drives its chemical cycles, and lowers atmospheric carbon dioxide. Nutrient uptake and export interact with circulation to yield distinct ocean regimes. [...]

The Blue Carbon Initiative

Through this resource, readers can learn more about about blue carbon and how it contributes to mitigating climate change. [...]

Deep Sea Fun

What types of marine life can be found in the deep sea? This online exercise comes to you from Neal Agarwal. [...]

The Carbon Cycle – Essential for Life on Earth

Carbon is an essential building block for life. Learning how carbon is converted through slow- and fast-moving cycles helps us understand how this life-sustaining element moves through the environment[...]

Ocean Carbon Dioxide levels. An invisible time bomb?

Ocean Acidification is perhaps the most well publicised consequence of increased levels of carbon dioxide being absorbed by our oceans. But as the oceans also absorb vast quantities of heat from ou[...]

The Ocean Carbon Cycle

Without the contribution of oceans and coastal ecosystems to global biological carbon sequestration, today’s CO2 concentration in the atmosphere would be much larger than it is. But the uptake capac[...]

The Carbon Cycle

Carbon is the basis of all organic substances, from fossil fuels to human cells. On Earth, carbon is continually on the move – cycling through living things, the land, ocean, atmosphere. What happen[...]

Chasing a Global Coral Reef Bleaching Event

Coral reefs around the world have experienced the widest-spread, longest and most damaging bleaching event on record. The Ocean Agency, armed with custom-built 360-degree underwater cameras, raced aro[...]

Our Incredible Ocean

A visual toolkit to help raise awareness of the fundamental importance of the ocean to life on Earth, and help inspire ocean protection. This resource corresponds with the seven Ocean Literacy Essenti[...]

Global Carbon Atlas

An online interactive tool to explore and visualize the most up-to-date data on carbon fluxes resulting from human activities and natural processes [...]

Show your Stripes

This resource allows you to see the “stripes” of global warming in the planet or in your country. [...]

How Much Carbon was in the Atmosphere When you Were Born?

This resource allows you to see how the CO2 concentration has changed in the atmosphere since you were born. [...]

What is Ocean Acidification?

The term ocean acidification is used to describe the ongoing decrease in ocean pH caused by human CO2 emissions, such as the burning of fossil fuels. It is the little known consequence of living in a [...]

Why is pH Important?

pH is important for a wide range of industries from aquaculture to wastewater treatments that require an accurate pH reading, especially when it comes down to human safety. [...]

2020 Was One of Three Warmest Years on Record

The year 2020 was one of the three warmest on record, and rivalled 2016 for the top spot, according to a consolidation of five leading international datasets by the World Meteorological Organization ([...]

Marine Life Cycles

Although at the surface the ocean can appear calm and quiet, in fact there is an enormous amount of life activity taking place, particularly at certain times of the year. [...]

How Does CO2 Affect pH In Water?

The amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in a solution is one of the many factors that determines the pH of water. When CO2 levels increase in water, the pH level drops, which makes the water become more ac[...]

What are El Niño and La Niña?

El Niño and La Niña are climate patterns in the Pacific Ocean that can affect weather worldwide and can also have global impacts on weather, wildfires, ecosystems, and economies. [...]

Measuring progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals

The goal of SDG 14 – Life Below Water is to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources. The UN has defined 10 Targets and 10 Indicators for SDG 14. Targets specify the go[...]

The Coastal Ecosystem Mapping and Media Viability Project

The Coastal Ecosystem Mapping and Media Utility project applied advanced and pioneering unmanned aerial vehicle technology with companion software and mobile app to explore the viability of an innovat[...]