Watch: Why ‘blue forests’ are an overlooked ally in the fight against climate change - Oceana
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March 23, 2021

Watch: Why ‘blue forests’ are an overlooked ally in the fight against climate change

BY: Oceana

Mangroves are pictured in Crystal River, Florida.
© OCEANA / Carlos Minguell

 

When human activities – like the burning of fossil fuels – produce carbon dioxide, where do those emissions go? Some of that CO2 lingers in the atmosphere and drives climate change. Some ends up being absorbed by trees and plants through a process known as carbon sequestration. In our oceans, kelp, seagrass, mangroves, and algae make up “blue forests” that have proven to be powerful carbon sinks. Although their role in climate mitigation is often overlooked, blue forests can absorb 20 times more carbon-based emissions than land-based forests per acre.

Unfortunately, when blue forests are destroyed, they release CO2 back into the environment. It’s estimated that up to half of the world’s blue carbon ecosystems have been degraded or converted into other uses, like carbon-intensive shrimp farms or rice fields.

Watch the video above to learn more about the importance of blue forests and why Oceana campaigns to protect them and other vital ocean habitats around the world.