The ocean absorbs 50 times more carbon than the atmosphere, yet seabed carbon remains largely unprotected and unaccounted for in global inventories. There is a whole world beneath the waves that we rarely consider; the seafloor is teeming with organisms and processes that play a critical role in regulating the planet’s carbon. A new five-year study is investigating carbon-storing habitats on the seabed to provide valuable scientific data that can shape future marine protection policies and elevate the importance of blue carbon on the climate agenda by 2027. If the study can prove that these ecosystems store significant carbon, it could change how we think about ocean conservation and protection of habitats that are often overlooked in policy discussions.
Read more about the project on Oceanographic.