Ours is a water world. Though Earth has a land-centric name, oceans cover 71 percent of its surface and make the land livable.
The ocean produces oxygen, through the plants like plankton, kelp, and algae that live in it. These plants produce oxygen and convert carbon dioxide and sunlight into food for aquatic life.
Breathing itself would be impossible without the ocean, which produces half of the earth’s oxygen.
The ocean plays an essential role in the daily lives of trillions of people. It is, for many, a source of food, a source of income and a way of life. Where would we be without water?
Where sea and air meet, the ocean absorbs and redistributes heat and carbon. This is a critical process.
Oceans have absorbed a lot of the excess heat and carbon in the atmosphere
The problems
While this uptake of heat and carbon has saved the planet from more severe climate change, oceans are paying a steep price.
Water temperatures, marine heat waves, and sea levels are rising.
More ocean pollution suffocate aquatic life and makes the water more acidic.
This makes it more difficult for organisms to survive.
Andthere is less organisms to absorb carbon dioxide.
Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere warms the planet.
Warmer water temperatures means less oxygen
And means the ocean can support less animal and human life.
Solutions
A sustainable ocean economy, where protection, production and prosperity go hand in hand, can create a healthy ocean that provides solutions to our global challenges.
Now is the time to recognise how essential the ocean is in solving these challenges.
Solutions to consider: reducing single use and production of single use plastic, better recycling of plastics, increasing seaweed farming, improved aquaculture, protecting and restoring microalgae, Seafloor Protection and improving fisheries. Click the hyperlinks to find out more on each solution.
Information from Project Drawdown (Solutions section): A comprehensive global research including: Website Drawdown roadmap Book & updates from the book. Here are the aquatic related ones. Each solutions suggests actions individuals can take also.
Recycled Plastics – Recycling plastics requires less energy than producing new materials, saves landfill space, reduces environmental pollution, and decreases demand for fossil-fuel-based raw materials.
Reduced Plastics – Plastic production has grown tremendously over the past century, mainly for short-term use. Reducing the amount of plastic used in nondurable goods can significantly reduce both greenhouse gas emissions and plastic waste.
Seaweed Farming – Seaweed farming is one of the most sustainable types of aquaculture. Expanding seaweed farming enhances carbon sequestration and boosts production of biomass that can be used for biofuel, bioplastic, livestock feed, and human consumption.
Macroalgae Protection and Restoration – Macroalgae forests are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth. Protecting and restoring those habitats, enhances carbon sequestration in the deep sea.
Improved Fisheries – Improved fisheries involves reforming and improving the management of wild-capture fisheries to reduce excess effort, overcapitalization, and overfishing. This can reduce fuel usage and rebuild fish populations.
Improved Aquaculture – Aquaculture is one of the fastest-growing animal food sectors. Because some aquaculture systems are highly energy intensive, ensuring that part of the on-site energy consumption is based on renewable resources would reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Seafloor Protection – Vast amounts of carbon stored in seafloor sediments risk release by bottom-trawling fishing. Bottom-trawling bans and establishment of Marine Protected Areas can protect this important carbon sink.
Offshore Wind Turbines Coastal Wetlands Protection Coastal Wetland Restoration