Blue Climate Solutions is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion
of conservation of the world’s oceans as a proactive and viable solution to the
climate change challenge. Blue Climate Solutions seeks to advance policy that promotes the roles coastal and ocean ecosystems play as natural carbon sinks, including the conservation of ecosystems such as seagrass meadows, mangrove swamps, and salt marshes. We also seek to promote marine science that further explore the roles natural ocean ecosystems play in mitigating the effect of climate change. We define options for natural ocean carbon (or blue carbon) as the conservation and restoration of coastal and marine ecosystems that restore natural carbon function. Promoting natural ocean carbon solutions will not result in ocean acidification: Once atmospheric carbon is dissolved in the ocean, it is subject to two possible fates: (1) it can either be used by photosynthesis or another physiological process, or (2) it can remain free in its different dissolved forms in the water. The latter leads to ocean acidification, basically defined as a change in the chemistry of seawater that increases the acidity of the oceans. This change impairs the ability of marine animals to build and maintain the protective shells and skeletons they need to survive, thus threatening to disrupt the marine ecosystems upon which over half of the world’s population depends for its primary source of food. Healthy ocean ecosystems convert and package dissolved carbon into other forms of carbon that are effectively removed from interacting with the atmosphere. Efforts to improve natural ocean ecosystem health, which enhance this process of “repackaging” carbon, will not increase ocean acidification. To support: The Ocean Foundation serves as our fiscal sponsor, including providing 501(c)(3) tax exempt status. If you would like to support our mission please contact The Ocean Foundation and identify Blue Climate Solutions as the Ocean Fund you are interested in. To contact: Jeremy Linneman, Project Manager, email: jlinneman {at} blueclimatesolutions.org Steven Lutz, Blue Carbon Project Manager for UNEP/GRID-Arendal, serves as Advisor for Blue Climate Solutions. Photo credits for the introduction page: iStockphoto/A Pomares - iStockphoto/Andrejs Polivanovs - iStockphoto/P Malaer - NASA - S J Lutz - S J Lutz - Howard Peters/Marine Photobank - S J Lutz - iStockphoto/Suzana Profeta - S J Lutz |