Past studies have shown how critical marine ecosystems are in regulating carbon stored in the atmosphere, and keeping them intact can help limit the impacts of climate change. According to a new commissioned study released in Nature Communications, the ocean plays a critical role in absorbing around 25% of anthropogenic carbon emissions. This would dramatically erode our planet’s built-in buffers against climate change and other planetary dangers. This amendment would increase atmospheric CO2 levels, reversing progress and aggravating climate change.
Lead researchers Damien Couespel, Jerry Tjiputra, and Richard Sanders conducted these simulations with the Norwegian Earth System Model (NorESM). They zeroed in on how loss of marine life would impact carbon emissions. In the absence of biology, their results indicate that the carbon concentration at the ocean surface would be much higher. This increase would severely limit the ocean’s capacity to take up additional CO2. This would lead to a potential additional 50% rise in atmospheric CO2 concentrations.
The Role of Marine Ecosystems
This study illustrates just how important our marine ecosystems are to the carbon cycle. They use everyday business practices to increase the ocean’s ability to draw down carbon emissions. Jerry Tjiputra, one of the lead researchers, stated, “Our results thus challenge the paradigm that the ocean’s carbon uptake is mainly driven by physical and chemical processes, rather than biological ones.”
The researchers conducted simulation experiments comparing Earth’s climate before industrialization, when human emissions were minimal, to a future scenario characterized by high emissions. As the team notes, land ecosystems would take up about half the carbon on their own without marine ecosystems. The ocean has been an essential player in this carbon absorption. This last finding highlights the importance of both terrestrial and marine ecosystems in keeping our climate stable.
Consequences of Marine Life Elimination
The consequences of losing marine life go beyond increased levels of CO2 in the atmosphere. In short, it endangers global climate stability on unprecedented scales. Tjiputra noted, “A healthy ocean buys us time. Damage to marine ecosystems can significantly accelerate human-caused climate change and further challenge our ability to meet the goals in the Paris Agreement.” The research clearly shows that protecting marine ecosystems is equally important in the fight against climate change.
Couespel pointed out the gravity of these findings: “In all cases, much more CO2 will remain in the atmosphere if all marine life were removed. This is because, without living organisms consuming carbon at the ocean surface, the carbon content at the ocean surface is much higher.” The scale of this harrowing finding begs these questions of today’s conservation efforts — even those which have emerged to take on climate change.
Implications for Climate Policy
The research offers important new findings for the future of climate policy. It reminds all nations that safeguarding our marine ecosystems should be a top priority worldwide. As Tjiputra remarked, “We have learned that marine and terrestrial life work together to regulate our climate and that marine life is a key player in shaping the course of climate change.” Our findings point to a clear need for more integrated, cross-jurisdictional strategies that take land-sea connections into account on both sides to climate action plans.
The researchers argue that neglecting marine ecosystems could jeopardize efforts to meet international climate goals, such as those outlined in the Paris Agreement. Our study highlights how important marine life is when it comes to absorbing carbon dioxide. It demands a greater commitment to conservation and more education about how destructive human behaviors have threatened these crucial ecosystems.
