Ocean-based climate solutions are an important and overlooked pathway | Greenbiz – GreenBiz

This piece originally ran on World Resource Institute.

For decades, warning signals sent by ocean ecosystems such as increased sea surface temperature, sea-level rise and ocean acidification have illustrated the urgent need to reduce global greenhouse emissions. As most global economic activity and ultimately man-made carbon emissions occur on land, abatement policies tend to focus on land-based reductions. Meanwhile, the ocean traditionally isviewed as a victim of climate changerather than a source of solutions. That needs to change.

As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) made clear, limiting the damaging effects of a changing climate requires policies to incorporate an entire ecosystem approach that properly accounts for contributions from the ocean, its ecosystems and economic sub-sectors.

Recent analysis shows that ocean-based solutions could reduce the emissions gap the difference between emissions expected if current trends and policies continue and emissions consistent with limiting global temperature increase by up to 21 percent if the target is keeping temperature rise by 2050 to 1.5 degrees Celsius, or by about 25 percent on a 2C pathway.

Achieving such potential will rely on significant political will and clear policy signals sent to industry, financial markets and domestic agencies over the coming years. Nationally determined contributions (NDCs) can be critical tools in sending these signals and accelerating ocean-based climate action. Additionally, including ocean-based targets, policies and measures in NDCs can help coastal and island states enhance their ambition in line with the requirements of the Paris Agreement. Such ocean-based opportunities also canhelp governments recover and rebuild their economies following the COVID-19 pandemic. World Resources Institute recent publication,"Enhancing Nationally Determined Contributions: Opportunities for Ocean-Based Climate Action," aims to provide the necessary input to assist governments on that journey.

Here are four areas that offer opportunities for ocean-based climate action in NDCs:

Ocean ecosystems serve as the largest carbon sinkin the world. Blue carbon ecosystems namely mangroves, salt marshes and seagrasses are valuable habitats for sequestering and storing carbon. Estimates indicate that these ecosystems can sequester more than double the carbon per area than terrestrial forests. Despite this potential, only a few countries include these ecosystems in their national GHG inventories and NDC targets.

The global mitigation potential is huge. Significantly accelerating the protection and restoration of blue carbon ecosystems potentially could remove up to 0.65 gigatons of carbon dioxide, equivalent to removing roughly all of South Koreas total emissions.

As151 countries have at least one blue carbon ecosystem, including this in updated NDCs can help countries achieve the commitments under the Paris Agreement.

Options for incorporating blue carbon ecosystems in new or updated NDCs include:

Fisheries are highly energy-intensive and emissions from fishing vessel fuel use are the largest contributor to ocean and coastal fisheries-related greenhouse gas emissions. Between 1990 and 2011, emissions from the global fishery industry increased by 28 percent. Despite this significant contribution to global emissions, the full carbon footprint of fisheries including supply chain emissions such as transport, refrigerant loss and waste disposal often are excluded from global GHG assessments.

Ocean-based renewable energy could reduce GHG by the equivalent to all ofUAE or even all ofRussiasemissions.

NDCs can serve as the entry point for governments to quantify and include non-fuel related emissions from motorized and non-motorized vessels as part of their national targets.

Options for including fisheries in new or updated NDCs include:

For many coastal or island countries, ocean-based renewable energy such as offshore wind (fixed or floating), tidal, current or floating solar energy technologies represents the most viable opportunity to significantly expand renewable energy capacity. Increasing ocean-based renewable energy by 2030 and 2050 could lead to an estimated mitigation potential of between 0.24 and 2.48 gigatons of carbon dioxide. This is equivalent to reducing all of United Arab Emirates emissions on the low endand all of Russias emissions on the high end.

NDCs can play a critical role in supporting the acceleration of this industry by sending clear, consistent signals to the industry. They also can help to stimulate further investment, research and development for less mature technologies such as tidal, current and geothermal energy. These technologies are particularly relevant for small island developing states attempting to lower the energy costs associated with importing liquid fuel.

Options for including ocean-based renewable energy in new or updated NDCs include:

Ocean transport accounts for about 2.5 percent of global emissions. Significant technical and decarbonization opportunities in the marine transport sector slow steaming and hydrogen-based fuels such as ammonia serveto enhance the objectives of the Paris Agreement. Reducing both international and domestic emissions in marine transport could lead to a 2030 and 2050 estimated mitigation potential between 0.50 and 1.8 gigatons of carbon dioxide. This potential is equivalent to removing most of Indonesias energy sector emissions and the United States transport sector emissions, respectively.

Options for including domestic ocean-based transport in new or updated NDCs include:

Addressing the climate crises requires governments and local stakeholders to ramp up their ambition levels on national climate action policies. Making sure ocean measures synergize with existing climate strategies can become a key component of this goal. These measures are particularly necessary due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in blue economy sectors such as fishing, seafood production, tourism and marine transport.

Furthermore, about 3 billion people rely on the ocean for their livelihoods. Many of these people live in developing countries particularly coastal and island states and will continue to experience the catastrophic impacts of climate change unless the global community continues to make strides toward climate mitigation. As a result, coastal and island statesparticularly can benefit from adopting these policies to support enhanced global ambition towards the Paris Agreement.

The solutions offered by the ocean cannot continue to be overlooked in climate policy. On the flip side, ocean-based solutions are not the whole solution. They must accompany deep cuts in land-based sources of emissions and protection of natural sinks. Limiting temperature rises and preventing the worst impacts of climate change requires using every available solution in tandem.

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Ocean-based climate solutions are an important and overlooked pathway | Greenbiz - GreenBiz