On World Oceans Day (celebrated last June 8), specialists highlighted the role of blue carbon: the carbon dioxide captured and stored by marine ecosystems such as mangroves, marshes, and seagrasses.
These environments function as natural sinks, removing CO₂ from the atmosphere and reducing the impacts of global warming.
“The ocean absorbs about 30% of global CO₂ emissions and produces more than half of the oxygen we breathe,” explained Natali Piccolo, director of the Marine Coastal Program at Conservation International Brazil.
Strategic Ecosystems
In addition to their climate role, these coastal vegetations:
- Protect communities against erosion, storm surges, and extreme events.
- Provide refuge for biodiversity.
- Support artisanal fishing.
Brazil hosts the largest continuous mangrove system in the world, positioning it strategically to lead nature-based solutions.
Invisibility of the Ocean in Conservation
For Marina Corrêa, analyst at WWF-Brazil, the sea remains “the invisible system of Brazilian conservation.” Although the Marine-Coastal System covers 5.7 million km² (40% of the national territory) and more than half of the population lives in it, public and financial attention is focused on the Amazon, the Cerrado, and the Atlantic Forest.
Rights and Communities
The growth of blue carbon projects opens debates on territorial rights and the participation of traditional communities. For Corrêa, success should not be measured only by the amount of carbon stored, but also by the ability to:
- Strengthen territories.
- Conserve biodiversity.
- Improve the quality of life for those who have historically cared for these ecosystems.
Risks of Degradation
When these environments are destroyed:
- They lose essential services such as coastal protection and the maintenance of fish populations.
- They release accumulated carbon into the atmosphere over centuries, exacerbating global warming.
Economy and Food Security
Protecting the oceans also means protecting jobs and traditional cultures:
- Globally, fishing generates 100 million jobs and produces 80 million tons of marine fish per year.
- In Brazil, 1.7 million artisanal fishers directly depend on the health of marine ecosystems.
Conservation Strategies
Environmental organizations work on four main fronts:
- Protected marine areas.
- Conservation and restoration of coral reefs.
- Promotion of a just energy transition.
- Political advocacy to strengthen ocean governance.
Blue carbon is consolidated as a key ally in the fight against climate change.
Recognizing the value of the oceans and their coastal ecosystems implies not only storing carbon but also ensuring biodiversity, food security, and social justice for the communities that depend on them.
