In recent years, ocean issues have crept into the climate debate, but the ocean is still not fully utilised in climate work. This means Professor Christoph Humborg, scientific leader at Stockholm University Baltic Sea Centre, Professor Alf Norkko, Principal Investigator at Tvärminne Zoological Station, University of Helsinki and Professor Gustaf Hugelius, Vice Director of the Bolin Centre of Climate Research, Stockholm University.

In an Opinion piece directed at the member states represented at ongoing climate summit COP28, they call for ensuring that the role of the oceans to be highlingted, meaning that the work to reduce eutrophication and strengthen biodiversity is prioritised as part of mitigation of climate change.

"To safeguard the oceans’ ability to mitigate climate change, coastal ecosystems must be protected and restored", they write. "For the Baltic Sea, however, reducing eutrophication is probably the most important issue, which not only benefits biodiversity but can also
limit methane emissions. Healthy ecosystems are a prerequisite not only for societal values such as fishing and recreation, but also for our future climate."

Read the full Opinion piece:

Time to highlight the ocean’s role for climate mitigation (63 Kb)

The Stockholm University Baltic Sea Centre and the Bolin Centre for Climate Research at Stockholm University, as well as the Tvärminne Zoological Station and the Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research at the University of Helsinki are working together in the Centre for Coastal Ecosystem and Climate Change (CoastClim) to investigate the links between the coast and climate. The aim is to improve the management of coastal areas in order to mitigate climate change.

Read more about CoastClim:

www.coastclim.org

Research group page on su.se