“In addition to being the largest animals on the planet, whales are among the longest-living, with some living over 150 years,” Dr Pearson added. “This extended lifespan means that a lot of carbon is trapped in a large whale for a long time. Then, once these animals die, their carcasses sink to the seafloor, bringing a lifetime of trapped carbon with them. Carbon on the seafloor is then essentially buried for thousands to millions of years.”
“This video is a key step in increasing our understanding of the ways that marine life contributes to the global carbon cycle, one of the vital functions of our ocean,” stated H.E. Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, Secretary General of the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD). “Acknowledging the importance of marine life in oceanic carbon storage may not only provide much needed opportunities in the fight against climate change, but could simultaneously support sustainable fisheries, marine conservation and help safeguard biodiversity across the globe.”
“The fish carbon concept is not without precedence in conservation policy,” said Steven Lutz, Blue Carbon Programme Leader for UN Environment/GRID-Arendal. “Just last month in support of sustainable whale management, 41 nations of the International Whaling Commission endorsed two resolutions recognising the value of whales in carbon storage and their potential role in climate change mitigation.”
“Recognising the role marine life may play in mitigating climate change may help small island developing states, especially those who are large ocean nations, include ocean actions in their Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement,” stated Ronald Jumeau, Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Ambassador for Climate Change for the Republic of Seychelles. “Seychelles believes that the sustainable management of life in our ocean is critically important in our fight against climate change. Given the dire warnings from the recent IPCC report, can we afford not to explore this option?”