Page 12: of Marine Technology Magazine (July 2024)

MARINE HABITATS & CARBON SEQUESTRATION

Conceptual visualization of a port location with vibrant marine life following successful coral restoration efforts.

Adobe Fire? y AI Image Generator

RESTORING MARINE HABITATS

FOR MARINE NET GAIN,

CARBON SEQUESTRATION,

AND PORT DECARBONIZATION.

By Nora von Xylander, Biodiversity Specialist & Sustainability Scientist, Tunley Environmental onsidering the global initiatives to become nature diversity and supporting sustainable ? sheries [9], improving positive by 2030 [1] and the United Nations (UN) water quality [10], to contributing to carbon offsetting efforts

Sustainable Development Goals [2], the concepts [11]. All helping to combat climate change, mitigate its effects

Cof Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) [3] and Marine on our planet, and secure a more sustainable future.

Net Gain (MNG) are gaining traction [4,5]. Here we explore the potential of marine restoration in contributing to MNG, The Importance of Marine Restoration carbon sequestration, and port decarbonisation, addressing The Ocean, covering 71% of the Earth’s surface, is home the critical need for effective marine restoration strategies in to approximately 80% of all life on Earth [12]. Healthy ma- the face of climate change, marine pollution, and over? shing rine ecosystems generate 50% of the oxygen that we breathe [6,7,8]. We ? nd that the positive impacts of restoration and re- and absorb 25% of all CO2 emissions [13]. The Ocean and viving marine habitats are wide-ranging, from enhancing bio- its marine habitats also play a crucial role in regulation the 12 July/August 2024

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