A blue path to green goals
The European Green Deal sets out a number of policy goals and strategies that underpin Europe’s ambition for its economy and society to transition to sustainability, become climate neutral and live in harmony with nature by 2050. The projects featured in this Pack support via research and innovation the implementation of the https://environment.ec.europa.eu/strategy/biodiversity-strategy-2030_en (EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030), the EU Strategy for Climate Adaptation, the integrated EU policy for the Arctic, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the European Nature Restoration Law, and more. They provide actionable science and recommendations for policy, socio-economic, legal and regulatory pathways for the European Green Deal. They also make substantive contributions to global scientific assessments such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), as well as other major regional and global initiatives. The work also addresses the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations and the UNFCCC Paris Agreement. EU-funded research, development and implementation is supporting the long-term vision for a sustainable, greener, fairer, more resilient society, ensuring that no person or place is left behind.
“Nature is our greatest ally against climate change and it is imperative that we safeguard it!”
Marc Lemaître, Director-General, Directorate‑General for Research and Innovation, European Commission
Carbon naturally stored by coastal, oceanic and marine ecosystems plays a crucial role in mitigating climate change by capturing atmospheric carbon and storing it as natural carbon sinks, helping to reduce greenhouse gas levels. Additionally, blue carbon ecosystems support a rich variety of microbes and wildlife, including fish, birds and invertebrates. They filter pollutants and excess nutrients, improve water quality in coastal areas, act as natural buffers, shield coastlines from erosion, provide protection and resilience against storm surges, and contribute to the livelihoods of coastal communities, supporting fishing industries and tourism. Blue carbon ecosystems are critical not only for combating climate change but also for offering a range of ecosystem services that are vital for both people and the planet. Blue carbon’s potential as a nature-based solution will depend on societal actions. By prioritising the protection, conservation and restoration of these ecosystems and their biodiversity, a key focus of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030), we can ensure their continued effectiveness in carbon sequestration and environmental preservation. Around 20 % of the countries that signed up to the Paris Agreement on climate change refer to blue carbon in their national climate plans. Blue carbon management has the potential to reduce emissions while providing habitat for wildlife. However, shallow coastal ecosystems are extremely vulnerable to climate impacts, including increasing water temperature, ocean acidification, deoxygenation, sea level rise and other types of human-caused degradation. The EU, through its research and innovation Framework Programmes Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe, has supported with over 140 projects representing a budget of over EUR 750 million for research contributing to the protection, restoration and ecosystem based management of marine and coastal biodiversity and its ecosystem functioning. Over 30 projects with a budget of EUR 197 million specifically address the carbon cycle and carbon-rich ecosystems and research the potential effectiveness, benefits and risks of boosting blue carbon stores, as a nature-based solution for mitigating and adapting to climate change. The EU Mission ‘Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030’ also plays an important role in this respect. In this Projects Info Pack, you will discover 15 projects on blue carbon research and innovation that are contributing to closing critical research gaps in observing, valuing, estimating, managing and rolling out blue carbon solutions.