Uddannelses- og Forskningsministeriet - EUopSTART - NordSalt: Nordic Salt Marshes – mitigating climate change

The overall aim of NordSalt-net is to develop the appropriate knowledge base, tools, techniques, applications and best practices to by 2030 mitigate climate change by substantially increasing the carbon stored in marine and coastal ecosystems (Blue Carbon) with special focus on Nordic regions. NordSalt addresses the following 5 objectives:

1) To provide an improved understanding of the marine biogeochemistry and physical processes that govern carbon sequestration in Nordic Blue Carbon ecosystems.

2) To develop an integrated understanding of the magnitude, extent and rate of long-term carbon sequestration (loss) of Blue Carbon sediment stores and interrelations with biodiversity.

3) To develop an integrated understanding of Blue Carbon resources and their potential to provide ecosystem services with natural, economic and social benefits.

4) To provide nature based solutions from these habitats to mitigate climate change.

5) To provide a tool box that enables global observation and prediction of Blue Carbon and its interaction with biodiversity under global climate change.

NordSalt is timely as Blue Carbon designates carbon that is fixed via ocean and coastal ecosystems, rather than traditional land ecosystems, like forests. Although the ocean’s vegetated habitats cover less than 0.5% of the seabed, they are responsible for 70% of all carbon storage in ocean sediments. Sequestering and storing "blue" carbon from the atmosphere and oceans is an essential ecosystem service that is integral for the solution to global climate change. Despite these benefits and services, coastal blue carbon ecosystems are some of the most threatened ecosystems on Earth, with an estimated loss of up to 67% in the next 100 years. Protection and restoration of coastal and marine ecosystems will be nature based solutions to decrease atmospheric carbon and consequently mitigate climate change.