Accounting for Canada’s ’blue’ climate solutions

UVic researchers surveying kelp distribution on Vancouver Island. Credit: Kevin Bruce An ambitious research project will create the first Canadian assessment of the storage capacity of blue carbon ecosystems to help mitigate climate change, while also offering ways to protect Canada's coastal communities from rising seas and flooding. So-called -blue carbon- ecosystems-including salt marshes, sea grass meadows and kelp forests-store carbon within plants and sediment along the country's 243,000-kilometre coastline. Canada has not yet fully accounted for ocean climate solutions, including these natural carbon sinks, in its greenhouse gas accounting inventories, says Julia Baum, principal investigator and marine ecologist at the University of Victoria. -Climate change is the greatest threat to society and our planet. Research bringing together the brightest minds from across disciplines and sectors is needed to help develop solutions that will ensure Canada can meet its greenhouse gas emission goals. Our new partnership project is an exciting example of how this can be done.