The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has released a new Ocean Carbon Observing Science Plan.
Ocean, coastal, and Great Lake carbon observations provide critical information that helps support the development of future climate projections, adaptation and mitigation strategies as well as policies that inform decision-makers and advance the Blue Economy.
There is a critical need to observe and monitor the changing ocean, especially given increasing national and international carbon observing directives on global carbon cycle topics such as greenhouse gas monitoring, ocean acidification and the emerging carbon dioxide removal field, according to NOAA:
“This Science Plan aims to provide improved coordination and optimization of NOAA Research ocean carbon observing activities.”
The plan is the first of its kind within NOAA Research, outlining and prioritizing scientific goals related to ocean carbon observation and providing coordination across NOAA Research and with intra-agency, interagency and international partners.
“With extensive review and contributions by over 40 subject matter experts, this document represents what NOAA Research ocean carbon experts deem the most important ocean carbon scientific questions to answer over the next 10 years. This plan provides a framework and strategic direction for addressing these pressing scientific questions with regard to ocean carbon.”
Some of the topics addressed in the plan include:
- ocean carbon uptake and storage,
- ocean acidification,
- air-sea flux,
- data management,
- model and product development and communication to end users, policymakers and the general public.
Parts of the plan were also informed by a “landscape analysis” of federal carbon observing efforts, according to NOAA.
Check out the new plan at globalocean.noaa.gov.