Oregon State University study links surf conservation to climate change mitigation

According to a new study, the same thing that helps create waves for surfing can also help mitigate climate change.

“Our results suggest a significant opportunity for surf conservation to strengthen protection of climate-critical carbon stocks,” said Jacob Bukoski, an Assistant Professor at Oregon State University.

The study found that 88 million metric tons of “irrecoverable carbon” existed in the land-based ecosystems surrounding 3,600 surf breaks around the world. Irrecoverable carbon is defined as carbon stored in nature, if lost, could not be replaced within 30 years, OSU said in a press release.

“So, this 30-year time period that most of our goals and international agreements and policies for mitigating climate change, they’re all targeted at 2050,” Bukoski told KATU News.

When irrecoverable carbon is released into the atmosphere, it adds to atmospheric carbon, a key driver in climate change.

Surfers seek out surf breaks in the ocean, which are created by various obstructions like rocks and coral reefs. The obstructions catch the ocean’s energy and make the waves.

“Well, a coral reef is also an extremely biodiverse portion of the ocean. There’s a very rich ecosystem there. There’s lots of fish, there’s lots of other animals that depend on that,” said Bukoski.

Protecting surf breaks and the surrounding areas from being destroyed, and releasing all that carbon, is the key environmental factor.

“At the end of the day, we should be shredding waves, not ecosystem carbon," Bukoski said in a press release.

https://katu.com/news/local/oregon-state-university-study-links-surf-conservation-to-climate-change-mitigation-jacob-bukoski-corvallis-

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Author: KATU News
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News post in at: August 22, 2024, 3:03 am.

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