Antarctic Blue Carbon

The Southern Ocean plays a globally important role in climate regulation, removing carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere and storing some of this carbon for centuries or millennia. ‘Blue carbon’ refers to the carbon stored in the bodies of marine organisms and in biogenic sediments on the seabed. Protection of carbon-exporting species and carbon-rich habitats is necessary to maintain these climate regulation functions. This paper summarises current understanding of the roles played by Antarctic krill and continental shelf benthic ecosystems in carbon export and storage and introduces a new initiative to map carbon storage hotspots. The UK recommends that CCAMLR recognises the important contribution of Antarctic marine living resources and their habitats to the processes of carbon export and storage and considers actions to ensure their protection.