Several orange and purple common starfish are pictured on the seabed floor, surrounded by colourful sealife.

Why we do it

The ocean is fundamental to our existence: it contributes more than half of the oxygen we breathe, provides food and livelihoods for millions and supports our mental health and wellbeing.

The ocean is home to some of the most wonderous species on our planet, and, when healthy, can absorb and store carbon, protect our coasts from erosion and regulate our climate.

We work with partners, communities, industry and governments to protect, conserve and restore our seas – securing today, and a better tomorrow for our ocean, people and planet.  

Our greatest ally against climate change 

Climate change presents one of the greatest challenges in human history, but the ocean could be the key to overcoming it. It provides crucial protection against the full effects of the crisis, locking away carbon, absorbing heat to help regulate our climate, and buffering the impacts of waves and storms to protect our coasts. 

Did you know? 

  • 30% of our carbon emissions are absorbed by the ocean
  • The UK’s deep-sea areas provide £1 billion worth of carbon storage
  • The ocean stores more than 18x more carbon than land
  • Coastal habitats save up to £33.2 billion pounds in coastal protection compared to the cost of man-made alternatives
  • 90% of recent climate warming has been absorbed by the ocean
  • Seagrass meadows are estimated to absorb and store 35x more CO2 than rainforests
  • Seaweed absorbs carbon more effectively than trees, storing an estimated 175 million tonnes of carbon each year. 

 

Four key ways the ocean helps our planet

The ocean as a carbon store

In a time of ever-rising CO2 levels, the ocean plays an increasingly vital role in climate protection. Carbon dioxide dissolves in seawater, where it’s absorbed by phytoplankton through photosynthesis. They then convert it into organic matter – which supports the marine food web – and when their remains sink to the sea floor, the absorbed carbon becomes buried in sediments in the deep ocean. This locking away of carbon slows down global warming and prevents further temperature rises.

Marine habitats like seagrass meadows, kelp forests, and coral reefs are vital carbon stores, much like forests on land. We’re regenerating important carbon-storing species, including seagrass and oysters, to ensure they can keep doing their vital work of protecting our planet. We’ve been working tirelessly for decades to protect marine habitats in our Marine Protected Areas from damage or disturbance.

A close up of several native oysters being held by someone wearing orange gloves

A handful of European flat oysters about to be deployed into the Firth of Forth to help with conservation efforts  |  Image credit: Maverick Photo Agency

Coastal protections

With more extreme weather events due to climate change - seagrass meadows, seaweed, mangroves, kelp forests, and coral reefs provide another crucial service: protecting our coasts from erosion.

They buffer strong currents and waves, lessening the impacts of erosion, flood and storm damage, providing our coast and its communities with vital protection.

Investing in natural solutions such as protecting these habitats, can offer massive savings to the UK economy compared to man-made alternatives, as well as supporting tourism and livelihoods that coastal areas depend on.

Our blue finance work aims to raise awareness of and drive further investment from the public and private sector in ocean-based solutions to the climate crisis, which are vital, but often overlooked.

 

The ocean as an energy source - achieving Net Zero

By generating offshore wind, tidal and wave energy, the ocean can help the UK shift towards clean energy, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels which accelerate global heating and CO2 emissions. It is vital we put less pressure on our ocean to allow it to continue to protect our coasts, absorb and store carbon, and help us fight climate change.

With the UK looking to deliver renewable energy from marine areas by 2030, our focus is to protect the life beneath the waves giving us power.

A seagrass bed with sunlight filtering through the water.

A seagrass bed  |  Image credit: Benjamin L Jones

We’re advocating for nature-positive renewable energy which minimises the impacts of offshore infrastructure on marine ecosystems and species, with activities directed to the least environmentally sensitive areas to safeguard biodiversity.

To drive this shift to cleaner energy, we need greater investment in the industry – from both private and public sectors. Our Guide to the Blue Economy provides clear recommendations and advice for investors and governments on investing in these solutions, which will bring benefits to the economy, environment, and society.

Wind turbines in water at Rampion Offshore Wind Farm, United Kingdom, with blue skies above the water

Wind turbines in water at Rampion Offshore Wind Farm, United Kingdom  |  Image credit: Nicholas Doherty/Unsplash

Sustainable seafood for all

Our ocean's health is vital in tackling the climate crisis, so it’s crucial that the industries operating across our seas play their part in supporting it. The fish that we eat impacts the health of our ocean and the marine life that call it home. According to the UN, unsustainable fishing is the greatest driver of marine biodiversity loss in the world.

  • More than 2 billion people globally depend on seafood as their primary source of protein
  • 97% of UK households consume fish
  • 93% of global fish stocks are either fully or over-exploited

By choosing only sustainable seafood, we can help minimise damage to vulnerable habitats and species. With our Good Fish Guide, we use the latest scientific advice to provide guidance on the sustainability of various seafood options, empowering consumers to make informed, ocean-positive choices.

We advocate for climate-smart fishing, in which the fishing sector reduces its impact on the environment. This can be done through reducing carbon emissions, limiting damaging fishing practices such as bottom trawling to prevent biodiversity loss, and protecting blue carbon habitats. We believe there's a place for responsible, well-managed fishing and aquaculture in our vision for healthy seas.

We must balance people’s protein needs and livelihoods with ensuring the health, diversity and productivity of our marine environment.

A hand holding up a phone with Marine Conservation Society's Good Fish Guide app on the screen. In the background is a blurred supermarket shelf filled with food products.

A hand holding up a mobile phone with the Good Fish Guide app showing  |  Image credit: Billy Barraclough

The ocean needs our help

For the ocean to help combat climate change, it needs to be healthy. Sadly, this isn’t the case; the way our marine ecosystems are being used threatens their very existence – along with the climate-regulating effects they provide.

The ocean is the solution

The ocean is essential for our survival. As well as providing us with energy, oxygen, food and income, supporting our physical and mental wellbeing, and the livelihoods of coastal communities, it plays a pivotal role in the fight against climate change.

It is now more important than ever to protect, conserve and restore our ocean and its vital ecosystems, so it can continue to provide the countless benefits it brings people, wildlife, and planet. To do this, we’re working to protect and restore marine habitats and species, reduce plastic and chemical pollution, drive investment in sustainable ocean solutions, and raise awareness of the importance of our ocean for a better future.

We’ve spent 40 years regenerating the health of our seas – and we’re not finished yet.

Also of interest

A photograph taken from the bank of the Dornoch Firth with far-reaching veiws across the calm water. The sky is blue with white clouds and across the water you can see the coastline where the Glenmorangie Distillery Company is based.

Our restoration projects
Different types of plastic including bags, cups and straws are pictured under the ocean, highlighting the plastic pollution problem

How we're tackling ocean pollution
A small fishing trawler seen from a birds-eye-view over a deep blue ocean.

Marine management

Our sustainable seafood work

Learn more about what we’re doing to drive improvements in fishing and farming practices.

Read more