Conservation, Biodiversity & Oceans

Enhancing natural carbon storage is an important strategy to address climate change. A new study in Nature examines how coastal ecosystem restoration enhances the ocean’s ability to store carbon. 

A new study projects disparate risks of climate gentrification through secondary displacement in Florida. As coastal communities become displaced by rising sea levels, inland communities with lower socioeconomic status, lower education attainment, and higher rates of non-white renters are among those predisposed to secondary displacement risk.

The emerging offshore wind industry presents a significant opportunity for the United States to achieve its decarbonization goals. However, the nation lags considerably in offshore installations compared to the rest of the world. A recent study explains how connection to the electricity grid, technology, and policy have hindered offshore wind development.  

Nearly 2.4 billion people (about 40 percent of the world’s population) live within 100 kilometers of the coast. As coastal cities continue to grow, so too will their influence as actors in shaping sustainable development. A new paper highlights the largely overlooked role of ocean cities in international legal frameworks to address environmental degradation in marine and coastal environments.