World Ocean Day 2023

We are all familiar with the need to deliver on Net Zero carbon emission targets. Accepted climate science is clear that carbon emissions must be curtailed in order to halt the current crisis of climate change. A reduction isn’t enough - Net Zero is the minimum. Our individual and collective sustainability and Net Zero commitments have the power to change the world for future generations.

Carbon itself isn’t the enemy. It is essential for life on Earth - it is literally in our DNA. It’s in the food that we eat and the air that we breathe. The amount of Carbon on Earth has always been constant. It is the location that is constantly changing. It flows between organisms and the atmosphere as it is released and absorbed constantly. Carbon sources release carbon into the atmosphere. Major sources include the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas. Nature has an abundance of carbon sinks including soil, forests and the oceans. This natural carbon exchange or cycle has been working effectively for millennia but

increased human activity and reliance on fossil fuels is upsetting the balance. We are releasing ever increasing levels of Carbon into the atmosphere - much more than the natural sinks can absorb and process. The importance of reducing the excessive carbon release into the atmosphere and protecting the earth’s natural sinks and allowing them to perform has never been more important. Human activity is adversely effecting the earth’s ability to self regulate - large scale deforestation for example on land, releasing entrapped carbon into the atmosphere and removing large swathes of carbon sink, and the introduction of waste into the ocean impacting it’s ability to act as a carbon sink.

It has been estimated that the oceans have absorbed somewhere between 25% and 50% of the carbon released into the atmosphere since the industrial revolution and the ensuing reliance on carbon emitting fossil fuels. The key oceanic contributor to this successful exchange is phytoplankton, an organic micro algae that is similar to terrestrial plants and trees, in that it contains chlorophyl and uses sunlight to survive and grow. This process of photosynthesis consumes atmospheric carbon while producing sugars and releasing oxygen. They are the beginning of the food chain in the sea, providing nutrients for zooplankton (tiny microorganisms that include crustaceans and insect larvae etc.) that form a staple diet for many of the larger filter feeders in the sea such as Whale Sharks and Manta Rays. Hence once the phytoplankton have entrapped the carbon, it enters the carbon cycle, passing through the ocean’s natural processes increasing the oceans biomass carbon (animal life) to support the food chain (including ours) and also a large sedimentary process capturing carbon as waste on the sea bed.

What society is doing to disrupt this naturally occurring carbon sink and the carbon/oxygen cycle that follows the initial absorption is clearly problematic. We are seeing the direct result of this now.

In addition to the imbalance that we are causing in the atmospheric carbon cycle through the use of fossil fuels, the rapid growth in the use of single use plastics has resulted in the unfortunate reality of micro-plastics throughout our environment and nowhere is this more damaging than in the ocean. Microplastics are defined as small particles (less than 5mm) that originate from primary sources (abrasives, bead blasting, cosmetic additives etc.) and secondary sources which are predominantly from the breakdown of larger plastics like bottles through their degradation due to exposure to the sun’s radiation and the ocean waves etc. It is secondary plastics where I would like to focus as an opportunity to reduce the impact on our oceans. This isn’t just about the dangers of ingested plastic being a toxin or entering our food chain - it is a much more fundamental, potentially catastrophic problem.

Plastic enters the ocean through many routes and once degraded into small enough particles it enters the food chain and also disrupts some key processes. Once in the water column, micro plastics impact phytoplankton’s ability to photosynthesize, hence limiting the ocean’s ability to decarbonize the atmosphere and oxygenate the ocean. Without photosynthesis, they die, also removing a healthy carbon rich food source for zooplankton. Additionally, zooplankton ingest the micro plastics which impacts their ability to digest food and hence they eat less phytoplankton. The phytoplankton that are left to die at the surface decompose, releasing entrapped carbon back to the ocean and atmosphere instead of kicking off the carbon cycle required to entrap the carbon and sustain a healthy life balance in the sea. Our two largest carbon sinks are being interrupted through deforestation and contamination of the oceans.

I am proud to be positively contributing to Linxon’s sustainability and Net Zero goals, thereby creating a better future. This will not be enough though if societally, we continue to rely on plastics that remove the ocean’s ability to function as it always has. Imagine where we would be post industrial revolution without the ocean cleaning up behind us.

In order to make an impact on the 500 million tonnes or so of single use plastics that are produced annually (including over 500 billion single use bottles), lets take whatever actions we can. Avoid single use plastics and re-use wherever possible, buy bulk food where possible using re-usable containers, avoid stores that cater to convenience and package everything no matter how small in plastics, reject the use of plastic bags, take the time to recycle properly, use biodegradable products where possible and make others aware. We all get to choose the level of impact that we have.

Why does the failure of the carbon cycle matter………?

Carbon dioxide causes approximately one quarter of the earth’s greenhouse effect with water vapour accounting for approximately half. Together these two absorb energy and re-emit it, with some returning to the earth and heatings its surface. When carbon dioxide in the air increases, so does temperature, creating elevated levels of evaporation and hence increased levels of water vapour in the atmosphere. The vicious cycle of warming commences. There is evidence that increased temperatures can cause an elevated release of carbon from soils due to increased growing seasons and reduced water as well as the drying out of

plants/trees with increased risk of forest fires (which again releases carbon into the atmosphere). Permafrost also begins to thaw and release millennia of entrapped carbon. The oceans also warm, which directly threatens marine life and the increased levels of Carbon Dioxide (in addition to the effects previously stated) reduces the alkalinity of seawater which impacts marine life also.

The ocean is a complex, resilient and adaptive eco system, but it has limits that we have passed way beyond. The good news is that resilience and adaptability allows it to bounce back if we take positive action. Over the last 25 years of diving, I have witnessed the devastating accumulation of garbage in the oceans and its impact on the oceans inhabitants and reliant communities. In this modern world, it isn’t always easy to do the right thing, but we can always find ways to improve.

In addition to the reduction of single use plastics, there are many actions that we can take to protect the overall health of the oceans that are also the prime source of protein for over a billion people who live close to its shores. More than ever, action is required to protect the health of the ocean, its inhabitants and those who rely upon it. We can all take action - maybe not all, but we can take some.

?Minimize energy usage.

?Purchase responsibly.

?Reduce pollutants (household chemicals etc.).

?Conserve water.

?Stay wisely – support eco friendly hotels that have small footprints and support local populations / marine reserves.

?Consider commuting options.

?Educate ourselves and others further on impacts and actions.

?Leave the oceans and beaches as you find them – take only photos and leave only footprints (or bubbles if you are a diver).

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step (Lau Tzu). The most common excuse that we hear around conservation is “How impactful can I really be?” and “What about the others that don’t change?”. I would ask how impactful can you really be? and what if the others do change? Imagine the impact that we could all have on each other and the future, which really is in our hands.

This is a complex problem. There are many sources of plastic pollution in the seas that we don’t individually control - fishing nets for example are the majority polluter, but personal and collective inaction isn’t an option.

It is motivating to be a part of an organization that is driving sustainability by building vital infrastructure to power the world with carbon free energy and it is inspiring to see the sustainability initiatives that our folk bring to the business.

I have a passion for the oceans and underwater photography, so have included a few of my photos of some lovely critters who rely on us - and and one of me and my wife/dive buddy in our happy place.

Chris Goodwin