Polar oceans may play an important role in storing carbon and supporting biodiversity, but current science and policy frameworks are not yet ready to fully recognize their potential.
That is the conclusion of a new review published in Global Change Biology by an international team of polar scientists from the Horizon Europe project POMP — Polar Ocean Mitigation Potential.
The study assesses what is currently known about “polar blue carbon”: carbon captured, stored or transported by marine ecosystems in the Arctic and Antarctic. The authors examine which polar habitats may contribute to long-term carbon storage, what limits their inclusion in current policy frameworks, and what is needed before they can be better integrated into climate and conservation strategies.
“ Polar marine ecosystems are changing rapidly. Some habitats may become more important as carbon stores, while others may be weakened by warming, ice loss, erosion and increasing human pressure. We need to understand these systems much better — but we should not wait until all uncertainties are resolved before protecting the most vulnerable and carbon-rich habitats, ” says Nadescha Zwerschke, lead author, Department of Biology, Aarhus University.
Blue carbon policy has so far focused mainly on coastal wetlands in tropical and temperate regions, such as mangroves, salt marshes and seagrass meadows. Polar systems are rarely included, even though the Arctic and Antarctic make up around one fifth of the global ocean and are among the regions most affected by climate change.
The review identifies several polar habitats and pathways with potential relevance for carbon storage, including Arctic salt marshes and seagrass meadows, kelp forests, phytoplankton, ice-associated algae, fjords, shelves and deep-sea sediments. However, for many of these systems, scientists still lack robust estimates of extent, carbon stocks and long-term sequestration.
The authors also warn against treating polar blue carbon as a conventional carbon-offset solution at this stage. Major uncertainties remain around measurement, additionality, permanence and governance.
“Polar blue carbon is not a shortcut around reducing CO2 emissions. The first priority must still be to phase out fossil fuels. But protecting carbon-rich marine ecosystems can be an important part of a broader climate and biodiversity strategy,” says Mikael Sejr, POMP coordinator, Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University.
The study calls for four coordinated actions: greater investment in polar blue-carbon research, precautionary protection of known carbon-rich and vulnerable habitats, management approaches that consider carbon storage alongside biodiversity, and clearer policy pathways for recognizing substantial natural carbon stores in polar marine ecosystems.
According to the authors, the near-term priority is not to create new offset markets, but to protect existing carbon-rich ecosystems and build the scientific foundation needed for future policy decisions.
Global Change Biology
Meta-analysis
Not applicable
Status of Polar Blue Carbon: Toward Recognition and Integration in Marine Policy
31-Aug-2026
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