Climate Confident Can the Ocean Save Us from Climate Change? Exploring Nature’s Carbon Sink
In this episode of Climate Confident, I sit down with Annalisa Bracco, a physical oceanographer and climate scientist at the Georgia Institute of Technology, to explore how our oceans are changing—and why it matters.
The ocean is a critical carbon sink, absorbing vast amounts of CO₂, but it’s also warming at an alarming rate, driving more extreme weather events and disrupting marine ecosystems. Annalisa explains how rising sea temperatures are fuelling stronger hurricanes, shifting rainfall patterns, and devastating biodiversity—particularly in coral reefs, where we’ve already lost up to 75% in the Atlantic alone.
We also discuss the role of marine protected areas, the surprising impact of sea cucumbers on coral survival, and how AI and machine learning are helping scientists map oceanic ecosystems. Annalisa shares insights on potential solutions, including ocean-based carbon sequestration, enhanced weathering, and the challenge of safely storing CO₂ at depth.
Key takeaways from this episode:
✅ Warming oceans are intensifying weather patterns and reducing freshwater availability.
✅ Coral bleaching threatens food security for over a billion people.
✅ AI is revolutionising how we track biodiversity and predict climate impacts.
✅ Marine conservation efforts can rapidly restore ecosystems and improve fisheries.
The health of our oceans is deeply intertwined with the future of our planet. Listen now to understand what’s at stake—and what we can do about it.
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Credits
Music credits - Intro by Joseph McDade, and Outro music for this podcast was composed, played, and produced by my daughter Luna Juniper