Marine restoration

The ocean has long helped get rid of excess carbon on Earth with its role in the Carbon cycle. However, the excess emissions and warming temperature as the result of climate change may change the ocean's ability to cycle carbon as efficiently.[2] This has made it necessary to augment natural processes to increase the natural amount of Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR).[3] Electrochemical approaches remain the most popular. Current methods involve applying voltage to a membrane stack to split the stream of water. A team of professors from MIT have hypothesized ways to make the methods cheaper and more efficient.[4] Efforts to improve carbon capture naturally by means of preserving the seagrass meadows have been enacted by various British conservation efforts.[5]

Coral reefs provide a vital part of the ocean ecosystem, serving as the habitat to many species and protection for the coastline from erosion and storms.[6] At this time, thirty to fifty percent of Earth's coral reefs have already been lost . Coral has been threatened by pollution, overfishing, and unsafe fishing techniques.[7] Methods to restore coral reefs have involved the gardening and transplanting of coral developed at different sites to locations previously inhabited by coral, as well as the use of green engineering methods to help the coral become more suited to the changing environment.[8][9]

Mangrove forests, like coral reefs, are essential for protecting the coastlines and providing a habitat for various aqueous creatures . They too have been severely threatened, mostly for wood harvesting and fish farms. Wetland scientist Robin Lewis has spent the past few decades restoring mangrove forests. Previously, attempts to restore mangrove environments were made by replanting mangrove seedlings grown elsewhere, but this proved to be ineffective. Lewis took to moving dirt and relying on tide systems, which proved more effective . There are currently multiple mangrove restoration organizations across the world to help protect biodiversity.[10]

Plastic, oil, and other pollutants have detrimental impacts on marine environments.[11] As a result, various organizations have developed technology to physically remove pollutants.[12] There has been some criticism of clean-up methods, such as The Ocean Cleanup, over concerns that the methods, similar to fish trawling, may harm marine life and do not understand the nature of plastic pollution in the ocean.[13] At this point, the more effective method of combating ocean pollution is keeping it from reaching the ocean to begin with through waste management and legislation to prevent further pollution . Some research has shown that certain bacteria could naturally consume plastics, but more studies are needed.[14]