Abstract:
In the context of global climate change, national dual-carbon strategies and green low-carbon transitions have created a clear need for the development of marine carbon sinks. The marine ecological restoration is the most feasible and important way to increase ecological sinks. In order to guide the carbon sink development for marine ecological restoration, the main carbon sink resources for marine ecological restoration in the offshore areas of China are analyzed, the distribution characteristics of carbon sink resources are clarified and the mechanisms on which marine carbon sink development projects for marine ecological restoration can be based are proposed. The applicability of four main mechanisms (including the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) mechanism, the China Carbon Emission Reduction (CCER) mechanism, the local carbon inclusive mechanism and the industry group standard specifications) to the development of ocean carbon sinks is analyzed. The mechanisms of carbon sink development for marine ecological restoration can be determined by comprehensive evaluations based on the actual situation of ecological restoration projects and carbon sink application scenarios. On this basis, the main collaborative development pathways of carbon sink for marine ecological restoration is proposed based on the current situation of marine carbon sink methodology and the development potential of marine sink increase technology. These pathways include increasing sinks by protection and restoration of coastal ecosystems and by marine shellfish and algae proliferation and release, etc. The development of marine carbon sinks through ecological restoration can be also achieved by close cooperation with the ecosystem protection and restoration implementation units, and by designing, in the project of ecological restoration compensation, schemes in which the benefits of enhancing sinks should be taken into account. Finally, suggestions for the coordinated development of carbon sink in marine ecological restoration are proposed, which include to open up actively a road of the coordinated development of carbon sinks for marine ecological restoration in the aspects such as giveing full play to the supporting role of science and technology, jointing superior resources to reduce development costs, exploring deeply the application scenarios and promoting the development of typical projects.