University scientists say study could help tackle climate change

Carbon stored in the UK’S offshore exclusive economic zone (EEZ) has been fully mapped for the first time to help tackle climate change.

St Andrews University scientists gathered updated evidence of marine carbon stores from hard-to-reach sites on the seabed.

An EEZ is an area of the sea in which a sovereign state has special rights regarding the exploration and use of marine resources, including energy production from water and wind.

Attempts to bring data from the lochs, estuaries and adjacent deep waters to develop the first full understanding of carbon near the surface over the entire EEZ previously proved difficult.

Dr Craig Smeaton, a research fellow at the university, said: “To overcome the issues encountered by earlier studies, nearly 275,000 data points were compiled describing the sediment type on the seabed and allowing the creation of a bespoke high-resolution map of the UK EEZ seabed.

“This, in conjunction with carbon data from across the UK EEZ, allowed a detailed picture of the spatial distribution of (carbon) storage across the seafloor.”

Prof William Austin, of the university’s school of geography, added: “Our research highlights the significant role of carbon storage in Scotland’s marine sediments.

“If we can manage some of these carbon-rich hotspots we might reduce the release of greenhouse gases that would otherwise contribute to global warming, at the same time supporting their rich biodiversity and improving their resilience to ongoing climate change impacts.”

The study, in Frontiers In Earth Science, is the first comprehensive assessment of the UK EEZ carbon stock.

It provides a new framework to map the element in shelf sea sediments that could be applied worldwide.

A child sits on a motorcycle as the Pacaya volcano blows a cloud of ash, viewed from San Vicente Pacaya, Guatemala.