Summary/Abstract
This German Federal Ministry of Education and Research funded Research Mission “Marine Carbon Sinks in Decarbonization Pathways” will address whether and to what extent the ocean can play a substantial role in removing and storing CO2 from the atmosphere. In order to examine how marine carbon pools may be utilized in the most sustainable way, interlinkages with, and impacts on, the marine environment, the Earth system and society will also be determined, as well as appropriate approaches for monitoring, attribution and accounting of marine carbon storage in a changing environment. Analyses of individual actions that aim to enhance marine carbon sinks will account for both risks and co- benefits, and assess their potential as well as economic, political, social and legal implications. The product will be a Marine Carbon Roadmap for a sustainable utilization of the marine carbon pools on regional to global scales. Given the pace of discussions in politics, it is planned to provide preliminary results of the Mission already after 1.5-2 years to inform policymakers in a manner as timely as possible.