Climate Confident Can the Ocean Really Remove Carbon at Scale?
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.
🎧 Tune in now on your favourite podcast platform!
Podcast subscribers
I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's amazing subscribers:
- Anita Krajnc
- Cecilia Skarupa
- Ben Gross
- Jerry Sweeney
- Andreas Werner
- Stephen Carroll
- Roger Arnold
And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.
Contact
If you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - get in touch via direct message on LinkedIn.
If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover the show.