Which marine creature is 1000x more effective at capturing carbon than a tree?

A whale.

Marine biologists have revealed that whales — especially the great whales — play a significant role in capturing carbon from the atmosphere. Amassing carbon in their bodies throughout their long lives, a great whale can sequester 33 tons of CO₂ in their lifetime. When they die, they sink to the bottom of the ocean, removing that carbon from the atmosphere for centuries. A tree can absorb up to 48 pounds of CO₂ a year highlighting the incredible carbon capture potential of whales.

Whales are part of the Blue Economy – the “sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs, while preserving the health of ocean ecosystems” (World Bank, 2017). Financing the Blue Economy can take many forms involving fisheries, aquaculture, maritime transportation, waste management, tourism, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and renewable energy.

Source: A strategy to protect whales can limit greenhouse gases and global warming, Finance & Development

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