Implementation of Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Measures Using Blue Carbon

Development of Aquaculture Using Macrophyte Vegetation

Abstract

In the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals （SDGs）led by the United Nations, it is required to develop coastal management methods to achieve both sustainable food production and environmental conservation as a climate change countermeasure. Aquaculture is an important food production method now being developed in coastal areas around the world, although recent climate change has caused several negative effects on aquaculture through ocean acidification, high seawater temperature and anoxia/hypoxia in relation to high water temperature. Blue carbon ecosystems are the most important ecosystems functioning as a countermeasure for global climate change. Not only does it mitigate green-house gas emission by sequestration and storage of blue carbon derived from atmospheric CO2, but it also functions as an adaptation measure utilizing the buffer function against ocean acidification and moreover as water quality improvement. Based on integrating sustainable use of coastal areas with coastal environmental conservation, several aquacultures using the blue carbon ecosystems are now practiced such as oyster aquaculture using seagrass beds and macroalgal aquaculture maximizing CO2 sequestration.