Bottom Trawling's 370M Metric Tons of CO2 Hidden Emissions Revealed
By Karmactive Staff
Trisha Atwood’s study highlights bottom trawling as a major contributor to carbon emissions, releasing up to 370 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually.
Bottom trawling has the most effect on climate in the East China, Baltic, North, and Greenland Seas, where 55–60% of the carbon disturbed eventually reaches the atmosphere in nine years.
The research reveals that bottom trawling adds more than 200% to the global fishing industry’s carbon footprint.
More than half of the carbon produced by bottom trawling ends up in the atmosphere within ten years, accelerating global warming.
Advanced ocean models and data from 1996-2020 were used to determine the amount of carbon emissions resulting from bottom trawling.
A team of experts from numerous institutions, including Utah State University, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, and National Geographic Pristine Seas, took part in the research.
According to the study, carbon emissions from bottom trawling could be greatly reduced if they were included in climate action plans.
The research also highlights the impact of bottom trawling on ocean acidification, with 40-50% of disrupted carbon remaining in the water as carbon dioxide, harming marine life.
The research emphasizes the need for policy efforts to mitigate the environmental impacts of bottom trawling, including the loss of biodiversity and carbon emissions.
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