Climate change is manifesting in various ways, with far-reaching impacts on the planet. Rising global temperatures, extreme weather events, shifts in precipitation patterns, rising of sea levels and ocean acidification are all effects that are highlighting the urgent need to find sustainable and scalable solutions.To date, world oceans have absorbed 93% of the heat from global warming, so that according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), global sea surface temperatures have already risen by more than 1 °C in the last century. These higher temperatures curtail overturning circulation, reducing nutrients essential to primary productivity and decimating many key ocean ecosystems, such as coral reefs.

Many tropical coastal communities for example are living on the front lines of climate disruption. Ocean livelihoods, such as artisanal fishing and seaweed cultivation, are extremely vulnerable to climate change, where warming water temperatures are reducing marine productivity as water temperatures are too high and nutrient levels are too low.

Clearly there is a need for innovation to ensure the ocean and its inhabitants can continue to thrive in the climate disrupted years to come.

Goals

The goals of Marine Permaculture are designed to tackle pressing environmental and economic challenges. A primary objective is to enhance global food security by increasing the production of nutrient-rich seaweed, which serves as a sustainable and climate-resilient food source. Additionally, Marine Permaculture aims to regenerate marine ecosystems and biodiversity while supporting the livelihoods of coastal communities, particularly smallholder seaweed farmers and rice farmers. The initiative also focuses on adapting these communities to extreme weather events, enabling low-carbon food production, and strengthening coastal habitats.

Carbon sequestration is a significant goal, viewed as a co-benefit. To measure progress, the Climate Foundation tracks indicators such as the number of communities operating Marine Permaculture platforms, the area of seaweed cultivation, the volume of seaweed products produced, and the recovery of marine species populations.