Today, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO has released the Integrated Ocean Carbon Research (IOC‐R) Report, the most comprehensive assessment to date of the uncertainties shaping the ocean carbon sink. The report urges to close key knowledge gaps in understanding the ocean carbon sink to support stronger climate action. ICOS contributed to the report along with 72 other authors.
The Integrated Ocean Carbon Research (IOC‑R) Report, developed by 72 authors and 13 reviewers from 23 countries, offers the most comprehensive evaluation to date of the processes driving ocean carbon uptake and storage, and identifies the research priorities required to strengthen global climate planning.
Dr Richard Sanders, Director of the ICOS Ocean Thematic Centre, was among the authors contributing to the report.
“The ocean is a major player in the global carbon cycle, taking up 25-30% of the CO2 we emit to the atmosphere each year, slowing climate change. We have major uncertainties in the operation of the important sink. High quality data such as that produced by ICOS is key to addressing these”, Richard Sanders says.
The report highlights critical knowledge gaps in our estimations of the ocean carbon sinks, pointing out how current models diverge by 10-20% globally, and even more in certain regions. Discrepancies stem from limited observations and incomplete understanding of how physical, biological, chemical, and human-driven processes shape the ocean carbon cycle.
These uncertainties impact national climate strategies, CO2 targets, IPCC projections, and adaptation planning.
ICOS stands ready to deliver improvements as part of the global community
The IOC-R report recommends key steps to close the knowledge gaps
- Integrate global observing efforts across satellites, autonomous platforms, and sustained in situ measurements.
- Refine models to better capture physical, chemical, and biological processes.
- Strengthen scientific capacity worldwide, particularly in data‑limited regions.
- Foster cross‑disciplinary research to connect scientific insight with societal needs.
“The IOC-R report is a landmark summary of the key actions we need to take to improve our capacity to understand the contribution the ocean makes to mitigating climate change. We in ICOS stand ready to deliver these improvements as part of the global community”, Richard Sanders concludes.