Ocean Carbon: Facts, Fluxes and Fictions

 

Laure Resplandy, associate professor of geosciences and the High Meadows Environmental Institute, presented “Ocean Carbon: Facts, Fluxes and Fictions.” Resplandy is the third speaker in the fall 2025 HMEI Faculty Seminar Series.

The ocean carbon cycle spans multiple scales and disciplines, which makes integration difficult and often fosters misconceptions or fragmented narratives in science and public discourse. We synthesize current understanding of ocean carbon stocks and fluxes – from blue carbon, to whales and plastics – disentangling well-supported insights from misconceptions. We discuss the role of marine ecosystems and caution against narratives that reduce their value to carbon sequestration—a framing that may draw attention but is not always robust, and should not be necessary since marine biodiversity is worth preserving regardless of its impact on carbon.

Ocean Carbon: Facts, Fluxes and Fictions

Publish Date

November 4, 2025

Presenter(s)

Laure Resplandy

Link to Video

https://youtu.be/5WamgJrMSfI

Video Length

01:04:26

 

Laure Resplandy, associate professor of geosciences and the High Meadows Environmental Institute, presented “Ocean Carbon: Facts, Fluxes and Fictions.” Resplandy is the third speaker in the fall 2025 HMEI Faculty Seminar Series.

The ocean carbon cycle spans multiple scales and disciplines, which makes integration difficult and often fosters misconceptions or fragmented narratives in science and public discourse. We synthesize current understanding of ocean carbon stocks and fluxes – from blue carbon, to whales and plastics – disentangling well-supported insights from misconceptions. We discuss the role of marine ecosystems and caution against narratives that reduce their value to carbon sequestration—a framing that may draw attention but is not always robust, and should not be necessary since marine biodiversity is worth preserving regardless of its impact on carbon.