# Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act of 2022: What It Actually Does

This bill is a comprehensive package of ocean and coastal policies designed to fight climate change, protect marine life, and help communities adapt to rising seas and changing ocean conditions. Think of it as a toolkit with multiple approaches to addressing ocean-related climate challenges, from protecting coastal wetlands to promoting offshore wind energy to helping fishing communities adjust to changing fish populations.

The bill's first major focus is on "blue carbon"—the idea that coastal ecosystems like mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrass beds naturally absorb and store carbon from the atmosphere. The bill creates a federal program to map these ecosystems, fund their restoration, and study how much carbon they actually capture. This matters because protecting and restoring these natural areas could help fight climate change while also providing other benefits like protecting coastlines from storms and creating habitat for fish. The bill also shifts energy policy by prohibiting new oil and gas leasing in certain ocean areas while promoting offshore wind energy development instead, setting targets for how much wind power should come from federal ocean waters.

For people who depend on the ocean for their livelihoods, the bill includes several provisions aimed at helping fishing communities adapt. It funds research on how climate change is shifting fish populations, supports programs to make fishing vessels more fuel-efficient, and promotes sustainable aquaculture. It also includes a "Buy American Seafood" initiative to support domestic fishing industries. Additionally, the bill strengthens protections for marine mammals by funding programs to reduce ship strikes on whales, monitoring ocean noise pollution, and restricting vessel speeds in sensitive areas.

The bill also addresses coastal resilience and community protection. It funds programs to build "living shorelines" (natural barriers like oyster reefs instead of concrete walls), supports research on coastal adaptation, and creates a program to help communities that need to relocate due to climate impacts like sea-level rise. For U.S. territories and islands particularly vulnerable to climate change, the bill establishes special programs for climate research, coastal management assistance, and disaster relief. Throughout, the bill emphasizes working with tribal nations and indigenous communities on ocean and coastal issues, recognizing their knowledge and stake in these resources.

Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act of 2022

Grijalva, Raúl M.

Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act of 2021 This bill establishes a variety of requirements to reduce carbon emissions and protect oceans, coastal habitats, marine mammals, and fish populations from climate change and other threats.