The ocean is not only a cradle of life, but also Earth's largest natural carbon sink. Seawater, deep-ocean circulation, and coastal ecosystems such as seagrass beds, macroalgal habitats, and mangroves can absorb and store carbon dioxide over extended periods, forming an important component of "blue carbon," and providing a nature-based solution for mitigating global climate change and advancing net-zero goals. National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU) has been actively involved in blue carbon research in recent years and extending its reach collaboration with Palau, one of Taiwan's Pacific diplomatic allies. NSYSU has completed Taiwan's first collaborative marine carbon sink survey conducted within Palau's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and is also planning to establish a coastal blue carbon demonstration and monitoring site, gradually building a collaborative network for Pacific blue carbon research. Palau's Vice President and Minister of Health and Human Services, Raynold B. Oilouch, recently led a delegation to Taiwan and visited NSYSU to exchange views on marine scientific research and further strengthen scientific cooperation between Taiwan and Palau.

The delegation, led by Vice President Oilouch, included Jennifer K. Ngiraiwet, Governor of Ngardmau State, and other officials. They met with NSYSU President Chih-Peng Li and researchers from the College of Marine Sciences and attended the Taiwan–Palau Blue Carbon Conference, where participants exchanged views on marine carbon sinks, blue carbon ecosystem conservation, talent development, and future directions for collaboration.

NSYSU President Chih-Peng Li said that in recent years, NSYSU has collaborated with domestic research institutions aboard the R/V Legend to conduct joint Taiwan–Palau blue carbon research cruises in Palau's EEZ. These studies measure the ocean's capacity to absorb carbon dioxide and examine how carbon is transported by ocean circulation into the deep ocean, where it can be stored over long timescales. The findings provide important baseline data on marine carbon sinks in Palau and contribute to a better understanding of marine carbon cycling in the western North Pacific, while advancing scientific knowledge of the ocean's role in regulating the global climate.

The research team, led by Professor Chin-Chang Hung of the Department of Oceanography at NSYSU, is also extending its work from the open and deep ocean to coastal environments to establish a coastal blue carbon demonstration and a monitoring site in Ngardmau State, Palau. The project will systematically survey seagrass beds, mangroves, and other nearshore ecosystems to establish baseline data on Palau's blue carbon resources. Long-term monitoring will provide an important basis for assessing marine carbon sink capacity, evaluating conservation outcomes, supporting natural carbon sink management and blue carbon policies, and providing future blue carbon credit mechanisms and net-zero strategies.

Professor Hung said that coastal blue carbon ecosystems such as seagrass beds and mangroves can store substantial amounts of carbon while providing multiple benefits, including supporting marine biodiversity, conserving fisheries resources, and protecting coastlines from erosion. Macroalgae and seaweeds may also make important contributions to marine carbon sequestration through the production and export of organic carbon, a portion of which can be transported to sediments or the deep ocean and stored over longer timescales.

The Palau delegation also visited Dapeng Bay in Pingtung to participate in the "Taiwan–Japan–Palau Blue Carbon International Cooperation Exchange" and the "Dapeng Bay Blue Carbon MOU Launch Press Conference," jointly organized by the Chinese Carbon Sink Promotion Association, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, and the Ocean Affairs Council. The events brought together representatives from government agencies, academic and research institutions, industry, and blue carbon certification organizations to promote international collaboration and facilitate the application of scientific research to marine conservation and sustainable ocean governance.

NSYSU stated that Taiwan–Palau cooperation has gradually expanded from carbon sink observations in open waters to studies of coastal blue carbon ecosystems. In the future, the University will integrate deep-ocean carbon sequestration and coastal blue carbon as two major research areas, establishing a more comprehensive research framework for understanding carbon cycling and sequestration from coastal ecosystems to the deep ocean. NSYSU will continue to use marine research as a bridge to deepen cooperation with Palau and other Pacific diplomatic allies, while translating research findings into scientific support for marine conservation, natural carbon sink management, and net-zero policies. Through these efforts, the University aims to further enhance Taiwan's international presence in marine science and sustainable development and contribute Taiwan's scientific expertise to global efforts to address climate change.