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International audience ; Of all the interconnected threats facing the planet the top two are the climate and biodiversity crises. Neither will be be solved if we ignore the ocean. To turn the tide in favour of humanity and a habitable planet we need to recognise and better value the fundamental role that the ocean plays in the earth system, and prioritize urgent action needed to heal and protect it at the 'Earthscape' level-the planetary scale at which processes to support life operate. The countries gathering at COP26 have unparalleled political capacity and leadership to make this happen. COP26 could be the turning point, where we not only see commitments to united action for the ocean but also plans to meet those commitments based on science-led solutions that address the interconnectivity between the ocean, climate, and biodiversity. Here we first summarise some of the key ways in which the ocean contributes to and has acted as the major buffer of climate change focussing on temperature although not forgetting its role in storing CO2. Noting in particular with 'high confidence' that the ocean has stored 91% of the excess heat from global warming with land, melting ice and the atmosphere only taking up approximately 5%, 3% and 1% respectively (IPCC, 2021). We also highlight the impact of the recent large release of heat from the ocean to the atmosphere during the 2015/16 El Niño. We then present six science-based policy actions that form a recovery-stimulus package for people, climate, nature, and the planet. Our proposals highlight what is needed to view, value, and treat the planet, including the ocean, for the benefit and future of all life.

International audience ; Of all the interconnected threats facing the planet the top two are the climate and biodiversity crises. Neither will be be solved if we ignore the ocean. To turn the tide in favour of humanity and a habitable planet we need to recognise and better value the fundamental role that the ocean plays in the earth system, and prioritize urgent action needed to heal and protect it at the 'Earthscape' level-the planetary scale at which processes to support life operate. The countries gathering at COP26 have unparalleled political capacity and leadership to make this happen. COP26 could be the turning point, where we not only see commitments to united action for the ocean but also plans to meet those commitments based on science-led solutions that address the interconnectivity between the ocean, climate, and biodiversity. Here we first summarise some of the key ways in which the ocean contributes to and has acted as the major buffer of climate change focussing on temperature although not forgetting its role in storing CO2. Noting in particular with 'high confidence' that the ocean has stored 91% of the excess heat from global warming with land, melting ice and the atmosphere only taking up approximately 5%, 3% and 1% respectively (IPCC, 2021). We also highlight the impact of the recent large release of heat from the ocean to the atmosphere during the 2015/16 El Niño. We then present six science-based policy actions that form a recovery-stimulus package for people, climate, nature, and the planet. Our proposals highlight what is needed to view, value, and treat the planet, including the ocean, for the benefit and future of all life.

International audience ; Of all the interconnected threats facing the planet the top two are the climate and biodiversity crises. Neither will be be solved if we ignore the ocean. To turn the tide in favour of humanity and a habitable planet we need to recognise and better value the fundamental role that the ocean plays in the earth system, and prioritize urgent action needed to heal and protect it at the 'Earthscape' level-the planetary scale at which processes to support life operate. The countries gathering at COP26 have unparalleled political capacity and leadership to make this happen. COP26 could be the turning point, where we not only see commitments to united action for the ocean but also plans to meet those commitments based on science-led solutions that address the interconnectivity between the ocean, climate, and biodiversity. Here we first summarise some of the key ways in which the ocean contributes to and has acted as the major buffer of climate change focussing on temperature although not forgetting its role in storing CO2. Noting in particular with 'high confidence' that the ocean has stored 91% of the excess heat from global warming with land, melting ice and the atmosphere only taking up approximately 5%, 3% and 1% respectively (IPCC, 2021). We also highlight the impact of the recent large release of heat from the ocean to the atmosphere during the 2015/16 El Niño. We then present six science-based policy actions that form a recovery-stimulus package for people, climate, nature, and the planet. Our proposals highlight what is needed to view, value, and treat the planet, including the ocean, for the benefit and future of all life.

The term Blue Carbon (BC) was first coined a decade ago to describe the disproportionately large contribution of coastal vegetated ecosystems to global carbon sequestration. The role of BC in climate change mitigation and adaptation has now reached international prominence. To help prioritise future research, we assembled leading experts in the field to agree upon the top-ten pending questions in BC science. Understanding how climate change affects carbon accumulation in mature BC ecosystems and during their restoration was a high priority. Controversial questions included the role of carbonate and macroalgae in BC cycling, and the degree to which greenhouse gases are released following disturbance of BC ecosystems. Scientists seek improved precision of the extent of BC ecosystems; techniques to determine BC provenance; understanding of the factors that influence sequestration in BC ecosystems, with the corresponding value of BC; and the management actions that are effective in enhancing this value. Overall this overview provides a comprehensive road map for the coming decades on future research in BC science. ; P.I.M. and C.E.L. were supported by an Australian Research Council Linkage Project (LP160100242). C.M.D. was supported by baseline funding from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. T.K. and K.W. were supported by JSPS KAKENHI (18H04156) and the Environment Research and Technology Development Fund (S-14) of the Ministry of the Environment, Japan. B.D.E. was supported by Australian Research Council grants DP160100248 and LP150100519. D.A.S. was supported by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NE/K008439/1), and D.K.J. was supported by the CARMA project (8021-00222B), funded by the Independent Research Fund Denmark. Funding was provided to P.M. by the Generalitat de Catalunya (MERS, 2017SGR 1588) and an Australian Research Council LIEF Project (LE170100219). This work is contributing to the ICTA 'Unit of Excellence' (MinECo, MDM2015-0552). O.S. was supported by an ARC DECRA (DE170101524). N.M. was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (MedShift project). N.B. was supported by the UK Research Councils under Natural Environment Research Council award NE/N013573/1. J.W.F. was supported by the US National Science Foundation through the Florida Coastal Everglades Long-Term Ecological Research program under Grant No. DEB-1237517. R.S. had the support of FCT, project FCT UID/MAR/00350/2018. I.E.H. was supported by Ramon y Cajal Fellowship RYC2014-14970, co-funded by the Conselleria d'Innovació, Recerca i Turisme of the Balearic Government and the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness. The University of Dundee is a registered Scottish charity, no. 015096. J.P.M. was supported by the Smithsonian Institution and the National Science Foundation Long-Term Research in Environmental Biology Program (DEB-0950080, DEB-1457100, DEB-1557009).

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper. ; P.I.M. and C.E.L. were supported by an Australian Research Council Linkage Project (LP160100242). C.M.D. was supported by baseline funding from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. T.K. and K.W. were supported by JSPS KAKENHI (18H04156) and the Environment Research and Technology Development Fund (S-14) of the Ministry of the Environment, Japan. B.D.E. was supported by Australian Research Council grants DP160100248 and LP150100519. D.A.S. was supported by the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NE/K008439/1), and D.K.J. was supported by the CARMA project (8021-00222B), funded by the Independent Research Fund Denmark. Funding was provided to P.M. by the Generalitat de Catalunya (MERS, 2017SGR 1588) and an Australian Research Council LIEF Project (LE170100219). This work is contributing to the ICTA 'Unit of Excellence' (MinECo, MDM2015-0552). O.S. was supported by an ARC DECRA (DE170101524). N.M. was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (MedShift project). N.B. was supported by the UK Research Councils under Natural Environment Research Council award NE/N013573/1. J.W.F. was supported by the US National Science Foundation through the Florida Coastal Everglades Long-Term Ecological Research program under Grant No. DEB-1237517. R.S. had the support of FCT, project FCT UID/MAR/00350/2018. I.E.H. was supported by Ramon y Cajal Fellowship RYC2014-14970, co-funded by the Conselleria d'Innovació, Recerca i Turisme of the Balearic Government and the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness. The University of Dundee is a registered Scottish charity, no. 015096. J.P.M. was supported by the Smithsonian Institution and the National Science Foundation Long-Term Research in Environmental Biology Program (DEB-0950080, DEB-1457100, DEB-1557009).

A hundred research priorities of critical importance to protected area management were identified by a targeted survey of conservation professionals; half researchers and half practitioners. Respondents were selected to represent a range of disciplines, every continent except Antarctica and roughly equal numbers of men and women. The results analysed thematically and grouped as potential research topics as by both practitioners and researchers. Priority research gaps reveal a high interest to demonstrate the role of protected areas within a broader discussion about sustainable futures and if and how protected areas can address a range of conservation and socio-economic challenges effectively. The paper lists the hundred priorities structured under broad headings of management, ecology, governance and social (including political and economic issues) and helps contribute to setting future research agendas.