The Prospect of Sea Protection (Coral Reefs) as Carbon Sink and Carbon Source Due to Climate Change

The sea as the outermost of the state is in uncertainty due to global warming as a result of increasing carbon emissions into the atmosphere, resulting in melting of polar ice or polar ice melts and changing patterns of seasons and sea level rise as a result of rising temperatures and temperatures Seawater that can significantly result in coral bleaching and ocean acidification. This condition will be very dangerous for the territory of Indonesia which 2/3 of its territory is sea. But with the development of science there is a new concept that the sea is no longer as a carbon sink, but already in a position as a net carbon source. While the condition of Indonesian coral reefs in the area of coral triangle is one of the richest in biodiversity in the world. Coral reef ecosystem also functions as a net carbon source. Therefore, the Government of Indonesia should immediately provide legal protection related to the marine environment. The analysis in this paper uses the type of normative legal research, which is done by analyzing related laws and regulations, with the approach of problem statute approach and conceptual approach. Prospects for the protection of the marine environment, especially coral reefs are needed as an effort to protect the sea as carbon sink and carbon source. Keywords—climate change; sea; coral reefs