[coccoliths] 🎉 Happy Coccolithophore Day 🎉

[INA Social Media Officer]

*Dear INA members*

We are pleased to share that the INA was invited by several research
institutions to join and co-lead the International Coccolithophore Day
campaign.

This initiative celebrates the essential role of coccolithophores in
regulating Earth’s carbon balance and sustaining ocean ecosystems,
officially establishing *October 10th as International Coccolithophore Day.
*

The press release and a campaign figure are attached and can now be freely
shared through your networks and institutional channels.

Thank you for helping us highlight these extraordinary microorganisms and
INA’s contribution to this global effort.

Best regards,

*INA Outreach and Social Media Offices*


*🌎✨🔬🙌*

*Tiny Architects, Titanic Climate Impact: Scientists Call for October 10 to
Become International Coccolithophore Day*

*PRESS RELEASE*

*  Bergen / Edinburgh / Lisbon / Zagreb*
*10th October 2025*



Today, scientists from the *five European research organisations* launched
a campaign to establish October 10 as *International Coccolithophore Day*,
recognising the *vital role* of these microscopic ocean plankton in *regulating
Earth’s climate*. *Coccolithophores* absorb carbon dioxide, *produce
oxygen,* and help store carbon in ocean sediments, making them key players
in the global carbon cycle *threatened by climate change*. This new
awareness day aims to spotlight their *crucial impact *and inspire *greater
public and policy engagement*.



*Microscopic plankton that regulate Earth’s climate and sustain ocean
ecosystems take centre stage in a new awareness campaign. They are
coccolithophores! These microscopic workers keep our oceans thriving and
our climate stable. They've earned their day.*

These tiny “architects” of the ocean produce over 1.5 billion tonnes of
calcium carbonate annually, making them *key players* in the *global carbon
cycle*. Their ability to sequester carbon dioxide and contribute to the
biological and alkalinity pumps makes them crucial in mitigating climate
change and maintaining the ocean’s carbon balance.



However, coccolithophores are *sensitive *to the *impacts of climate change*,
including *ocean warming*, *acidification*, and shifts in *nutrient
availability*.



The campaign is backed by leading research institutes, including The *Lyell
Centre* at Heriot-Watt University (Edinburgh, UK), *NORCE Norwegian
Research Centre *(Bergen, Norway), *Marine and Environmental Sciences
Centre* (MARE), University of Lisbon (Portugal), the *International
Nannoplankton Association* (INA), and the *Ruđer Bošković Institute* (Zagreb,
Croatia)



*International Coccolithophore Day *aims to raise public and policy
awareness of these often-overlooked but mighty organisms, which govern
planetary carbon flows and ocean health. It invites media and journalists
to explore this fascinating intersection of microscopic life and global
climate, emphasising the profound impact of small ocean life on Earth's
future climate stability.



This campaign presents an opportunity to bring this tiny yet powerful ocean
factor into the spotlight as a natural ally in the fight against climate
change.



*The press release highlights:*

   - European scientists have launched a campaign to make October 10
   International Coccolithophore Day, spotlighting tiny plankton that drive
   Earth’s climate system.
   - Coccolithophores produce over 1.5 billion tonnes of calcium carbonate
   yearly, capturing carbon dioxide, producing oxygen, and locking carbon deep
   in the ocean.
   - Climate change threatens these microscopic “ocean architects,” risking
   marine ecosystems and global carbon storage.
   - Cutting-edge research from institutions including the Ruđer Bošković
   Institute (Croatia), The Lyell Centre (UK), NORCE Research Centre (Norway),
   University of Lisbon (Portugal), and the International Nannoplankton
   Association showcases how coccolithophores influence marine food webs,
   ocean chemistry, and climate archives.
   - The day is a call to action for enhancing ocean literacy, supporting
   marine ecosystem research, and integrating coccolithophore contributions
   into global climate strategies.



*What did scientists say?*

   - "Their intricate plates draw down atmospheric carbon dioxide and lock
   it away in deep ocean sediments for millennia. Their dual role as carbon
   pumps and climate archives makes them irreplaceable in understanding and
   tackling climate change." — Prof. *Alex Poulton*, The Lyell Centre
   - “In understanding coccolithophores, we’re really uncovering the living
   engine of the ocean’s carbon balance.”— Dr *Jelena Godrijan,* Ruđer
   Bošković Institute
   - "Coccolithophore interactions with viruses and grazers shape ocean
   food webs and carbon storage." — Dr *Kyle Mayers*, NORCE Research Centre
   - "We’re connecting tiny chalky organisms to planetary carbon flows." —
   Dr *Catarina V. Guerreiro*, University of Lisbon
   - ‘‘By refining global biostratigraphic frameworks and calibrating
   species’ evolutionary timelines, INA researchers transform fossils of
   coccolithophores into precise tools for reconstructing ancient oceans,
   linking modern plankton ecology with the geological record of climate
   change." — *International Nannoplankton Association*
   - "International Coccolithophore Day highlights that even the smallest
   organisms can have the biggest impact, and that microscopic life plays a
   crucial role in shaping our planet’s future." — Dr *Sarah Cryer*, The
   Lyell Centre



*For more information, photos, and detailed research insights, please
download the full press release and accompanying materials **HERE.
<https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1HPhX4VTGSKLtGPxyHx9DQNtVb4Xq0plW?usp=sharing>*



We are at your disposal for interviews, additional resources, and expert
contacts to help bring this fascinating story to your audience.

Best regards,

The International Coccolithophore Day Team
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