Surf breaks worldwide are beloved for their natural beauty and the thrill of riding that next big swell. Now, groundbreaking new research finds that they are also a powerful ally in the fight against climate change. That’s because thousands of surf breaks worldwide are surrounded by ecosystems that store massive amounts of potentially planet-warming carbon, according to a new study by scientists from Conservation International, Oregon State University, Save The Waves Coalition and others. Researchers mapped more than 4,800 popular surf spots across 113 countries and found that they store about 88 million tons of carbon — that’s roughly equivalent to the emissions from 77 million gas-powered cars. It’s the first time the carbon stored in the mangroves and forests surrounding popular surf spots has been measured — bolstering the argument for their protection.…