The importance of seagrass meadows and the need to protect them is the focus of a new United Nations alert. These ecosystems, which continue to decline, are effective natural solutions to combat climate change and contribute to the livelihood of communities affected by stressors, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Seagrass meadows are among the most common coastal habitats on the planet, covering more than 300 square kilometers in some 159 countries.
"Biologically rich and highly productive, these ecosystems provide habitat for many species, including fish populations in the world's 20% largest fisheries, protect the coast from erosion, filter water from pathogens and pollutants, and other benefits to coastal communities." , explains CCMAR, from the University of Algarve.
The new report Out of the Blue: The Value of Seagrasses to the Environment and to People was launched today, on World Oceans Day, by the United Nations Environment Program in collaboration with the GRID-Arendal center and the World Conservation Monitoring Center of the United Nations.
This report shows that, despite covering only 0,1% of the ocean floor, seagrass beds are important carbon sinks, storing up to 18% of the carbon in the world's oceans.
Since the late 30th century, nearly XNUMX% of the world's known seagrass area has disappeared. The main threats are urban, industrial and agricultural runoff, coastal development, dredging, unregulated fishing, nautical activities and climate change.
“Maintaining the health of seagrass ecosystems – which provide food and livelihoods for hundreds of millions of people, support rich biodiversity and constitute one of the most efficient carbon stores on the planet – is important to healthy marine and human life in around the world,” says Susan Gardner, director of the ecosystems division.
“Seaweeds represent powerful nature-based solutions for combating climate change and sustainable development,” he adds.
Carmen Santos, CCMAR researcher at the University of Algarve, coordinated one of the chapters of this report.
According to the researcher, "Portugal has lost extensive areas of seagrass beds over the last few decades, and with that we have also lost its benefits, such as support for fishing and carbon sequestration."
The research group, which is part of CCMAR, focuses its studies on the environmental benefits that seagrass beds provide, especially with regard to how they contribute to the mitigation of climate change through carbon sequestration.
The researcher hopes that this United Nations Global Report “contributes to placing seagrasses at the center of the conservation agenda in Portugal, protecting and restoring these important ecosystems and bringing back their benefits”.
The conservation and restoration of seagrass beds can contribute to achieving up to ten of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the goals of the Paris Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity.
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