“Secret Weapon” in the Fight Against Climate Change

They have been called a ‘secret weapon’ in the fight against climate change – eelgrass beds and kelp forests in the sea. They can be likened to trees in the sea that bind carbon dioxide 35 times faster than the Amazon rainforest. But they are under threat from human presence, environmental pollution and emissions. 

^{Text: Lena Scherman}

Only 0.2 per cent of the sea floor is covered with seagrass, yet they store an estimated 10 per cent of all carbon in the world’s oceans. It is this ability to store carbon that has led the UN to call them ‘the secret weapon in the fight against global warming’.

But it is a weapon under constant threat. Right now, areas of seagrass equivalent to the size of a football pitch are disappearing every second. Scientists are not entirely sure why this is happening, even though the various stress factors are known. These include the effects of climate change, with warmer seas, ocean acidification and increasingly intense storm surges. 

All human presence is a burden on the sea. In addition, all human activity, including overfishing, constant exploitation of the coasts, emissions and pollution, places a strain on the sea. 

However, there is some hope for seagrass and seaweed in the various planting experiments that are taking place all over the world. Such as in Virginia, USA, one of the world’s largest, or that in a bay at Gåsö in southern Bohuslän, Sweden. 

Once the seaweed returns, it seems that the return of animals and other plants happens very quickly. But at the same time, climate change is continuing, so far with undiminished force. The sea is becoming warmer, more acidic and browner, unfortunately at a faster rate than we can ‘fix’ the damage caused along the way.

^{About Deep Sea Reporter: Our ambition is to examine and report on issues related to the sea and the life that exists beneath its surface. We operate in the public interest and are independent of political, commercial, and other interests in society.}