Underwater meadows planted to fight climate change

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Seagrass meadows are the unsung heroes of the ocean. Despite covering less than 0.2% of the seafloor, these unassuming underwater meadows can sequester up to 18% of the ocean's carbon. That's a lot of carbon! In fact, according to a study published in Nature Geoscience, seagrass meadows can sequester carbon 35-100 times faster than tropical rainforests per unit area. Who knew that the ocean had such a powerful tool in the fight against climate change?

Unfortunately, seagrass meadows are facing some serious threats. Human activities such as coastal development, pollution, and climate change are causing these meadows to decline at a rate of 1.5% per year globally. There are some exciting restoration projects happening all over the world that aim to protect and expand these valuable ecosystems.

In the UK, a project is underway to restore a massive 20,000 hectares of seagrass meadows by 2042. That's equivalent to the size of 28,000 football fields! Meanwhile, in Spain, a project aims to restore 3,000 hectares of seagrass meadows by 2025. These restoration efforts not only help to mitigate the effects of climate change, but they also provide habitat for a diverse range of marine life, support fisheries, and improve water quality.

It's not just the UK and Spain that are getting in on the action. Projects to restore seagrass meadows are also happening in countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Australia, and the United States. The potential benefits of seagrass meadows are immense, and it's up to all of us to protect and restore these vital ecosystems. So, let's give a round of applause to the humble.