Latest news with #BlueCarbon
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
EU eyes 'leadership' role on oceans ahead of UN summit
The European Union will Thursday unveil a new roadmap on marine conservation -- addressing climate and pollution threats to biodiversity as well as challenges for coastal livelihoods -- ahead of a UN summit on preserving the world's seas. The 27-nation bloc wants to position itself as a leader in the field and will formally launch the "European Ocean Pact" at next week's conference in the French city of Nice. But a draft leaked last month was given short shrift by a coalition of environmental groups including Surfrider, WWF, ClientEarth and Oceana -- who saw it as largely rehashing old measures. "While the document outlines steps towards better enforcement of existing laws," they said in a joint statement, "concrete actions to address the most pressing threats to marine life and biodiversity are currently lacking." The draft pact acknowledges the need to boost funding to safeguard the oceans, but is light on hard commitments. Topping the list of measures environmentalists would like to see is an immediate ban on bottom trawling in protected areas -- the subject of a string of court cases -- as well as broader steps to align fishing practices with marine protection. On the European Commission front, officials have pushed back at the criticism -- indicating the leaked document was an interim draft and suggested stronger measures to come. - 'Blue economy' to 'blue carbon' - Forty percent of Europeans live within 50 kilometres (30 miles) of the coast -- though paradoxically the bloc is dependent on imports for 70 of the aquatic food it consumes, according to EU data cited in the draft. Nevertheless, the so-called "blue economy" linked to the sea supports more than five million jobs and contributes more than 250 billion euros ($285 billion) to the bloc's gross domestic product. As leaked, the draft pact: -- vows to update the bloc's 2008 directive on marine environmental policy and promises a new "Blue Carbon" action plan by 2026 to monitor and extend habitats capable of storing carbon dioxide. -- promises "dedicated attention" to small-scale fisheries and coastal communities that are economically and environmentally vulnerable when marine habitats are degraded. -- pledges to improve use of the European Satellite Oil Monitoring Service (CleanSeaNet), which serves to alert member states to the presence of pollutants. Between 2022 and 2023, the CleanSeaNet system identified more than 7,700 possible oil spills -- mostly in Spain, Greece and Italy -- but states acted on fewer than half of all alerts, according to the European Court of Auditors. When they did act, states confirmed pollution in only seven percent of cases -- often because too much time had elapsed by the time inspection teams arrived on site. - 'Clear signal' - After unveiling its roadmap in Brussels, the EU will formally present it at the June 9-13 UN Ocean Conference (UNOC), which is set to draw some 70 heads of state and government to southern France. The third of its kind, the UN summit seeks to build unity -- and raise 100 billion dollars in new funds -- for marine conservation, in spite of deep divergences over deep-sea mining, plastic trash and overfishing. One of its aims is to secure the 60 ratifications needed to enact a landmark treaty to protect marine habitats outside national jurisdiction -- with 28 countries on board so far, along with the EU. The oceans covering 70.8 percent of the globe have absorbed the vast majority of the warming caused by burning fossil fuels and shielded societies from the full impact of greenhouse gas emissions. But there are alarming symptoms of stress: heatwaves, loss of marine life, rising sea levels, falling oxygen levels and acidification caused by the uptake of excess carbon dioxide. The EU Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Costas Kadis said earlier this month the bloc wanted to send "a clear signal of Europe's leadership, commitment and vision" to its partners in Nice. "The ocean is warming. It is rising. It is acidifying. Pollution from plastics, chemicals, and noise is altering marine ecosystems," Kadis warned. "The pressures are growing and the need for action is immediate." adc/ec/rlp/cms
Borneo Post
04-05-2025
- Business
- Borneo Post
Blue Carbon mulled to lift villagers out of poverty
Dr Raymond Alfred with the local community during the groundwork in one of the villages in northern Sabah. KOTA KINABALU (May 4): The BIMP-EAGA Business Council (Sabah), under the leadership of chairman Dr Raymond Alfred, has called for a strategic and inclusive approach to eradicating poverty in the northern districts of Kota Marudu and Pitas. He urged immediate collaboration between large-scale oil palm and forest plantation companies and local communities to support a comprehensive Blue Carbon initiative that integrates environmental restoration with sustainable economic development. The proposed programme, centered on mangrove conservation, community-based protein harvesting and solar energy deployment, is a climate-smart model designed to simultaneously address environmental degradation and persistent poverty. Findings from a socio-economic study led by Dr Raymond revealed that most households in the area earn only RM500 to RM700 per month, relying mainly on subsistence agriculture and micro-enterprises. 'This is no longer a welfare issue, it's a structural economic crisis. The plantations surrounding these areas must see themselves not just as businesses, but as part of a broader community ecosystem,' Dr Raymond stated. He emphasized the need to involve these communities as beneficial stakeholders, enabling them to benefit from shared resources and sustainable income opportunities. Dr Raymond also challenged the effectiveness of the current cash handout schemes implemented by the government, arguing they fail to address the root causes of poverty. 'These periodic handouts offer no measurable long-term impact. Worse, they risk dividing already vulnerable communities due to a lack of transparent monitoring or equitable distribution. We need empowerment, not dependency,' he pointed out. Further, he criticized Parti Warisan's Wira chief, Terence Au, for making general policy suggestions without grounding them in local realities. 'As a Wira chief, he should understand the complexities on the ground. I urge him to engage more deeply before making broad, non-professional recommendations. I hope to initiate and implement this programme with Dato Verdon Bahanda, the Member of Parliament for Kudat soon,' he said. Dr Raymond stressed that issues such as land tenure insecurity, lack of basic infrastructure (including electricity, water and communications), and lack of sustainable employment must be addressed systematically. He proposed joint venture (JV) programmes with plantation companies and emphasized that solar energy is a critical enabler for improving food security and livelihood resilience — especially for communities without cold storage. As a major step forward, Dr Raymond formally invited the top 10 oil palm companies operating in North Borneo (Sabah) including IOI Corporation, Genting Plantations, Sawit Kinabalu, Wilmar International, FGV Holdings, and others to step forward and collaborate with the local communities. 'These companies have the resources, reach and responsibility to make a tangible impact. The BIMP-EAGA Business Council is prepared to initiate and coordinate a dedicated multi-stakeholder platform to make this happen, ensuring the initiative is community-driven, sustainable, and results-focused,' Dr Raymond said. He also called on government-linked institutions including the Sabah Forestry Department, Yayasan Sabah, SEDCO and Taman-Taman Sabah, to invest in youth training and entrepreneurship in Blue Carbon and sustainable resource management, positioning young people at the heart of Sabah's green economy transition. 'This isn't just about planting trees or installing solar panels. It is about restoring dignity, creating opportunity, and building a future where people and nature thrive together,' Dr Raymond concluded.
Associated Press
29-01-2025
- Science
- Associated Press
Groundbreaking Research Confirms Seaweed Farming's Potential as a Blue Carbon Solution
Oceans 2050, under the leadership of President Alexandra Cousteau and Chief Scientist Professor Carlos Duarte, has unveiled landmark findings published in Nature Climate Change that demonstrate the significant climate mitigation potential of seaweed farming. The study, titled 'Carbon burial in sediments below seaweed farms matches that of Blue Carbon habitats,' marks the first comprehensive, empirical assessment of carbon burial rates beneath seaweed farms globally. Conducted across 20 seaweed farms spanning five continents, the study confirms that seaweed farming can sequester carbon in the sediments below at rates comparable to vegetated coastal ecosystems like mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrasses. This research highlights the dual benefits of seaweed farming: meeting food security and economic development goals while advancing climate change mitigation efforts. Key findings include: Seaweed farms bury carbon at rates similar to mangroves and seagrasses, two ecosystems already known for their climate benefits. Older and larger seaweed farms store more carbon, showing that sustainable farming can have lasting impacts. If expanded worldwide, seaweed farming could remove up to 140 million tons of CO2 from the atmosphere every year by 2050. 'This research provides compelling evidence of the critical role that seaweed farming can play in addressing the climate crisis,' said Alexandra Cousteau, President of Oceans 2050. 'By quantifying its carbon sequestration potential, we hope to unlock new avenues for investment in sustainable aquaculture as a climate solution.' Professor Carlos Duarte, lead author and Chief Scientist of Oceans 2050, emphasized the study's broader implications: 'Seaweed farming offers a scalable, nature-based solution for carbon removal while delivering co-benefits such as biodiversity enhancement, economic opportunities, and food security. This research is a pivotal step towards integrating seaweed aquaculture into global climate strategies.' The findings also underscore the need for robust frameworks to develop carbon credits for seaweed farming, ensuring that this promising Blue Carbon strategy can be integrated into carbon markets. By prioritizing marine spatial planning and sustainability, seaweed farming has the potential to become a cornerstone of the regenerative Blue Economy. This research is part of Oceans 2050's Global Seaweed Project, launched in September 2020, and marks a pivotal milestone in the advancement of the seaweed industry, providing a robust scientific foundation for the creation of a verified carbon credit methodology. By quantifying the carbon sequestration potential of seaweed farms, the Global Seaweed Project demonstrates the feasibility of creating a new blue carbon market that can support both climate mitigation and the development of a sustainable Blue Economy. Additionally, the project highlights the significant social impact of seaweed farming, with over 99% of participating farmers, most of whom are women, coming from coastal communities in developing countries. This underscores seaweed farming's potential to promote gender equity, improve food security, and strengthen local resilience to climate change. In 2021, the Global Seaweed Project was awarded the prestigious Keeling Curve Award that recognizes outstanding initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The project has been generously funded by World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the Bezos Earth Fund via WWF, the Grantham Foundation, and Climateworks Foundation, enabling groundbreaking research and impactful initiatives. Reference of the Study and Link Duarte, C.M., A. Delgado-Huertas, E. Marti, B. Gasser, I. San Martin, A. Cousteau, F. Neumeyer, M. Reilly-Cayten, J. Boyce, T. Kuwae, M. Hori, T. Miyajima, N. N. Price, S. Arnold, A. M. Ricart, S. Davis, N. Surugau, A. Al-Jeria, J. Wu, X. Xiao, I. K. Chung, C.G Choi, C. F.A. Sondak, H. Albasri, D. Krause-Jensen, A. Bruhn, T. Boderskov, K. Hancke. J. Funderud, A. R. Borrero-Santiago, F. Pascal, P. Joanne, L. Ranivoarivelo, W. T. Collins, J. Clark, J.F. Gutierrez, R. Riquelme, M. Avila, P. I. Macreadie, and P. Masque. 2024. Carbon Burial in Sediments below Seaweed Farms matches that of blue carbon habitats. Nature Climate Change. About Oceans 2050 Oceans 2050 is dedicated to enabling a future where our oceans thrive. We believe in the power of collaboration to achieve this goal. Oceans 2050 focuses on strategies that bridge the gap between people and the planet by empowering ocean changemakers, scaling innovative technologies, enabling transformational initiatives, and developing public tools to accelerate the restoration of abundant oceans by creating a connected experience right at our fingertips. Visit for more information. About the Global Seaweed Project Launched in September 2020, The Global Seaweed Carbon Project aims to harness the power of seaweed farming to mitigate climate change and restore ocean health. By quantifying the carbon sequestration of macroalgae (seaweed) beneath seaweed farms, we are creating a pathway to a new blue carbon market that can drive sustainable growth. This project enhances understanding of seaweed farming's role in capturing carbon, attracts investment, and generates additional revenue streams for farmers while restoring marine ecosystems. Our ultimate goal is to create the conditions needed to scale up seaweed farming, potentially removing gigatons of atmospheric CO₂ and regenerating our oceans. Visit for more information. About Global Water Challenge Global Water Challenge (GWC) is the fiscal sponsor for Oceans 2050 in the USA. GWC is a sector leader in mobilizing clean water access, advancing water security and community empowerment in high need regions around the world. Since 2005, GWC has positively impacted more than 3 million people across Africa, the Americas and Asia with improved WASH delivery while providing critical tools, data and best practices to reach millions more. With our 100+ multi-sector partners, we engage for action – catalyzing financial resources and driving innovative programming for sustainable, local solutions. Visit for more information. SOURCE: Oceans 2050 Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 01/29/2025 03:29 PM/DISC: 01/29/2025 03:29 PM
