World Seagrass Day Shines a Light on a Hidden Climate Champion
Oru Leonard
Each year on 1 March, World Seagrass Day—recognized by the United Nations—draws global attention to one of the planet’s most powerful yet overlooked ecosystems. Stretching across shallow coastal waters on every continent except Antarctica, seagrass meadows quietly sustain marine life, protect shorelines and store vast amounts of carbon, making them indispensable allies in the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss.
Nature’s Underwater Climate Solution
Seagrasses may look modest, but their impact is extraordinary. These underwater flowering plants capture and store carbon in their roots and surrounding sediments at rates comparable to—or even exceeding—many terrestrial forests. By locking carbon beneath the seabed for centuries, they play a crucial role in climate mitigation.
Beyond carbon storage, seagrass meadows stabilize sediments, reduce coastal erosion, and buffer communities against storm surges. They also improve water quality by trapping pollutants and excess nutrients, helping maintain healthy coastal ecosystems.
Yet despite their importance, seagrasses are declining globally due to coastal development, pollution, dredging and rising sea temperatures. Scientists estimate that significant areas of seagrass have been lost in recent decades, highlighting the urgent need for protection and restoration.
Biodiversity Hotspots Beneath the Waves
Seagrass meadows are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth. They serve as nurseries for commercially important fish and shellfish species, directly supporting fisheries and coastal livelihoods. They are also vital feeding grounds for endangered marine animals such as dugongs and green sea turtles.
Without healthy seagrass habitats, marine biodiversity suffers—and so do the communities that depend on it for food security and economic resilience.
Spotlight on Restoration Success
To mark World Seagrass Day, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is highlighting successful initiatives that demonstrate what can be achieved when science, policy and community action come together.
One standout example is the Abu Dhabi Marine Restoration initiative in the Abu Dhabi. Recognized as a 2022 UN World Restoration Flagship, the project supports the expansion of seagrass meadows that provide critical habitat for endangered dugongs. By restoring and safeguarding these underwater meadows, the initiative strengthens biodiversity while reinforcing climate resilience in the region.
In East Africa, the Vanga Blue Forest project in southeast Kenya offers another inspiring model. Supported by UNEP, the project combines mangrove and seagrass conservation with community-led carbon financing. By empowering local communities to protect coastal ecosystems, it delivers both environmental and socio-economic benefits.
A Global Breakthrough for Seagrass
Momentum is also building globally. UNEP, alongside the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), has launched the Seagrass Breakthrough initiative—an ambitious effort to accelerate protection and restoration of seagrass ecosystems worldwide between 2024 and 2030. The initiative aims to galvanize governments, investors and civil society to close funding gaps and scale up conservation action.
Bridging the Investment Gap
Despite their immense value, seagrass ecosystems receive only a fraction of global climate and biodiversity financing. Experts emphasize that investing in seagrass protection yields multiple dividends: climate mitigation, food security, disaster risk reduction and biodiversity conservation.
As the world faces escalating climate impacts and biodiversity loss, seagrass meadows offer a nature-based solution already at work beneath the waves. On World Seagrass Day, the message is clear: protecting these hidden ecosystems is not optional—it is essential.
By elevating awareness, supporting restoration success stories and strengthening international collaboration, the global community has an opportunity to ensure that seagrasses continue to anchor healthy oceans—and a stable climate—for generations to come.
Credit: UNEP
