Oceans 2050 study shows significant climate mitigation potential of seaweed farming

In Washington, Oceans 2050 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.