New research confirms that seaweed farms are as effective as natural coastal ecosystems in storing carbon, highlighting the potential of marine carbon removal methods. This study, supported by the IAEA and published in Nature Climate Change, demonstrates that seaweed farms can store organic carbon in sediments at rates similar to natural Blue Carbon habitats. Blue Carbon refers to the carbon captured and stored in marine ecosystems.
IAEA scientists utilized nuclear techniques to evaluate carbon burial rates in seaweed farms globally. Analyzing data from seaweed farms across five continents revealed that seaweed can bury carbon in sediments at rates comparable to natural Blue Carbon habitats. This opens new avenues for mitigating climate change.
Carlos Duarte, the study's lead author and Chief Scientist of Oceans 2050, emphasized that seaweed farming offers a scalable solution for carbon removal, alongside benefits like biodiversity enhancement, economic opportunities, and food security. The Global Seaweed Project, launched in September 2020, continues to advance the seaweed industry by establishing a verified carbon credit methodology. This project aims to quantify carbon sequestration by macroalgae, fostering a new blue carbon market.