Did you know seaweed has the potential to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges?
About 50 per cent of the photosynthesis on Earth occurs in seaweeds and microscopic algae floating in the oceans contributes to the uptake of carbon dioxide and the release of oxygen.
Vincent Doumeizel, a Senior Adviser on oceans to the United Nations Global Compact, is passionate of the “seaweed revolution” – a global movement to sustainably scale up seaweed production.
Doumeizel and his colleagues at the Lloyd’s Register Foundation outlined the business case for seaweed in a “Seaweed Manifesto” report, released in 2020.
The UN Global Compact Seaweed Manifesto explores how seaweed will play a globally significant role in food security and climate change mitigation, describing opportunities for the industry’s growth, as well as potential challenges to expanding production.
It unveils the connection between seaweed production and a range of the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals, from ending hunger and reducing inequalities, to taking action on climate change.
“Seaweed is not only a source of food. … It’s a source to replace plastic. It’s a way to replace cotton or fibers and sustainable fibers. It’s an untapped innovation for medicines. There’s so much we can do,” states Doumeizel.
“It is repairing the ocean, restoring biodiversity. It is sequestering more carbon than anything on land.”
More about the UN Global Compact Seaweed Manifesto
The UN Global Compact Seaweed Manifesto was initiated by Lloyd’s Register Foundation, a global charity that supports research, innovation and education with a mission to make the world a safe place.
The work has been actively supported by the Sustainable Ocean Business Action Platform of the United Nations Global Compact.
To view the full Seaweed Revolution – A Manifesto for a Sustainable Future, visit here.