World Seagrass Day is celebrated every year on March 1 to raise awareness and promote conservation actions for seagrasses, which are vital to marine ecosystems and climate resilience.
Global Recognition & Background:
- Proclaimed on March 1 by the UN General Assembly (Resolution A/RES/76/265 in May 2022) to enhance ecosystem services and help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
What are Seagrasses?
- Marine flowering plants found in shallow waters worldwide, from the tropics to the Arctic.
- They form extensive underwater meadows that create biologically rich habitats for thousands of species, including fish, seahorses, and turtles.
- Despite covering only 0.1% of the ocean floor, seagrass meadows are critical for sustaining some of the world’s largest fisheries.
Environmental Benefits:
- Water Quality: Seagrasses filter, cycle, and store nutrients and pollutants, reducing contamination in seafood.
- Carbon Sequestration: They are highly efficient carbon sinks, storing up to 18% of the world’s oceanic carbon and helping mitigate climate change.
- Ecosystem Protection: By buffering ocean acidification, seagrasses protect vulnerable ecosystems like coral reefs and serve as a first line of defense along coasts, reducing wave energy and protecting against floods and storms.
Link to Sustainable Development:
- Conservation and restoration of seagrass meadows can help countries meet 26 targets associated with 10 Sustainable Development Goals.
- Inclusion of seagrass ecosystems in nationally determined contributions (NDCs) can aid in achieving targets under the Paris Agreement and UNFCCC.
- Their conservation is critical for the post-2020 global biodiversity framework under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and contributes to commitments under the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
Seagrass and Dugong Conservation Efforts:
- The First Asian Regional Dialogue on Seagrass and Dugong Conservation will be held from February 20 to 21, 2025.
- This dialogue will bring together experts, policymakers, and conservation practitioners to discuss innovative strategies, identify gaps, and develop actionable plans for the protection and restoration of seagrass ecosystems and the conservation of dugong populations.