World Seagrass Day 2025; March 1st.

FORUM: “Act to protect the first defense along the coasts.” World Seagrass Day 2025. Seagrass ecosystems are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic activities, climate change, and natural disasters, putting the marine life that depends on them at risk. In recent years, however, the global movement to conserve these vital ecosystems has gained significant momentum. Seagrasses have been declining globally since the 1930s, with the most recent census estimating that 7% of this key marine habitat is being lost worldwide per year. It was recently noted that 21% of seagrass species are categorized as Near Threatened, Vulnerable and Endangered Species under the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. The combined pressures of coastal development, pollution, including land-based run-off, climate change, dredging and unregulated fishing and boating activities are key drivers of the degradation of seagrasses and their associated ecosystems. Seagrass improve water quality by filtering, cycling and storing nutrients and pollutants, reducing contamination in seafood. The benefits from conserving and restoring seagrass meadows can also help countries achieve 26 targets and indicators associated with ten Sustainable Development Goals. Given the carbon storage and sequestration capacity of seagrass ecosystems, including them in nationally determined contributions (NDCs) can help nations achieve their targets under the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Inclusion of seagrass ecosystems in the post-2020 global biodiversity framework and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is also critical for protecting the integrity of marine ecosystems and biodiversity. The Restoration of seagrasses also provides countries with opportunities to achieve commitments to be made to the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #BlueTransformation, #savingseagrass, #Seagrass, #worldSeagrassesDay, #1march.

EVENTS: On March 1st, to mark the World Seagrass Day 2025, a virtual event will be held to find the ways to save seagrass meadows by UN Environment programme. Register to participate!

EXHIBITS: The IORA Indian Ocean Blue Carbon Hub is holding a photography competition to highlight the seagrasses extraordinary ecosystems.

PUBLICATIONS:

• The Seagrass ecosystems as green urban infrastructure to mediate human pathogens in seafood.
• 10 golden rules for restoration to secure resilient and just seagrass social-ecological systems.