Is seaweed culture a sustainable approach to climate change adaptation?

Published 12 March 2024 Science Leave a Comment
Tags: mitigation

Seaweed culture is considered the prominent sector of worldwide food production that offers a
range of prospects to address and adapt to climate change. Seaweed beds release carbon (C)
that is deposited in soils or shipped to the deep ocean, acting as a carbon dioxide (CO2) sink.
Seaweed is also utilized in whole or in part to produce biofuel, with possible C sequestration
of around 1,500 tons CO2/km2
/year from avoided fossil fuel combustion. Seaweed cultivation
reduces emissions in agriculture by promoting soil health, reducing the use of synthetic
fertilizers, and reducing greenhouse gasses in livestock when used as feed. By attenuating
wave energy and shielding coastlines, and by increasing pH and oxygenating the oceans,
seaweed cultivation contributes to the mitigation of climate change by reducing the effects of
acidification and oxygen depletion in the region. Potentials for increasing seaweed production
are constrained by several factors, including the availability of suitable sites, competition for
appropriate sites with other uses, technological systems that can withstand challenging
maritime environments, and expanding potential markets for seaweed goods. Considering
these limitations, seaweed culture can be changed to optimize climatic benefits, which could
increase the income of seaweed producers if they are well compensated.

Bhuyan S., Haider S. M. D., Kunda M., Islam T., Husain A., Chowdhury E., & Mojumder I. A., 2024. Is seaweed culture a sustainable approach to climate change adaptation? The Journal of NOAMI, 38(1-2): 75-88. Article.

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