Algae to fight the climate crisis

In Santa Barbara, California, a system is being tested that could prove very useful in combating the climate crisis: the use of seaweed. Specifically, the attempt is to exploit the growth of the giant kelp species (Macrocystis pyrifera) to absorb carbon dioxide from ocean water. The seaweed is first harvested and then deposited on the ocean floor, thousands of meters deep, where it is expected to retain the absorbed carbon. Some concerns remain: how much greenhouse gases the seaweed can absorb, what the impact of such massive cultivation on the ecosystem would be, and how much CO2 is released once captured.

Even in the Philippines, where seaweed is a major aquaculture product, the Climate Foundation has developed a project called Sea Forestation, which aims to regenerate the environment by cultivating seaweed on platforms located in the open sea. According to Climate Foundation experts, seaweed can absorb more CO2 than even river forests (3 tons per square kilometer) and can grow up to 50 centimeters per day, reaching lengths of up to 60 meters.

Read also:

• Cereals grown in the sea thanks to algae
• Edible seaweed: the best ones and how to eat them
• Houses Built with Algae: The Most Beautiful Are in Denmark
• Kombu seaweed: benefits, properties, and contraindications

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