Seagrass Meadows Make Comeback, Capturing Carbon 35 Times Faster Than Rainforests
Large-scale seagrass restoration projects are succeeding worldwide, reviving underwater meadows that capture carbon 35 times faster than tropical rainforests.
EnvironmentGNGV Editorial Team4 min read
Seagrass meadows are emerging as a powerful climate solution. These underwater grasslands capture and store carbon 35 times faster than tropical rainforests, yet they've lost 30% of their global coverage. Now, ambitious restoration projects are bringing them back.
In the UK, Project Seagrass has planted over 1 million seeds, creating new meadows along the Welsh coast. Similar projects in Australia, the Mediterranean, and the US East Coast are showing success rates above 70%.
Beyond carbon capture, seagrass meadows provide nursery habitat for fish, stabilize coastlines, and improve water quality. "We used to see seagrass as just something in the way of boats," says marine biologist Dr. Richard Unsworth. "Now we understand it's one of the most valuable ecosystems on Earth." Scientists estimate restoring just 10% of lost seagrass could sequester 50 million tons of CO2 annually.
