Foto di Pixabay
Seas and oceans are two fundamental factors for our life on earth: they cover about ¾ of earth’s surface, absorbing about 30% of carbon dioxide and producing 50% of oxygen. This makes them a primary source of life here on our planet.
However nowadays oceans are in great danger: due to pollution and climate change, the temperature has risen to a new record level, glaciers are melting, and water level is rising (+15 cm during this century). These consequences are likely to last for many years. Even if we try to take an action now, to make up for our mistakes, our oceans will need time to recover.
Specifically, there's a part of oceans, that is called “underwater grasslands, i.e. huge expansions of marine flora located on the seabed. They are mainly responsible for absorbing CO2 (about twice as much CO2 absorbed by forests of the same size). They are also responsible for the acidification of water, they create a natural habitat for fishes and it is believed they also help to limit the damage caused by microplastic. Despite their crucial role in this play, pollution and invasive bait are creating some serious damage: an area of these grasslands as large as a football pitch is disappearing every half an hour according to UNEP, the united nations environmental program.
Preserving marine waters and life below water is a challenge that the UN itself set as one of the goals of the 2030 agenda: goal 14, “conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development”.
Nowadays, about 10% of the oceans are protected: the UN's purpose is to protect the biodiversity of 30% of the oceans by 2030 through the so-called 30x30 initiative, launched by Great Britain and joined by Italy in June 2020. What is its aim? To protect the health of seas, biodiversity, and fight climate change.
Sources
https://www.rinnovabili.it/agrifood/food-waste-index-report-2021-pianificare-strategie-antispreco/
https://www.lifegate.it/praterie-sottomarine-greenpeace
https://www.rinnovabili.it/ambiente/acqua/tutela-degli-oceani-biodiversita-cop15/
