Twelve of the world’s leading marine biologists, oceanographers, and sea kelp specialists have co-authored an open-letter calling on leaders and policy makers from across the globe to create new and better protections for kelp forests around the world. The letter calls for strong political action at both a national and international level to rescue, restore and conserve the kelp forests that populate 30% of the world’s coasts. The signatories, which include renowned oceanographer and National Geographic Explorer Dr. Sylvia Earle, argue that kelp forests play a vital role in supporting biodiversity, human livelihoods and essential ecosystem services but are under increasing threat from marine heatwaves, harvesting, pollution and overfishing. Around 35% of the world’s floating kelp forests are located in the waters of Latin American countries that are far from meeting the 2030 targets. Another challenge is that the Global Biodiversity Framework does not specify which ecosystems should be prioritised when it comes to the level of protections afforded to them.
Read more about this story on oceanographic and read the open letter on Science.