# Scientists in Germany turn up heat on seagrass in climate change fight
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-11-01
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: Restoring Seagrass Fields in the Baltic Sea to Fight
Meta Description: Discover how scientists in Germany are working to revive seagrass fields in the Baltic Sea, crucial natural carbon sinks threatened by various factors.
URL: https://financedigest.com/scientists-in-germany-turn-up-heat-on-seagrass-in-climate-change-fighthtml

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BERLIN (Reuters) – Scientists in Germany are working on ways to restore seagrass fields in the Baltic Sea, vast natural sinks that store millions of tonnes of carbon but which are shrinking fast in the face of falling water quality, global warming and disease.

According to the Geomar Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research in Kiel, the Baltic region contains almost 300 square kilometres of the plant, storing some three to 12 megatons of carbon.

Seagrass stores that carbon “for centuries to millennia”, Angela Stevenson, a postdoctoral researcher at the centre, told Reuters. A big aspect to think about here is to conserve these systems, to make sure that that [CO2 does not get re-emitted and further add to these emissions.”](https://www.financedigest.com/global-energy-related-co2-emissions-edged-up-to-record-high-in-2022-iea.html "Global energy-related CO2 emissions edged up to record high in 2022 – IEA")

In Germany’s Kiel fjord, Stevenson and her colleagues have [planted a test](https://www.financedigest.com/stress-test-backs-extending-lifespan-of-two-german-nuclear-plants-sources.html "Stress test backs extending lifespan of two German nuclear plants: sources") field using seeds and single-shoot transplants from a natural meadow nearby, exploring which cultivation methods might be the most promising to restore seagrass fields.

The team is also [testing](https://www.financedigest.com/ferrari-enel-x-plan-solar-plant-near-fiorano-test-track.html "Ferrari, Enel X plan solar plant near Fiorano test track") how the plants can cope with heat by exposing the plants to heatwaves over generations to try to make them more resilient.

“If the temperatures go up to 26 degrees Celsius and above … for months on end, which we might see in the future with [climate change](https://www.financedigest.com/exclusive-world-bank-seeks-more-funds-to-address-climate-change-other-crises-document.html "Exclusive-World Bank seeks more funds to address climate change, other crises -document"), then that could really pose an issue for the whole system. It may entirely die,” said Stevenson.

Europe alone lost one third of its seagrass areas between the 1860s and 2016, [according to one 2019 study](https://www.financedigest.com/investors-seek-higher-returns-as-catastrophe-bond-issuance-slows-during-q2-according-to-aon-study.html "INVESTORS SEEK HIGHER RETURNS AS CATASTROPHE BOND ISSUANCE SLOWS DURING Q2, ACCORDING TO AON STUDY").

Seagrass is not a silver bullet for bringing carbon emissions down enough to [reach net](https://www.financedigest.com/how-mixing-farms-with-forests-can-help-the-uk-reach-net-zero.html "How mixing farms with forests can help the UK reach net zero") zero, Stevenson added. Even if Germany were to restore all the areas that have lost seagrass, they would only grab up to 100 tonnes of [carbon dioxide](https://www.financedigest.com/industrial-carbon-dioxide-market-is-estimated-to-expand-at-a-cagr-of-around-3-over-the-forecast-period-of-2021-2031.html "Industrial Carbon Dioxide Market is estimated to expand at a CAGR of around 3% over the forecast period of 2021-2031") annually – a very small percentage of the German target.

Germany has [pledged to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions](https://www.financedigest.com/citi-pledges-to-cut-emissions-for-more-sectors-including-coal.html "Citi pledges to cut emissions for more sectors including coal") by more than 50% by 2030 compared with the levels in 1990. The [government also aims to turn](https://www.financedigest.com/governments-and-central-banks-risk-inflation-bank-of-england-has-done-its-bit-now-the-politicians-turn.html "Governments and central banks risk inflation, Bank of England has done its bit, now the politicians’ turn") the country carbon neutral by 2045.

(Reporting by Swantje Stein and Martin Schlicht; Writing by Miranda Murray; Editing by Jan Harvey)


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