Новооткрытые морские травы в Ирландии могут сэкономить миллионы евро и помочь в борьбе с изменением климата

A little known plant growing off the Clare coast could be a massive weapon in the fight against climate change, while also saving Ireland millions in EU carbon compliance penalties. Citizens science group Coastwatch last week celebrated the mapping of its one hundredth previously unknown Irish seagrass meadow at a special ceremony in Quilty. Seagrass grows in shallow salt water and is distinct from seaweed, which is a form of algae. Once common all over Ireland, seagrass meadows have been devastated over the last 100 years by a combination of pollution, high nutrient run, invasive species and destructive fishing techniques. Seagrass is also an excellent carbon store as its leaves take carbon from the air through photosynthesis and traps it in seabed sediment for millennia. The seagrass meadow discovered at Seafield in Quilty is also unique, as the individual pieces of grass are almost twice as long as is typical, with some measuring close to 2 metres. Because of the work of Coastwatch, seagrass expert Karin Dubsky believes that, with a very small Government investment in mapping and monitoring, these 100 newly discovered seagrass beds could all count as carbon stores and save the Irish Government millions of euro in EU fines. Under the EUs Nature Restoration Law Ireland is also required to restore 30% of its seagrass by 2030. “Ireland can get carbon credits for this seagrass, from blue carbon which is carbon stored in the sea. But Ireland can’t just say that it has this seagrass there, it has to be able to show that these beds are managed and monitored,” said Ms Dubsky, who is a marine ecologist at Trinity College Dublin. “Up until now that has looked like it would be too difficult and too expensive for the Irish government to do. No Government in Europe is doing it yet. Andrew Hamilton is a journalist, investigative reporter and podcaster who has been working in the media in Ireland for the past 20 years. His areas of special interest include the environment, mental health and politics.