UN proclaims 1 March as World Seagrass Day to spotlight conservation

Key facts

• The United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/76/265 in May 2022 proclaiming 1 March as World Seagrass Day.
• Seagrasses cover only 0.1% of the ocean floor yet store up to 18% of the world’s oceanic carbon.
• Seagrass meadows exist in 159 countries across six continents and cover over 300,000 km².
• Almost 30% of global seagrass area has been lost since the late nineteenth century.
• At least 22 of the world’s 72 seagrass species are in decline.
• Conserving and restoring seagrass meadows can help countries achieve 26 targets and indicators linked to ten Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Only about a quarter of all seagrass meadows fall within marine protected areas.