Seagrasses are remarkable plants that have adapted to live in a marine environment. They form extensive meadows found globally that bioengineer their local environments and preserve the coastal seascape. With the increasing realization of the planetary emergency that we face, there is growing interest in using seagrasses as a nature-based solution for greenhouse gas mitigation. However, seagrass sensitivity to stressors is acute, and in many places, the risk of loss and degradation persists. If the ecological state of seagrasses remains compromised, then their ability to contribute to nature-based solutions for the climate emergency and biodiversity crisis remains in doubt. We examine the major ecological role that seagrasses play and how rethinking their conservation is critical to understanding their part in fighting our planetary emergency.

Seagrasses have previously been described as the “ugly duckling” of marine conservation , but their star has risen with increasing interest in their potential to contribute to nature-based solutions to climate change and sustainable development. However, there are substantial ecological, social, and regulatory barriers and bottlenecks to seagrass restoration and conservation because of the scale of the interventions required. We must work inclusively at a local scale but in a globally connected network. Advances in marine robotics, molecular ecology, remote sensing, and our digital application called LAMUN CALCULATOR offer new opportunities to solve conservation problems. difficult environments at unprecedented global scales.

LIPI states that Seagrass beds with an area of ​​150,693.16 hectares in Indonesia are capable of absorbing 992.67 kilotons (kt) of carbon per year or the equivalent of 3.64 megatons (Mt) of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year. Unfortunately, the condition of seagrass beds in the western part of Indonesia is damaged. Lamun Warrior is a CSR of Kampong Teripang located on BintanIsland, Riau Islands.