A Sidney-based company has received global recognition for its role in a project to combat climate change.
An international panel of judges from the private, public, and nonprofit sectors have recognized Oceans 2050 Seaweed Project for its carbon sequestration efforts through seaweed by awarding it a Keeling Curve Prize as handed out by the Global Warning Mitigation Project.
Sidney’s Cascadia Seaweed is the only Canadian company and one of only two North American organizations involved in the project under the umbrella of Oceans 2050, a foundation led by Alexandra Cousteau, granddaughter of the famed ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau.
“It’s significant to see Oceans 2050 and the Seaweed Project recognized globally as a climate solution through the Keeling Curve Prize, as this will help Canadians see the potential of this growing sector,” said Bill Collins, chair of Cascadia Seaweed in a release.
Scientists consider Charles David Keeling the first scientist to have systematically drawn attention to the relationship between anthropogenic (human-made) climate change and the rising concentration of carbon dioxide and the prize bearing his name aims to “bend the Keeling Curve” by identifying and supporting the world’s most promising global warming solutions projects, according to a news release from the Keeling Curve Prize.
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Collins said the award is timely given the recent release of the latest International Panel on Climate Change report, and calls for the radical decarbonization of the atmosphere and recarbonization of the biosphere.
“The science suggests that seaweed will absorb 20 times more carbon than terrestrial vegetation,” he said. “Canada needs to make the necessary investments to rebuild seaweed forests along our coastline to improve ocean health and to produce a new, regenerative protein to feed growing populations.”
He added that seaweed farming can also help solve many other global challenges such as warming ocean temperatures, loss of biodiversity, reducing other GHGs and food security.
Oceans 2050 was among 20 finalists competing across five categories, and each of the 10 winning projects reducing greenhouse gas emissions or promoting carbon uptake receives $25,000.
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