British scientists are leading an international study to replace vital seagrass beds to help combat climate change.
Seagrass, the world’s only underwater flowering plant, is vital for biodiversity and absorbs carbon dioxide 35 times as fast as rainforests do.
Described as the world’s underwater rainforest, it creates a habitat for fish and other aquatic wildlife, stores carbon and nitrogen, and improves water quality.
Now a team at Swansea University has worked with the University of Portsmouth and the Zoological Society of London to publish a guide on seagrass restoration.
At least 44 per cent of the UK’s seagrass has disappeared since 1936, 39 per cent of which has vanished within the past 30 years.
“Seagrass meadows around the UK have been decimated,” said the study’s lead author, Dr Richard Unsworth, of Swansea University.
“Their restoration can now play a part in a much-needed response to fighting the climate emergency and the biodiversity crisis.
“Swansea University has played a leading role in spearheading seagrass restoration and conservation research around the UK in collaboration with its homegrown marine conservation charity, Project Seagrass.
“The creation of this handbook, with leading contributions from many staff, students and alumni from biosciences, reflects almost a decade of Swansea seagrass research in the UK and globally.”
The Seagrass Restoration Handbook was commissioned by the UK Environment Agency.
Tony Juniper, chairman of the government agency Natural England, said the seagrass beds help to mitigate rising sea levels.
“Seagrass beds hold significant quantities of carbon that would otherwise be in the atmosphere,” he said.
“They also help mitigate the impact of more extreme weather and sea-level rise while improving water quality and stabilising the seabed.
“In addition, lush, dense seagrass beds full of life show us what a healthy sea should look like and inspire us to protect our oceans.
“Although many of our seagrass beds are now within Marine Protected Areas, it is important to increase our ambition and add restoration to protection efforts.”
Dr Joanne Preston, of the Institute of Marine Sciences at the University of Portsmouth, said action to restore the beds was needed urgently.
“Now is the time for action; we can’t delay any longer the restoration of marine ecosystems on which humans depend, yet have largely destroyed,” she said.
“I hope this handbook will inspire and equip groups around the UK and beyond to get involved in restoring seagrass ecosystem and the wonderful biodiversity associated with them.”
Seagrass flowers are pollinated by shrimps and other creatures.
Last year, a UN report revealed 7 per cent of seagrass beds were being lost worldwide every year, equating to a football pitch of seagrass every 30 minutes.
The UAE is supporting an initiative to protect almost 30 per cent of the world’s oceans by 2030.
This month, Florida revealed a record number manatees have died by starvation caused by the loss of seagrass beds.
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Tips on buying property during a pandemic
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.
Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.
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The story in numbers
18
This is how many recognised sects Lebanon is home to, along with about four million citizens
450,000
More than this many Palestinian refugees are registered with UNRWA in Lebanon, with about 45 per cent of them living in the country’s 12 refugee camps
1.5 million
There are just under 1 million Syrian refugees registered with the UN, although the government puts the figure upwards of 1.5m
73
The percentage of stateless people in Lebanon, who are not of Palestinian origin, born to a Lebanese mother, according to a 2012-2013 study by human rights organisation Frontiers Ruwad Association
18,000
The number of marriages recorded between Lebanese women and foreigners between the years 1995 and 2008, according to a 2009 study backed by the UN Development Programme
77,400
The number of people believed to be affected by the current nationality law, according to the 2009 UN study
4,926
This is how many Lebanese-Palestinian households there were in Lebanon in 2016, according to a census by the Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue committee
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New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
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