Erimitis, Posedonia Oceanica and the Blue Carbon

What many here in Greece mistakenly call seaweed is actually a superior marine plant, Posedonia Oceanica, which is the “lungs of the Mediterranean”. Posidonia Oceanica or else Seagrass is one of the oldest organisms on earth with about 100,000 years of existence, and its importance lies in the way it protects marine ecosystems, since it is a shelter, home and breeding ground for many species, and in its role against climate change, since it absorbs and stores large amounts of CO2. It also helps to clean up the polluted waters in the Mediterranean, thanks to the large quantities of oxygen it produces, and protects its beaches from erosion. According to a Unesco study published in March 2021, one hectare of Seagrass can soak up as much CO2 as 15 hectares of rainforest. This ability that marine ecosystems have to capture CO2 is called blue carbon. Protecting Posidonia habitats is therefore vital across the Mediterranean because if marine ecosystems are degraded, the carbon that has been captured will be released back into the atmosphere in the form of CO2, in huge quantities.

iSea, with funding from the Ionian Environment Foundation and the support of Erimiti Plous Association, mapped the Poseidonia habitats and documented the marine biodiversity in the marine area around Erimitis and concluded that ” although pristine environments rarely exist today, the Erimitis was in a remarkably undisturbed state. “Since P.oceanica meadows are characterized as one of the most productive ecosystems in the Mediterranean, it becomes apparent that the protection of Erimitis bay and the management of its threats and disturbances should be highly prioritized.”