RT Report
T1 Out of the Blue: The Value of Seagrasses to the Environment and to People
A1 United Nations Environment Programme, 
A2 de los Santos, Carmen B.
A2 Connolly, Rod
A2 Traganos, Dimosthenis
A2 Poursanidis, Dimitris
A2 Unsworth, Richard K.F.
A2 Fortes, Miguel
A2 Huxham, Mark
A2 Vanderklift, Mat
A2 de la Torre-Castro, Maricela
A2 Brown, Christopher J.
K1 seagrass
K1 citizen science
K1 marine ecosystem
K1 coastal area
SN 978-92-807-3780-6
YR 2020
FD 2020
LK https://wedocs.unep.org/handle/20.500.11822/32636
UL https://wedocs.unep.org/handle/20.500.11822/32636
NO This report examines the ecological, social and economic importance of seagrass ecosystems and outlines approaches to improve their conservation and management. It describes the wide range of ecosystem services provided by seagrasses, including fisheries support, water purification, coastal protection, carbon sequestration and disease regulation, supported by quantitative assessments and valuation methods. The document reviews global patterns of decline, identifies cumulative pressures such as coastal development and climate change, and highlights gaps in protection and management. It presents methods for mapping and monitoring, including satellite imagery, drones, acoustic tools and field surveys, and emphasises the role of standardised data and metadata. The report also explores restoration initiatives and the contribution of citizen science to knowledge development and policy support.
DS UN Environment Document Repository
RD Sep 23, 2026