Unfortunately, without government intervention and funding the widespread implementation of seaweed aquaculture cannot provide its benefits towards climate change mitigation. Despite all its benefits, seaweed aquaculture is not a ‘silver bullet’ for carbon sequestering. Overall, macroalgae do not have a large impact on the increasing carbon problem the world is facing. The issue is as mentioned, that governments have yet to realize this resource is at their fingertips. Governments have implemented all sorts of tactics to try and mitigate climate change, most of which are expensive, require land use, and are not particularly powerful weapons against carbon. Therefore, seaweed aquaculture is ripe with untapped potential. Taking some of the strain of world-wide agriculture off the land benefits CO2 reduction, and provide an extra food source for humanity. Macroalgae has also been investigated as an alternative energy source to fossil fuels, and an alternative to livestock feed. Using macroalgae for these purposes would greatly reduce CO2 production from fuel burning and livestock. Seaweed farming, if supported is a fully sustainable and carbon neutral industry with the ability to be established in a variety of environments across the world.
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