Sea could hold key to climate change battle

EU seas and oceans could hold the key to fighting against climate change and species loss, according to experts meeting in Portugal this week (8-9 November).

Scientists, environmentalists and European Commission staff on the European platform for biodiversity research are holding the first formal talks to follow up on environmental and research commitments made under the EU maritime policy, published last month.

The biodiversity platform aims to draw up priorities for a marine research strategy, expected in 2008.

"Marine research is where we will find the key to break the link between environmental degradation and economic growth," explained a Commission official. Surprisingly little is known about the oceans and seas, the official said, and the meeting would consider the need to develop new machinery for producing images under water.

"Men are totally blind and deaf in the sea," he added. It is hoped that improved research and monitoring would help discourage some of the most destructive fishing practices, like bot-tom trawling. "If we could see what bottom trawling does to the sea bed, it would be banned immediately," said the official.

The meeting will also look at the role of the oceans in absorbing green-house gases. Oceans can help soak up emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) that would otherwise contribute to global warming.

But too much CO2 leads to marine acidification and increase in the population of algae - another problem to be tackled by the Commission marine research strategy.

EU seas and oceans could hold the key to fighting against climate change and species loss, according to experts meeting in Portugal this week (8-9 November).