Santo Domingo.- The UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) approved a resolution on the algae sargasso presented by the Dominican Republic with the co-sponsorship of Barbados and Jamaicawhich “opens the door to more research, more resources and more cooperation” in the fight against this phenomenon that impacts the sustainable development and the economy of the affected areas, reported this Tuesday the Chancellery Dominican.
The text, approved on December 11, states that the massive influx of sargassum represents a serious and growing socioeconomic and environmental problem that disproportionately affects the Greater Caribbean region and West Africa.
This phenomenon has serious repercussions on the economyhe sustainable developmenthe tourismthe marine biodiversitythe fishingthe livelihood and the public healthaccording to the document United Nationsthe Foreign Ministry indicated in a press release.
Likewise, the text of the resolution, titled “Strengthening the global response to the massive influx of sargassum blooms”, highlights that the phenomenon represents an emerging challenge for other regions of the world.
Through this resolution, UNEA requests the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) to prepare a comprehensive report that evaluates existing initiatives on sargassum and convenes a high-level meeting to analyze its conclusions and strengthen international cooperation.
You can read: Corruption on the rise! Citizen Participation reveals alarming figures
“The resolution opens the door to more research, more resources and more cooperation, and sends a clear message – the Greater Caribbean is not alone in this battle,” said the Dominican Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Dominican Government stated that thanks to this decision “it is placed on the front line of the global response to sargassum, transforming a recurring threat to its coasts and its economy into a cause shared by the international community.”
This year, the Caribbean region faced the highest concentrations of sargassum recorded in more than a decadeuntil Friday, August 8, the 60,800 tons. In August, Mexico, Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union, within the framework of the Ministerial Meeting of Latin America and the Caribbean for the Implementation of Regional Climate Action, agreed on a Regional Action Plan on sargassum, to prevent, warn, collect and valorize this algae under a circular economy approach.
The massive presence of sargassum is of great concern to the Dominican Republic, where tourism plays a key role in the economy by contributing to 19% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
In addition to its possible repercussions on tourism, This macroalgae has adverse effects on marine ecosystems and negatively impacts the economy of fishermen.to which we must add the bad smell when it decomposes and the possible respiratory problems in vulnerable populations.
Among the positive aspects of sargassum would be its use as fertilizer, the generation of biomass or the extraction of materials for industrial use.
