New Member Press Release – Kelp Forest Foundation
International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification welcomes the Kelp Forest Foundation as a new affiliate member working to increase ambition for climate action and transform response to climate-ocean change.
It’s with excitement and great pleasure we announce that the Kelp Forest Foundation has joined the International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification (OA Alliance.)
The OA Alliance brings together governments and organizations from across the globe dedicated to taking urgent action to protect coastal communities and livelihoods from the threat of ocean acidification and climate-ocean change.
National, subnational, and Tribal and First Nation governments are proactively responding to the impacts of ocean acidification as they create OA Action Plans to promote solutions and advance knowledge into action.
“It’s an honor to have the Kelp Forest Foundation join the OA Alliance. Affiliate members bring expertise and experience that help us close priority knowledge and information gaps strengthening local response to climate-ocean change. Affiliate members also help us reach new audiences and actors, further advancing our shared goals.”
Jessie Turner, Executive Director of the OA Alliance
The Kelp Forest Foundation has been researching the ability of cultivated giant kelp forests to buffer the effects of acidification in Lüderitz, Namibia. The pioneer pilot project, “Offshore kelp cultivation as a carbon sink” is independently and transparently measuring the positive impacts of kelp forests in the surrounding water and the subsequent benefits to marine organisms taking refuge in them.
The project has been endorsed by the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainability as a critical Ocean Decade action; as well as being selected as top innovator by Uplink (World Economic forum) to implement their blue carbon challenge.
"By increasing ambition for climate action and embracing nature-based solutions, such as protecting existing wild kelp forests and expanding giant kelp cultivation worldwide, we can bolster resilience across marine ecosystems and coastal communities. Preserving these vital habitats and harnessing the regenerative power of kelp forests not only sequesters carbon and mitigates climate change but also nurtures biodiversity, supports sustainable livelihoods, and safeguards our coastal zones. Let us prioritize the preservation and expansion of these natural wonders, forging a path towards a more sustainable and resilient future for our planet and all its inhabitants."
Samantha Deane, Managing Director, Kelp Forest Foundation.
By integrating science, policy, and investments, OA Alliance members are demonstrating on the ground projects that are required to deliver international commitments to combat climate change, build resilience for ecosystems and communities, and restore the health of the world’s ocean.
OA Alliance members actively engage across the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda (particularly under SDGs 13 and 14) and are supporting the development of OA information through the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainability.
Building upon what we’ve learned, we will continue to increase ambition for climate action and support government and community responses to climate-ocean change.
About the OA Alliance
The International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification (OA Alliance) brings together governments and organizations from across the globe dedicated to increasing ambition for climate action and transforming the global response to climate-ocean change. The OA Alliance includes over 120 members across 22 countries representing a diversity of national, state, municipal, and sovereign tribal, indigenous, and First Nation governments along with many dedicated affiliate partners like NGOs, seafood industry leaders, and local academia. Learn more.
About the Kelp Forest Foundation
The Kelp Forest Foundation (KFF) is a Netherlands-registered non-profit entity whose purpose is to boost knowledge, science and technology related to kelp forests and their ecosystem services. KFF is also on a mission to independently and transparently establish the value of cultivated giant kelp forests as a power nature-based solution to climate change and biodiversity loss. The ultimate aim of KFF is to harness the benefits of kelp forests, wild and cultivated, for the benefit of the planet and people. Learn more at www.kelpforestfoundation.org