Seaweed farming: Jack of all trades and master of all

About the speaker: 

Carlos M. Duarte (Lisbon, 1960) is Ibn Sina Distinguished Professor of Marine Science at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), in Saudi Arabia, and CEO of the Global Coral R&D Accelerator Platform.  Duarte was Director of the Oceans Institute at The University of Western Australia and held positions in Spain, Norway and Denmark. Duarte’s research addresses the effects of global change on marine ecosystems and the development of ocean-based solutions to global challenges. He developed evidence-based strategies to rebuild the abundance of marine life by 2050, and leads efforts to solve the coral reef crisis. Building on his research showing mangroves, seagrasses and salt-marshes to be globally-relevant carbon sinks, he developed, working with different UN agencies, the concept of Blue Carbon as a nature-based solution to climate change. His research, across all oceans, depths, organisms and ecosystem types, has led to more than 1.100 scientific papers. Duarte is ranked as the top marine biologist and the 12th most influential climate scientist worldwide (Reuters), and has received multiple accolades, including major international awards such as Fundacion BBVA Frontiers of Knowledge award in Conservation Biology and Ecology (2020) and the Japan Prize (2025). He serves as Chief Scientist across a number of organizations committed with rebuilding the abundance of marine life.

Presentation: 

As the world faces a polycrisis involving climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution and an impending food crisis, seaweed farming offers a solution across most of these components.  Yet, seaweed farming is an ancient practice and yet still extends over less than 1,500 Km2 of ocean space. In this keynote, Carlos will elaborate on how advancing the potential of seaweed to meet its potential to contribute to solve many of these problems requires action at many levels; recognizing their diverse origin, their key role in a healthy ocean, their role as a regenerative crop, and the multiple applications that seaweed biomass, wild harvested and cultured, can play as a source of sustainable products.