The planet is facing an unprecedented climate crisis. The Earth's biodiversity is in danger, scientists warn, both in and out of the sea. One example: Since 2009, the world has lost 14% of coral reefs due to warming waters. Although these ecosystems barely cover 0.2% of the ocean floor, they are home to more than a quarter of marine species. To reverse the situation, a pilot project was launched in the Persian Gulf in 2012. A huge piece of 3D-printed concrete was submerged there, imitating the exact structure of one of these reefs. The aim of this artificial framework was to attract fish and other forms of marine life – such as crustaceans, algae and molluscs – including coral polyps. It was a complete success, and since then they have been installed on the coasts of Australia, the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. Not only have they slowed down degradation, but they have also favoured the regeneration of marine biodiversity, which is one of the strategic lines of the so-called blue economy. The concept encompasses any activity related to water, the sea and the oceans. This production model contributes 5% of the world's GDP and is key for the European Commission (EC). To tackle the climate and biodiversity crisis, Brussels maintains, healthy seas and sustainable use of their resources are required, which requires investment in innovative technologies. The restoration of marine ecosystems, says the EC, will create new jobs and green companies within the blue economy, which already generates 4.5 million direct jobs on the European continent and more than 650 billion euros in turnover. The challenge requires an interdisciplinary approach in which technology plays a key role. «It can contribute to the development of bioreceptive materials and structures that facilitate the colonisation and growth of marine organisms; to the deployment of techniques that help restore habitats on a large scale; “The use of sensors to monitor water quality or the use of underwater drones to map habitats,” lists the researcher at IQS Tech Transfer, Marco Antonio Pérez. This centre leads several scientific projects focused on the protection and regeneration of the Mediterranean Sea. Biomimetic structures (that imitate life) have been designed in its facilities that facilitate the recovery of degraded underwater environments. They have also launched a system for replanting posidonia oceanica – an essential plant for the proper functioning of the marine ecosystem – that is fast, economical and highly scalable. “We have four pilot tests on the coast of Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, and the results are very promising,” says Pérez. Computational tools also have significant potential in the regeneration of marine biodiversity. A good example is the software patented by the company Underwater Gardens, which allows the analysis of large data packages to subsequently define tailored strategies for regenerating marine ecosystems. This computing advance has allowed the startup to develop the so-called Smart Enhanced Reefs, intelligent reefs created from 3D that reproduce the complex and specific shapes of each oceanographic area. “In this way we can increase the biodiversity of marine forests and their associated biomass, enhancing their immobilization of blue carbon,” explains the founder and CEO, Marc García-Durán. These underwater gardens also offer economic and social benefits, such as improving the conditions for responsible fishing.
Artificial intelligence and robotics
Contributing to the restoration of marine biodiversity to offset the negative impact of infrastructures such as ports or offshore wind farms is the raison d'être of another Spanish company, Ocean Ecostructures. “The technologies implemented in recent years not only allow for the regeneration of degraded areas, thus recovering natural capital, but also for the repopulation of species of unique ecological value such as corals, gorgonians or posidonia,” confirms its founder and CEO, Ignasi Ferrer. Its Bio Boosting System solution, a world pioneer, combines the most advanced regeneration technology with artificial intelligence and robotics to monitor results. The company has already installed 170 units of the so-called Life Boosting Units (LBU) for bioregeneration: these synthetic micro-reefs replicate the functioning of a natural one and multiply by up to six the number of species existing in the areas where they are implemented. The data shows that the idea works. Four months after their installation, more than 287 different species have been recovered, most of them native, and they have helped to fix nearly a ton of carbon dioxide (CO2) and accumulate two tons of biomass in the ports where they are present. In addition, the use of underwater drones allows the evolution of each of the units to be monitored. Between now and 2030, Ocean Ecostructures aims to transform 20,000 marine infrastructures into blue oases. “If we could recover the destroyed marine life, we could absorb nearly 40% of the CO2, which would accelerate progress in the fight against climate change,” says Ferrer. A unique opportunity to combat the main threat looming over the planet. Follow all the information from Cinco Días on Facebook, X and Linkedin, or in our newsletter Agenda de Cinco Días
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