Battling Sargassum: A Caribbean Challenge
The Dominican Republic and Mexico propose a bilateral roundtable to tackle the environmental impact of sargassum seaweed on the Caribbean coasts. Sargassum blooms, exacerbated by pollution and climate change, are impacting marine ecosystems and tourism. Efforts to repurpose sargassum into usable materials are ongoing, but face challenges.
The Foreign Minister of the Dominican Republic, Roberto Alvarez, alongside top officials from Mexico, has called for the establishment of a bilateral roundtable. The initiative aims to combat the negative environmental effects of sargassum seaweed affecting their Caribbean shores, according to a statement from Alvarez's office on Wednesday.
As piles of rotten, odorous sargassum amass along the Caribbean coasts, hotel workers are facing growing challenges to maintain clean beaches. This overwhelming accumulation is not only releasing harmful gases but also suffocating marine life and causing a decline in resort occupancy rates.
Various nations are exploring the potential for transforming sargassum into commodities such as biofuels and fertilizers. However, the high costs of detoxifying the seaweed and extracting heavy metals hinder progress. Research remains in its early stages, and the unpredictable nature of sargassum blooms poses a barrier for consistent investment opportunities.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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