Namibian seaweed farm wins award at COP28
The Dutch company Kelp Blue near Lüderitz was recognised as the winner of the Zayed Sustainability Prize in the Climate Action category at the climate summit in Dubai at the weekend.It acknowledged the large and extremely positive impact of kelp on the global climate through the growth of the planet's envisioned giant kelp forests. These improve the overall health of the oceans because seaweed sequesters enormous amounts of carbon, more so than all the flora above the water. In addition to Namibia, Kelp Blue also has locations in Alaska and New Zealand.
The Zayed Sustainability Prize was launched by the United Arab Emirates in 2008 and honors sustainable solutions in the areas of health, nutrition, energy, water and climate protection.
In honour of the legacy of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, around 106 winners have been recognized since 2008.
Kelp Blue (Namibia) was founded in 2020 and grows giant kelp off the coast of Lüderitz, a species that is not found on Namibia's coast.
Kelp Blue's approach is to grow vast kelp forests and use only the canopy to produce bio-stimulants. These products enable farmers to reduce synthetic fertilizer while increasing crop resilience to climate stress and increasing yields. Giant kelp is also used to produce pharmaceuticals and various materials in the textile industry.