The world's oyster reefs could add $12 trillion to planetary health each year—if they were better managed
A new study shows that the world's oyster reefs are a precious resource that's vastly underestimated and underutilized. The authors set out to calculate the reefs' potential gross ecosystem product (GEP), the ecological counterpart of the gross economic product, and arrived at trillions of dollars in ecosystem goods and services delivered each year to different aspects of planetary health,…
A new study reveals that oyster reefs could provide $12 trillion annually in ecosystem services if properly managed worldwide. The research, conducted by Dr. Matteo Convertino of Tsinghua University, calculated the potential gross ecosystem product (GEP) of fully restored oyster reefs in the top 10 hotspot countries. These reefs would generate $12 trillion each year through services like water filtration, shoreline protection, nutrient recycling, carbon sequestration, and providing habitat for various marine life.
Oyster reefs currently exist in less than 10% of their suitable habitat in coastal zones, with 85% lost over the past century due to overexploitation, pollution, and climate change. The study identified 10 hotspot nations - the U.S., Australia, Chile, China, Japan, South Korea, Argentina, France, Germany, and Italy - where 295,000 square kilometers (114,000 square miles), or 6% of their coastal zones, are deemed suitable for oyster reefs.
Currently, only 23% of this suitable area is under any form of marine protection. Implementing restoration and protection measures could significantly increase these benefits, with the potential to filter vast amounts of water and sequester carbon. However, the estimates are based on global averages and could be affected by climate change.
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