Following an initial crisis management plan in 2018, initiated by Nicolas Hulot, the Ministry of Ecology is rolling out a second plan to combat the invasive algae in the Caribbean.
This initiative aims to establish a long-term framework for combating the problem…
On March 18, the Ministry of Ecological Transition announced this new interministerial plan, dubbed «Sargasses II.».
It calls for the allocation of 36 million euros in national funding between 2022 and 2025. In 2018, at the height of the crisis, former Minister Nicolas Hulot had allocated 13 million euros over two years—an amount that was not enough to stem the problem but marked the beginning of efforts to address this pollution, which was unbearable for the residents of the French West Indies.” The resumption of massive Sargassum influxes and their persistence show that, from a health, environmental, or purely technical standpoint, there is no management solution in hindsight The control of algae does not appear to be entirely satisfactory. »Only by containing, collecting, and removing the seaweed within forty-eight hours of it washing ashore can we prevent the nuisances caused by its accumulation and decomposition." The Ministry notes.
This new plan aims to further structure the effort through “regional management plans,” in collaboration with the local authorities already involved, with the support of steering committees. This framework will be responsible for organizing prevention, collection, and storage efforts.
The good news is that six million euros of the total budget will be allocated to research, particularly on algal blooms. This may signal that the phenomenon is being addressed at its source and, therefore, that progress is being made in our understanding of it.
