What is Seabed 2030 Project?

The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO recently announced that it has finished mapping one-fifth of the world ocean floor under the Seabed 2030 Project. The Seabed 2030 project was launched in 2017 at the United Nations Ocean Conference to survey the ocean floor.

Highlights

When the project was launched in 2017, only 6% of the oceans was mapped to modern standards. This has now increased to 19%. This will help the world in making policy decisions.

About Seabed Project

The project will map the ocean floor of the earth. The project will help in providing better idea of sea levels as ice melts and also warn about impending Tsunamis.

Issues

There are certain countries that are hesitant to provide strategic data about the sea bed. This is mainly due to geopolitical tensions, mainly in South China Sea.

Significance

The project will provide a complete map to the world ocean. This will help in understanding fundamental processes such as weather systems, ocean circulation, sediment transport, tides, tsunami wave propagation, sea level rise and climate change.

The project is also a key enabler of deliverables under Sustainable Development goal 14. The SDG 14 aims to conserve the oceans and provide in sustainable development

Month: Current Affairs - July, 2020