Sea the Value

Sea the Value is a £1.5million UKRI funded project investigating the diverse values and benefits of marine biodiversity and how to apply these values to develop local capacity in natural capital, green finance and to enhance restoration of coastal and marine biodiversity. The aim is to create maps of the habitats and features within the Solent, identify benefits derived for humans and look at ways in which this information can be used to help develop policy.

Project start: August 2022  |  Project end: August 2025
Funder: Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
Principal Investigator: Professor Nicola Beaumont

Vision

To determine novel and policy relevant pluralistic values for marine biodiversity and apply these values to co-develop green investment options, leading to a transformative shift in our understanding and utilisation of the economics of biodiversity.

Research Objectives

• Quantify the interlinkages between marine biodiversity, natural capital, and ecosystem services, taking quantity (extent), quality (condition), and resilience into consideration.
• Determine the economic and social values associated with carbon sequestration and bioremediation of waste and apply these values to support natural capital accounting frameworks and engage real world communities in mapping social values and trade-offs.
• Connect the ecological, economic, and social values of biodiversity to decision-making through co-design and implementation of green investment to maintain and enhance biodiversity.  

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