A Cardiff University researcher is among the expert contributors to a landmark document highlighting the critical role of plankton in addressing the interlinked global crises of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss.
Dr Aditee Mitra, a senior research fellow at the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, is one of 30 international experts from leading institutions and industries worldwide to develop and deliver the Plankton Manifesto.
Led by the Ocean Stewardship Coalition, an initiative of the UN Global Compact, the document presents a series of strategic recommendations to guide global efforts for safeguarding plankton and harnessing their potential to address the so-called triple planetary crisis.
The document is intended to be a catalyst for action and seeks to deliver a concise, comprehensive and scientifically grounded message for governments, UN agencies, ocean organisations, NGOs, and the private sector.
Dr Aditee Mitra, who is the only contributor from Wales, said: "The development of the manifesto took several months with collaborators, from different sectors of plankton research, working to locate common ground."
Plankton communities encompass a spectrum of diverse organisms ranging from microbes of approximately one-hundredth of the width of a human hair to gelatinous animals of many metres in size. Producing a manifesto to reflect the complexities within all these plankton life forms was not an easy task.
Plankton, including organisms from single-celled microbes to multicellular animals, have been foundational to life on Earth for over 3.5 billion years and perform essential functions that sustain the planet's health.
Despite their immense importance, plankton are under threat and remain poorly understood.
The manifesto calls for immediate global recognition and action to protect these vital organisms.
Dr Mitra was selected as one of the manifesto's contributors after her work on the European Commission funded Horizon 2020 MSCA MixlTiN project.
The work undertaken in the project led to the emergence of a new paradigm in marine ecology based on mixoplankton – single cell marine microbes, which photosynthesize like plants and hunt like animals in a process linked and exploited together for growth.
She added: "We are delighted that the importance of mixoplankton in marine ecology has been recognised in the Manifesto."
Under climate change, we are discovering manifold ways of how mixoplankton are driving the diversity of marine food webs with implications for fisheries and recreational activities. We hope that endorsement of the Manifesto will be instrumental in helping promote plankton literacy.
Among its key recommendations, are calls for improved knowledge to better monitor plankton, plankton awareness raising for all and the inclusion of plankton in international climate and biodiversity discussions.
Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary-General and CEO of the UN Global Compact said: "The Plankton Manifesto represents a vital step forward in our collective response to the triple planetary crisis.
"Plankton are not only the foundation of marine ecosystems but also key players in our fight against climate change and pollution."
Plankton are not only the foundation of marine ecosystems but also key players in our fight against climate change and pollution. By safeguarding plankton, we are protecting a crucial part of our planet's life support system, ensuring the resilience of our oceans and freshwater ecosystems for future generations.
Following the launch of the manifesto at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, the Ocean Stewardship will seek endorsements at key global environmental conferences, including COP29 on Climate, COP16 on Biodiversity, and the United Nations Ocean Conference.
