Mr Mr Benjamin Jones

Director of International Operations

Project SeagrassSweden

Research focus

My work is primarily focused on seagrass meadows and their associated fisheries in the context of sustainable development. My PhD research investigates the linkages between biodiversity and people using seagrass meadows as a model social-ecological system. I am interested in these linkages more broadly to provide evidence for policy change across the Indo-Pacific that gives priority to seagrass meadows for the services they provide in the context of the sustainable development goals (e.g. livelihoods, food security, poverty reduction). I have been working with seagrass ecosystems for over 8 years and conducted seagrass associated research and conservation work in Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, Tanzania, Mozambique, Mauritius, Mexico and the United Kingdom. My work has been featured in various popular science and public news media channels such as the BBC and National Geographic and I regularly contribute to The Conservation.

SDG targets

1.4

Equal rights to ownership, basic services, technology and economic resources

1.5

Build resilience to environmental, economic and social disasters

2.1

Universal access to safe and nutritious food

2.2

End all forms of malnutrition

14.2

Protect and restore ecosystems

14.4

Sustainable Fishing

14.5

Conserve coastal and marine areas

14.7

Increase the economic benefits from sustainable use of marine resources

14.A

Increase scientific knowledge, research and technology for ocean health

14.B

Support small scale fishers

Projects

Seagrass meadows support food-security across the Indo-Pacific Ocean (PhD)

Indo-Pacific Seagrass Network (Funded by Swedish Research Council)

Conservation of biodiversity, seagrass ecosystems and their services – safeguarding food security and resilience in vulnerable coastal communities in a changing climate (Funded by International Climate Initiative)