MY OPINION
Restoring life beneath the waves In the face of the climate crisis Coral Vita’s mission is to grow
diverse and resilient corals and outplant them into degraded reefs B
eneath the ocean’s surface lies an ecosystem silently yet violently grappling
with the impacts of climate change. Coral reefs, the vibrant underwater
communities, face
unprecedented threats from rising sea temperatures, overfishing, ocean acidification, and pollution. While we fight for these destructive practices to end globally, one company, Coral Vita, was created with a commitment to restoring and revitalising coral reefs.
Coral Vita’s coral restoration efforts employ cutting-edge technology and an unwavering dedication to marine conservation. Their land-based coral
farming model uses controlled environments to cultivate resilient coral species at rates up to 50 times faster than in nature. This approach both nurtures and stress-tests corals, enhancing their resilience against factors like rising temperatures, which causes coral bleaching and die-offs. Coral reefs are not only beautiful ecosystems - they also serve as vital habitats for 25% of marine species and support over a billion people globally through fishing, tourism, coastal protection, and even medicine. Yet they are on the brink of destruction - 50% have died since the 1970s, and over 90% are on track to die by 2050 without concerted and rapid conservation efforts.
Co-founders Sam Teicher and Gator Halpern conceived Coral Vita at the Yale School of the Environment in 2015, driven by a need to tackle environmental challenges more swiftly and effectively than existing academic, NGO, and policy-driven methods. Through a for-profit business model, Coral Vita actively engages with local businesses, governments and communities, fostering stewardship and a deeper connection between humanity and the ocean. The company sells restoration as a service to reef dependent customers, develops and licenses coral farming technologies, and runs individual and corporate adopt-a-coral campaigns, all to fund ecosystem-scale impact.
Coral Vita’s work goes beyond business and scientific innovation. Their mission extends to safeguarding not just the corals but also the communities reliant on these ecosystems. In The Bahamas, where Coral Vita operates, the community has witnessed firsthand the devastating impacts of coral degradation. Collaborating with local stakeholders, Coral Vita empowers communities to participate in restoration efforts. Since incorporating, they have participated
in workforce development initiatives with the government of The Bahamas, including staffing and internship programmes that have resulted in over half of farm positions filled by Bahamians, while the coral farm itself serves as a hands-on education centre and tourism attraction..
The urgency of restoring coral reef ecosystems cannot be overstated. Beyond their ecological significance, coral reefs act as natural barriers, shielding coastal areas from storms and erosion. Their decline leaves coastal communities increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather events, emphasising the necessity for collective action. Reefs power
tourism economies, nourish families, offer medicinal compounds, and reduce wave energy by 97%, safeguarding lives and property.
Governments, businesses, and individuals must unite behind initiatives prioritising the restoration and preservation of these invaluable ecosystems. The cost of inaction surpasses the investment required; studies show that every $1 invested in ecosystem restoration yields $5 in benefits.
The field of coral restoration shouldn’t need to exist, yet coral reefs deteriorate before our eyes. Protecting ecosystem health is vital for humanity’s well-being. Investing in coral reefs, along with mangrove forests and seagrass meadows, presents an opportunity to build a restoration economy. This investment in our future and the communities reliant on these ecosystems intertwines science, technology, finance, education, and entrepreneurship to address our planet’s pressing challenges while revitalising the ecosystems sustaining us all.
Coral Vita invites you to join us in protecting the world’s coral reefs. By adopting coral fragments to be grown and out-planted into degraded reefs, you can help in the effort to preserve these endangered ecosystems for future generations.
Or if you’d rather go all in, sponsor a reef. A restored reef starts here with one small coral fragment. Your adoption will fragment and grow a coral until it’s ready to fuse with other coral fragments and be planted back into the ocean.
For more details on how to get involved visit
www.coralvita.co
ONBOARD | WINTER 2024 | 17
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