Oceans

As part of the Climate Champions’-led Ocean Breakthroughs, the Edges of Earth team spent time in Belize to learn from and spotlight the incredible efforts of local leaders, including Tara Scarborough. Through interviews dives, and deep conversations, Tara shared her commitment to uniting her community to safeguard Belize’s precious marine ecosystems.

The 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) brought together businesses, private finance and subnational actors from around the world, marking significant progress in the collective effort to combat climate change. COP29 also saw steps forward for climate finance, the operationalization of carbon markets, as well as progress on the Mitigation Work Program and the global goal on adaptation.

The launch of the NDC Task Force and strengthened partnerships took centre stage at COP29 to accelerate mangrove conservation and climate resilience worldwide

Meet Neal Spackman, a regenerative development visionary bringing transformative change to degraded landscapes and communities worldwide.
Through projects like the Al Baydha Project and Regenerative Seawater Agriculture (RSA), Neal is breathing life back into ecosystems while creating sustainable livelihoods.

Meet Gator Halpern, Co-founder and President of Coral Vita, who’s scaling coral restoration to combat ocean warming. By cultivating resilient corals in high-tech farms, Coral Vita restores damaged reefs in the Bahamas and beyond, safeguarding biodiversity and supporting local economies.

Women are at the forefront of tackling the climate crisis, bringing unique perspectives to drive equity and resilience. This feature highlights eight inspiring leaders proving that inclusive climate action is essential in our race to a better world.

The Integrated Rice and Shrimp Farming initiative in the Mekong Delta brings together farmers, businesses, civil society, and local governments to implement a nature-positive solution aimed at improving agricultural sustainability and climate resilience.

The Food Systems Call to Action aims to accelerate action to transform food systems to deliver for people, nature, and climate. We are calling on all Non-State Actors and governments to take urgent action to transform food systems to deliver for people, nature, and climate by 2030.

Learn how Asha Juma Khamis and Asha Bakar Mtwana, marine rangers supported by the Global Fund for Coral Reefs, are transforming Pemba’s coral reefs and enhancing community resilience as part of the Race to Resilience.

Three new regions — Assam (India), Louga (Senegal), and Pernambuco (Brazil) — have joined the Race to Resilience campaign through RegionsAdapt, committing to enhance climate resilience. Discover how these areas are empowering local communities, from rural farming to coastal restoration, to protect their environments and create sustainable futures.

As part of an ongoing series to support the Climate Champions’ Ocean Breakthroughs, the Edges of Earth expedition team spoke with Connie Crocker (Xwulslim). Connie shared her journey from a childhood immersed in fishing to leading efforts to restore vital kelp forests in British Columbia.

Rising sea levels, more frequent storm surges, and erosion are jeopardising the intricate coastal features and ecosystems that create perfect waves, threatening both the sport and the economies it supports. In response, Race to Resilience partner, the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA), are supporting Save The Waves with their pioneering and innovative insurance model in El Salvador, aimed at protecting precious surf ecosystems and the communities that depend on them. 

On International Youth Day 2024 meet the Climate Champions Youth Fellows driving change across the globe. These inspiring young professionals are leading the charge in climate diplomacy, working alongside UN Climate Change High-Level Champions for COP28 and COP29.

As part of an ongoing series to support the Climate Champions’ Ocean Breakthroughs, the Edges of Earth expedition team met with a woman whose family has been at the centre of Cabo Pulmo for generations —Judith Castro. During their conversation, Judith talked about how she has grown up alongside Cabo Pulmo, sharing the losses and the wins — and how she and her family transformed the oldest coral reef on the west coast of North America.

The Climate Champions are collaborating with the Edges of Earth expedition team, spotlighting local environmental champions around the planet to amplify the Ocean Breakthroughs via exclusively published content.

Discover the inspiring journey of Chuen in our latest Edges of Earth series, as she navigates the challenges of coastal tourism — one of five key sectors for the Ocean Breakthroughs — while upholding her deep commitment to community and nature.

As part of a new series to support the Ocean Breakthroughs, the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions and the Edges of Earth expedition explore how a community is adapting to and combating the impacts of climate change in the capital of Sri Lanka. The Edges of Earth team had the opportunity to spend two weeks living alongside Hafsa Jamel (pictured), learning about their work supporting local nature-based solutions that aim to mitigate climate challenges in their home country.

In April 2024, NOAA and ICRI scientists confirmed the fourth global coral bleaching event, highlighting the escalating impacts of climate change on coral reefs. This has spurred initiatives like the Coral Reef Breakthrough and the Global Fund for Coral Reefs to enhance protection, double effective conservation areas, and mobilize significant funding for restoration efforts.

In June 2021, the Nature-based Solutions for Climate, Biodiversity & People in the UAE Project was launched, focusing on the management and restoration of key coastal ecosystems, including mangroves, seagrasses and saltmarshes.  

Since its announcement at COP27, the Mangrove Breakthrough has gained significant momentum and brought much-needed attention to mangroves, critical coastal forests that provide essential benefits to society, biodiversity, and climate.

As the winners of the 2023 Resilient, Inclusive, and Sustainable Environments (RISE) grants challenge are announced, we take a look back at the transformative work of the 2022 cohort.