Three Plans to Revive Our Oceans | The Earthshot Prize 2022 | PBS

Summary

The Earthshot Prize highlights innovative solutions to revive our oceans, facing threats from climate change and pollution. Indigenous Australian women are leading ocean conservation efforts, using technology to manage their land and seas. The Great Bubble Barrier in the Netherlands intercepts plastic pollution in rivers before it reaches the oceans. Seaforester addresses the decline of seaweed forests by replanting them using cost-effective and scalable techniques. These finalists offer hope for ocean recovery, emphasizing the urgency of action.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The Earthshot Prize is optimistic about repairing and regenerating our planet within this decade, focusing on five challenges to drive essential solutions.
• 🌊 Oceans are crucial for life on Earth, but they face severe threats from warming temperatures, pollution, and harmful fishing practices.
• 🏆 The three finalists for the Earthshot Prize's 'Revive Our Oceans' category present innovative solutions for ocean conservation.
• 🏝️ Indigenous Australian women are leading the way in ocean conservation, particularly in the Great Barrier Reef, using technology and cultural practices.
• 🌡️ Climate change is causing coral bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef, affecting marine ecosystems, tourism, and the economy.
• 💡 The Queensland Indigenous Women Ranger Network empowers women to manage land and sea country with culturally appropriate training.
• 🚫 The Great Bubble Barrier project in the Netherlands intercepts plastic pollution in rivers before it reaches the oceans, using a simple and effective design.
• 🌱 Seaforester's solution addresses the decline of seaweed forests by using innovative seaforestation techniques, including 'green gravel' for replanting.
• 🏅 Winning the Earthshot Prize would provide financial and motivational support to scale up these solutions and inspire global action.
• 🌱 Seaweed forests, like kelp, are highly efficient at absorbing CO2, making their restoration a critical part of the fight against climate change.

Q & A

What is the Earthshot Prize and what does it aim to achieve?

The Earthshot Prize is an environmental award that remains optimistic about repairing and regenerating our planet this decade. It sets out five challenges to drive essential solutions for the Earth's most pressing issues.

How does climate change impact the Great Barrier Reef?

Climate change impacts the Great Barrier Reef by causing an excess of carbon dioxide in the water and a rise in ocean temperatures, leading to widespread coral bleaching and devastation for marine ecosystems.

Who are the Indigenous Australian women contributing to the conservation of the Great Barrier Reef?

The Indigenous Australian women contributing to the conservation are led by Larissa Hale, an Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger in Archer Point, Cape York, Australia.

What is the Queensland Indigenous Women Ranger Network and what is its purpose?

The Queensland Indigenous Women Ranger Network is a group supported by the government to provide culturally appropriate training for women to manage their land and sea country using technology.

How does the Great Bubble Barrier project in the Netherlands address ocean pollution?

The Great Bubble Barrier project catches plastic pollution in rivers before it enters the ocean using a perforated tube that creates a curtain of bubbles to bring plastic to the surface, where it can be collected.

What is the significance of seaweed forests in the context of climate change?

Seaweed forests, particularly kelp forests, are significant because they can absorb CO2 at least five times more efficiently than tropical forests on land due to the rapid growth of algae.

What is Seaforester and how does it propose to restore seaweed forests?

Seaforester is a solution that aims to restore seaweed forests using innovative seaforestation techniques, such as 'green gravel,' which involves seeding small stones with seaweed spores and deploying them at sea.

How would winning the Earthshot 2022 Prize benefit the finalists?

Winning the Earthshot 2022 Prize would provide the finalists with opportunities for more training, accelerate the implementation of their solutions, and show that their work has value and should be scaled and implemented globally.

What is the role of human ingenuity and nature in the solutions presented by the finalists?

The finalists' solutions showcase the role of human ingenuity in developing innovative technologies and strategies, while also highlighting the importance of nature's ability to regenerate and recover when given the right support.

Why is it crucial to protect and revive our oceans according to the script?

Protecting and reviving our oceans is crucial because they are one of the most threatened environments on our planet, yet they are essential for our survival, supporting a vast array of marine life and ecosystems.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Ocean Conservation and Climate Change

The Earthshot Prize is focused on finding solutions to repair and regenerate our planet, with a particular emphasis on ocean conservation. The Great Barrier Reef is highlighted as a key area under threat from climate change, with coral bleaching and ecosystem devastation being significant issues. Indigenous Australian women are leading the charge in ocean conservation through the Queensland Indigenous Women Ranger Network, which provides culturally appropriate training and support for land and sea management. The importance of monitoring climate change and capturing data to inform conservation efforts is emphasized. Winning the Earthshot Prize would enable further training and management opportunities, potentially revitalizing the Great Barrier Reef.

05:02

🌿 Innovative Solutions for Ocean Pollution and Seaweed Forests

The Great Bubble Barrier is introduced as a project in the Netherlands designed to intercept plastic pollution in rivers before it reaches the ocean. This simple yet effective solution uses a perforated tube to create a bubble curtain that brings plastic to the surface for collection. The project's aim is to create a replicable model that can be implemented globally to combat plastic pollution. On the other hand, Seaforester is tackling the global decline of seaweed forests, particularly kelp, which are crucial for absorbing CO2. They are employing innovative seaforestation techniques, such as 'green gravel,' to replant seaweed spores and restore these vital ecosystems. Winning the Earthshot Prize would validate their approach and encourage its global implementation.

Keywords

💡Earthshot Prize

The Earthshot Prize is an environmental award designed to encourage and reward innovative solutions to global environmental challenges. In the video, it is presented as a source of optimism and a driving force for change, with the goal of repairing and regenerating the planet within a decade. The script mentions five challenges that the prize aims to address, highlighting the prize's comprehensive approach to environmental issues.

💡Climate Change

Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns, primarily due to human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. In the video, climate change is identified as the most pressing problem affecting the oceans, causing issues like coral bleaching and threatening marine ecosystems. It is a central theme that connects the various solutions presented by the finalists.

💡Coral Bleaching

Coral bleaching is a phenomenon where corals expel the symbiotic algae living within their tissues, causing them to turn white. This is often a response to stressors such as increased water temperatures, which can be exacerbated by climate change. The video discusses how coral bleaching is harming the Great Barrier Reef, emphasizing the urgency of the environmental crisis.

💡Indigenous Knowledge

Indigenous knowledge encompasses the traditional practices, understanding, and skills developed by indigenous communities over generations. In the video, indigenous Australian women are highlighted for their role in ocean conservation, using their cultural knowledge and training to manage land and sea in a way that supports the recovery of ecosystems like the Great Barrier Reef.

💡Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system, located in the Coral Sea off the coast of Queensland, Australia. It is a significant marine ecosystem that faces severe threats from climate change, as mentioned in the video. The script discusses efforts to protect and restore the reef, emphasizing its importance to marine life and human communities.

💡Plastic Pollution

Plastic pollution refers to the accumulation of plastic products in the environment, causing harm to wildlife and ecosystems. The video introduces the Great Bubble Barrier project, which aims to intercept plastic waste in rivers before it reaches the oceans, illustrating innovative solutions to this global problem.

💡Great Bubble Barrier

The Great Bubble Barrier is an innovative project mentioned in the video that uses a system of bubbles to catch plastic waste in rivers. It is designed to prevent plastic from entering the oceans without disrupting marine life or shipping. The concept is an example of human ingenuity in addressing environmental challenges.

💡Seaweed Forests

Seaweed forests, particularly kelp forests, are underwater ecosystems that provide habitat for a variety of marine species and play a crucial role in absorbing carbon dioxide. The video discusses the alarming disappearance of these forests and introduces Seaforester, a project aimed at restoring them using innovative techniques like 'green gravel'.

💡Seaforester

Seaforester is a project highlighted in the video that focuses on restoring seaweed forests, which are essential for carbon sequestration and marine biodiversity. The project uses a technique called 'green gravel,' where stones are seeded with seaweed spores and then deployed in the sea to reestablish these vital ecosystems.

💡Sustainability

Sustainability refers to the ability to maintain processes or resource use over the long term without depleting the environment. The video's theme of reviving the oceans is closely tied to the concept of sustainability, as the solutions presented aim to ensure the long-term health and resilience of marine ecosystems.

💡Marine Ecosystems

Marine ecosystems are communities of marine life and their environments, including coral reefs, kelp forests, and open ocean habitats. The video emphasizes the importance of protecting and restoring these ecosystems, which are under threat from climate change, pollution, and other human activities.

Highlights

The Earthshot Prize is optimistic about repairing and regenerating our planet within this decade, focusing on five challenges to drive essential solutions.

Oceans are crucial for life on Earth, but are threatened by warming temperatures, pollution, and harmful fishing practices.

The Great Barrier Reef faces intense pressure from climate change, with coral bleaching and marine ecosystem devastation.

Indigenous Australian women are leading ocean conservation efforts to help the Great Barrier Reef recover.

Larissa Hale, an Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger, discusses the impact of climate change on the Great Barrier Reef.

The Queensland Indigenous Women Ranger Network provides culturally appropriate training for women in land and sea management.

Capturing data annually is crucial for monitoring climate change's effects on the oceans.

Winning the Earthshot Prize would provide more opportunities for indigenous women to manage their land and sea country.

The Great Bubble Barrier project in the Netherlands prevents plastic pollution from entering the ocean by catching it in rivers.

Francis Zoet, COO of the Great Bubble Barrier, shares his vision for a scalable solution to the world's plastic pollution problem.

The bubble barrier uses a simple design of a perforated tube and compressed air to collect plastic waste.

The project aims for a bubble barrier that can be easily replicated and implemented by local actors.

Seaforester, led by marine scientist Jan Verbeek, addresses the disappearance of seaweed forests worldwide.

Seaweed forests, particularly kelp, can absorb CO2 more efficiently than tropical forests on land.

The green gravel technique is an innovative method for replanting seaweed spores to restore seaweed forests.

Winning the Earthshot 2022 Prize would validate and promote the scaling of Seaforester's solution globally.

The finalists' innovative solutions aim to protect the world's seas and give them a chance to recover.

Inspiring others to take action is crucial for achieving the urgent goal of reviving our oceans.

Transcripts

- [Narrator] The need to take action to save our planet

is greater than ever, but the time we have

to make significant change is running out.

But just as President John F. Kennedy had faith

that we could put a person on the moon,

the Earthshot Prize remains optimistic

that we can repair and regenerate our planet this decade,

and sets out five challenges to drive essential solutions.

Life on Earth would simply not exist without our oceans.

But warming temperatures, pollution,

and harmful fishing practices are having devastating impacts

on them, putting life underwater in jeopardy.

Our three Revive Our Oceans finalists

for the Earthshot Prize believe they have found solutions

so that our oceans can continue

to sustain and enrich all life on earth.

For one of our most iconic and important ocean marvels,

that support starts at home.

In recent years, the Great Barrier Reef has come

under intense pressure from the climate crisis.

An excess of carbon dioxide in the water,

and a rise in ocean temperatures

have seen widespread coral bleaching

and devastation for countless marine ecosystems.

But help is at hand.

A group of indigenous Australian women

are changing the way we look at ocean conservation,

giving the Great Barrier Reef a chance of recovery.

- My name's Larissa Hale.

I'm an Indigenous Land and Sea Ranger

in Archer Point, Cape York, Australia.

The problems that are affecting our oceans the most

is climate change.

Along the Great Barrier Reef,

the heating of the water is causing our corals

to have bigger bleaching events,

but it's also affecting our tourism and our economy.

I was initially

the first indigenous female ranger coordinator

for Queensland,

and being the only woman in the room,

it was a little bit daunting.

I realized that we needed to have more women

on country doing land and sea management,

and that it is possible

for us to do land and sea management.

Then in 2018, the government supported for us

to create the Queensland Indigenous Women Ranger Network.

We had 34 ladies come to that meeting,

and then earlier this year we had 124 registered.

Our solution supports and mentors,

and provides culturally appropriate training for these women

so that they can use technology

to better manage their land and sea country.

One way to monitor climate change with the oceans

is by capturing the data.

And every year, you make sure you go back

and capture that footage.

I believe that our solution is just at the start.

Winning the Earthshot 2022 Prize would be very humbling.

It would provide so much more opportunities

for them to get the training that they need

to be able to better manage their country.

- [Narrator] By providing and empowering people

with the knowledge they need to protect

and revive their home environments,

our oceans have a chance of recovery.

But there are others who are trying

to stop the threats facing the ocean

before they can even get there.

The Great Bubble Barrier is a project in the Netherlands

that catches plastic pollution in the rivers

before it can ever enter the ocean.

Using an ingenious and incredibly simple design,

this solution could be the answer

to the world's plastic pollution problem.

- I'm Francis Zoet, and I'm the chief operations officer

of the Great Bubble Barrier.

I grew up in a small village by the lake,

so water sports and passion for water was always inside me.

But I was also a very environmentally conscious kid,

so I had to do something with it later in life.

I lived in Amsterdam for quite a while,

and seeing plastic in the canals there

would really make my heart ache,

knowing that this plastic would run off

into the North Sea immediately,

and it would stay there for the rest of my lifetime.

So each year, 1.8 million metric tons of plastic

ends up in our oceans,

and the majority of it comes by rivers.

And with our bubble barrier,

we stop plastics before it reaches the oceans,

while not hindering ship traffic or fish migration.

So the bubble barrier consists of a perforated tube

placed on the bottom of a river,

and we compress air through the tube

which brings up a curtain of bubbles,

and that curtain brings up plastic to the surface.

And by placing it diagonally,

we can use the natural current of the river

to guide waste to the side

where we can collect and remove it.

For the future, we are aiming for a bubble barrier

that can be replicated easily,

but that we're also not the only actors

to put it in the water.

So we would love to work with local contractors,

with local organizations,

to move faster and make a larger impact.

And winning the Earthshot Prize

would really help us accelerate that moment.

- [Narrator] Stopping pollution

before it can enter the ocean

is a simple and effective way

to protect our marine environments.

But where human ingenuity isn't enough,

we must rely on nature to take the reigns.

And sometimes, all it needs

is a push in the right direction.

- My name is Jan Verbeek.

I'm working as a marine scientist.

The name of our Earthshot solution is Seaforester.

The problem that our solution is trying to solve

is the alarming disappearance of seaweed forests

that is happening all over the world.

Seaweed forests, and I think particularly

kelp forests are incredibly important.

They can actually absorb CO2

at least five times more efficiently

than the tropical forests on land,

and this is due to the sheer speed

at which these algae can grow.

Kelp forests have already been decimated across the world.

We've lost around 50% of them in the past few decades.

Our solution to restore the forgotten forests of seaweeds

is using quite innovative seaforestation techniques

to replant these habitats.

So one of our main tools is a technique called green gravel.

We use small stones that we seed with seaweed spores.

We grow them for a period of time in our land-based nursery,

and then they just deploy it at sea

by just simply scattering from a boat.

The beauty of this is that it's very cost effective

because we are not diving.

It's very scalable because you can really apply this

over large areas,

and this is really, really needed at this time

because the amount of seaweed forests that we are losing,

you cannot restore with conventional methods.

Winning the Earthshot 2022 Prize would mean a lot to myself

but also to Seaforester,

because this is really showing

that what we have developed, our solution

and what we're working on has value,

and it's something that should be scaled

and implemented across the world.

- [Narrator] The ocean is one

of the most threatened environments on our planet,

and yet it is one on which our very survival depends.

These three finalists have all found ingenious

and unique ways to help protect the world's seas,

and give them a chance to bounce back.

If they inspire others to do the same, then hope remains

that we will achieve this most vital urgent Earthshot,

and give ourselves the chance to revive our oceans.

(gentle music)