Looking back at 2022, I am humbled by the incredible work the SOA team brought to life. It was a record-breaking fundraising year, which allowed us to accelerate dozens of new ocean solutions that you can read about in this report. We now have more than 7,000 young ocean leaders around the world, and 82 hubs across 77 countries. The team came together for the first time since the pandemic at the United Nations Ocean Conference in Portugal, where we proudly cohosted the Youth and Innovation Forum. Many of us met in person for the very first time on the beautiful beach in Cascais, where we had the honor to watch more than 120 youth devise real-world solutions to some of the greatest threats facing our ocean – and even enjoyed a surprise appearance from actor and activist Jason Momoa! From our realized impact to strengthening internal bonds, it was truly SOA's greatest year yet.
Now looking forward to 2023, it is clear we still have so much work to do. We are bracing for the defining climate fight of our generation – deep-seabed mining. SOA has been campaigning vigorously against this destructive practice for more than two years, and recently delivered a collaborative petition with more than a quarter of a million signatures calling for a moratorium. The International Seabed Authority is set to vote on whether to allow the mining of the deep sea in July, and if approved, it could be open for business that very month. In the history of the destruction of our planet, our generation has never been present to prevent detrimental actions from taking place. This is why we are spending so much of our time restoring, regenerating, and rehabilitating. But now, we can prevent this horrific practice from ever starting. We cannot afford to stay silent and do nothing. We cannot afford to stay on the sidelines and watch those in power determine our fate and our future. This is why we must urgently continue to build our network of young ocean leaders – and ocean allies of all ages. It is critical we have a voice in world-altering decisions, as it is our future most at stake.
While we know we have our work cut out for us, I hope you are as inspired and buoyed by this report as I am. The climate crisis cannot be solved by one person. But together, we are creating meaningful change to protect our planet, our future, and each other.
Daniela V. Fernandez
Founder and CEO,
Sustainable Ocean Alliance
Our global network of people and solutions are making a measurable impact. These numbers are cumulative through December 31, 2022.
Sustainable Ocean Alliance takes a unique approach to solving key ocean challenges. By allocating funding across nonprofit grants, market-driven startup investments, and local initiatives, we support a diverse community of ocean solutions. This unique strategy has led to SOA supporting 266 ocean solutions across 77 countries over the past 5 years.
Through collaboration with ocean impact entrepreneurs, investors, philanthropists, and scientific advisors, we have developed a methodology for organizing and collecting impact data across five key ocean areas. Each solution represented in this report falls into one or more of these impact categories. We hope that this report will encourage funders to allocate more resources towards solving these ocean challenges.
—
Craig Dudenhoeffer
Chief Impact & Investments Officer
2022 IMPACT:
1,143 metric tons of CO2 avoided or removed
Greenhouse gasses (GHGs) absorb infrared solar radiation and trap heat in the atmosphere, resulting in global warming, climate change, increased ocean temperatures and sea level rise. CO2, one of the most common GHGs, is absorbed by the ocean, which in turn, causes ocean acidification. In 2022, 36.8 gigatons of carbon (CO2) were emitted globally.
By supporting solutions that remove or avoid GHG emissions, or that sequester and store CO2, SOA can help reduce these harmful environmental effects and improve the health of our ocean.
2022 IMPACT:
1,794 metric tons of waste removed, avoided, or recycled
(including 446 metric tons of plastic)
Every year, 11 million metric tons of plastic enter our marine environments, killing marine life, destroying sensitive ocean ecosystems, and polluting food sources that support livelihoods around the world.
SOA champions solutions that remove these harmful pollutants from the ocean or avoid their use altogether. Their work in turn helps to build the circular economy, which promotes the extension of product lifecycles through recycling and upcycling, and aims to decrease solid waste and pollution.
2022 IMPACT:
Marine and coastal ecosystems protect crucial biodiversity, and provide services vital to our existence. These areas include coral reefs, seagrass meadows, mangrove forests, salt marshes, and the deep seabed. Together, they serve as critical areas for wildlife reproduction, nurseries for marine organisms, and landscapes for carbon capture.
Solutions in this category measure impact by reporting the area of marine habitat they restore or protect. In 2022, this included establishing 3,573 square meters of coral reef, and planting 19,425 mangroves. This category also includes 11 projects related to local education and advocacy around the detrimental impacts of deep-seabed mining.
2022 IMPACT:
56.9 metric tons of Blue Foods Produced
55 metric tons of bycatch avoided
More than three billion people rely on seafood as a primary source of protein, and 260 million depend on fisheries for their livelihoods. Overfishing, and illegal and industrial practices are killing wildlife and destroying wild places. At the same time, aquaculture seeks to meet demand and reduce the burden on the ocean, but can result in high levels of pollution if not performed sustainably.
Emerging alternatives to any form of aquatically-derived animal protein are plant-based and new methods of cellular agriculture. SOA supports solutions that produce sustainable Blue Foods and those that help move our food systems towards a sustainable future.
2022 IMPACT:
3,149 People Trained or Educated
156 Reports & Publications
296 Workshops
Ocean data, literacy, and research projects help us build the knowledge base we need to activate all other ocean solutions. While there may not be a singular category to measure their impact, in 2022 we have elected to report on education, training, and knowledge sharing.
The majority of projects in this category represent grants to SOA's global community, via Hubs. Through hosting over 150 events and activations around the world, their work has engaged over 200,000 people. These projects inform policy, drive innovation, and equip new audiences with the knowledge they need to become change agents in their own right.
Grant
Peru
South America
Ecosystems and Species: Preservation & Restoration
Daniel Villafuerte
On January 15, 2022, a Repsol tanker spilled 6,000 barrels of crude oil off the coast of Peru after being struck by “abnormal waves” caused by the volcanic eruption in Tonga. 1.7 million sq meters have been greatly harmed, including a highly biodiverse region with two protected areas and over 1,000 small-scale fishers that depend on the region for their livelihood. SOA Peru is building disaster relief centers in each district impacted by the spill (Ventanilla, Santa Rosa and Ancón) to gather supplies like gloves and masks, transport and tend to injured wildlife, and support volunteers and organizations on the ground.
Learn MoreGrant
Seychelles
Africa
Ocean Data, Literacy & Research
Jeremy Raguain
In December 2020, young leaders in the Seychelles held a public panel discussion with representatives from government and civil society presenting the issue of deep seabed mining and discussing the possibilities and implications of mining. This dialogue fit into the Seychelles' current discussions on the marine spatial plan and realisation of its blue economy.
Learn MoreGrant
Mozambique
Africa
Ocean Data, Literacy & Research
Claudia Machaieie
This program intends to solve problems such as the lack of knowledge related to marine life and marine pollution, aiming to educate children to become ambassadors or protectors of the oceans in the future. The plastic found on the beach during cleanup activities can be used to produce household items, toys, and more objects from a 3D printer, thereby vitalizing this program by selling these produced goods.
Learn MoreGrant
Peru
South America
Ocean Data, Literacy & Research
Daniel Caceres Bartra
La Academia is an online course developed and managed by Sustainable Ocean Alliance through the SOA Hubs in Peru and Ecuador, in coordination with Hispanoamerica Hub network in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico, Chile, and Colombia. It educates Spanish-speaking young people interested in ocean conservation through seminars conducted by experts, multimedia educational content, and weekly assignments.
Learn MoreGrant
Belgium, United States of America
Europe & United Kingdom
Ecosystems and Species: Preservation & Restoration
Selene Alvarez Pena
SOA YPAC will conduct a community survey and policy brief about deep seabed mining as well as a roundtable discussion with high-level leaders to share their findings. They aim to use UNOC as a platform to share their findings, and will champion scientists, businesses, organizations, and communities who support the moratorium or practice a circular economy
Learn MoreGrant
Haiti
Caribbean
Ecosystems and Species: Preservation & Restoration
Katie O'Hara
Loggerhead Marinelife Center & the Haiti Ocean Project aim to provide local Haitian youth with the resources and knowledge to develop Haiti's first children's book on the importance of protecting sea turtles. This book will be written and illustrated by local Haitian students and distributed throughout Haiti’s fishing communities to educate and empower youth as future leaders in ocean conservation.
Learn MoreGrant
United States of America
North America
Blue Foods: Fisheries, Aquaculture, & Seafood Alternatives
Robyn Linner
The annual "Sentinel Survey" seeks to understand effects of climate change on Atlantic cod and other species in the eastern Gulf of Maine to inform federal management. Cod have essentially vanished from the NE region of the Gulf of Maine and scientists don't know why, in part because of a lack of data collected at the federal level (cod live in shallow waters, and lobster gear makes shallow survey trawling impossible). This survey seeks to fill this knowledge gap, while also collecting data on the impact of the rapidly warming waters of the Gulf of Maine.
Learn MoreGrant
Cameroon
Africa
Greenhouse Gas: Blue Carbon & CO2e Removal or Avoidance
Anthony Duxell Malle
Due to the lack of sustainable energy in Cameroon, coastal community members rely on coastal mangroves to fuel fish-drying, greatly degrading the mangrove forest. This project educates coastal community members about the importance of the mangrove ecosystem to the ocean and the environment. Through capacity-building training, like how to grow mangrove nurseries and planting coconut trees as alternative energy sources, they empower the most vulnerable populations to restore mangrove ecosystems and protect the shoreline.
Learn MoreGrant
Indonesia
Asia
Pollution: Waste Reduction & Circular Use
Savira Aristi
Uada aims to replace plastic packaging in the supply chain by making alternative containers using natural materials. The project also aims to educate end-users about the plastic waste and how to create more environmentally conscious consumption habits. Uada targets food containers at events (such as festivals) and food delivery packaging, and incentivizes and facilitates the switch in packaging materials - for which they will instead use deciduous dried leaf material to replace disposable plastic, which will biodegrade in 30 days.
Learn More
