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.
Startup
United Kingdom
Europe & United Kingdom
Ocean Data, Literacy & Research
Ellie Mackay, Alex Dilnot-Smith
Ellipsis Earth scans rivers and coastlines with drones, processes these images with a uniquely-trained algorithm to create detailed heatmaps of hotspots, and advises partners on the best approaches to tackle each pollution challenge.
Learn MoreGrant
Indonesia
Asia
Ecosystems and Species: Preservation & Restoration
Dennis Kurniawan
Bawah Anambas Foundation actively restores the damaged coral reefs in Kiabu, Anambas. In 2020, they installed 40 coral spiders and planted 700 corals with SOA funding. This year, they plan to increase the percentage of coral cover via transplantation, re-establish fish habitat using coral spiders, and create 6 coral table nurseries.
Learn MoreGrant
Malaysia
Asia
Marine Data or Research
MELISSA BEATA MARTIN
This project will digitize the data of 1,000 key specimens at the South China Sea Repository and Reference Centre (RRC) so that data on Malaysian marine biodiversity can be made accessible to researchers and the general public, rather than just the researchers that work at RRC.
Learn MoreGrant
Ireland
Europe & United Kingdom
Ocean Data, Literacy & Research
Donal Griffin
Donal, Marine Policy Officer for the Fair Seas Campaign, will co-produce (with Marine Conservation Manager at Ulster Wildlife, Heidi), a monthly podcast intended to raise awareness of ocean issues and solutions in Ireland as well as global issue being addressed by SOA Ocean Leaders.
Learn MoreStartup
United States of America
North America
Pollution: Waste Reduction & Circular Use
Sea F. Briganti, Leigh Ann Tucker
LOLIWARE is a leading seaweed-based, climate tech company. Our mission is to advance the planet towards a plastic-free, de-carbonized future with products that are Designed to Disappear™. We exist to combat the massive plastic waste problem with a natural and carbon-negative alternative: seaweed.
Learn MoreGrant
United States of America, Honduras
North America
Marine Data or Research
Trent Tresch
A group of researchers, led by Trent Tresch, conduct multiple deep-sea dives to study the six gill sharks and the presence of microplastics at depths of 1000-2,500 feet off of Roatan, Honduras. The footage and findings from their research is shared through a display at a local museum, and SOA is partnering with them to share their project to raise awareness of the ways human impacts are being felt even at the depths of the ocean.
Learn MoreGrant
Peru
South America
Marine Data or Research
Javier Jeirzinho Valdivia De La Gala
SOA Arequipa Hub (Peru) will undertake a survey of marine macroinvertertebrates in the Arequipa region at three different underwater sites, and will catalogue and publish their findings on a website of their own making. This project will develop their skills as researchers and science writers.
Learn MoreGrant
Peru, Chile
South America
Ecosystems and Species: Preservation & Restoration
Daniel Caceres
SOA Peru will implement a number of projects related to supporting fisherfolk in coastal communities; one through assisting fishermen in achieving sustainable certifications, one through recording and sharing their stories. After conducting data analysis, a bill that raises copper mining standards in the region will be drafted. SOA Peru will also self-publish a children's book about the threat of seabed mining. This grant has been expanded to include emergency funds to address the January 2022 Peru oil spill.
Learn MoreGrant
Trinidad and Tobago
Caribbean
Ecosystems and Species: Preservation & Restoration
Khadija Stewart
The International Seabed Authority (ISA) is based in Jamaica and determines the fate of seabed mining permits for deep sea mining anywhere in the world. Khadija's project raises the voices of Caribbean youth and local awareness of the uncertainties and harm surrounding this emerging industry.
Learn More
