Scientific Collaboration

KSLOF Partners with CORDAP to Train the Next Generation of Coral Restoration Professionals

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We are proud to announce that the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation (KSLOF) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Coral Research and Development Accelerator Platform Foundation (CORDAP). This formal agreement was signed by HRH Princess Hala bint Khaled bin Sultan, President of KSLOF, and Professor Carlos Duarte, the CEO of CORDAP Foundation, during the Champions for Coral Innovation Accelerator Gala held at the Science Museum in London.

This agreement marks the beginning of a strategic partnership to train the next generation of coral restoration professionals. The collaboration focuses on building capacity and enhancing educational initiatives for coral reef restoration. By sharing best practices and training practitioners, the partnership aims to improve the effectiveness of coral reef restoration efforts around the world.

Working with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation to save corals in the South Pacific

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Earlier this year the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation (KSLOF) and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation (GBRF) entered into a formal partnership to help save corals in the South Pacific region. Founded in 1999, the Great Barrier Reef Foundation …

From Space to Seabed: Researchers use satellites to analyze global reef biodiversity

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Researchers used Earth-orbiting satellites to map coral reef biodiversity at a global scale to show that areas of high habitat diversity also have high species diversity. This new satellite mapping technique, developed by researchers at the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation (KSLOF) and the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, can help guide future efforts to identify and protect highly biodiverse reefs…

The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation at COP28

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The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation (KSLOF) will be participating in COP28 this December 2023. The 28th annual United Nations climate meeting is being hosted by the UAE and will be held at Expo City in Dubai. The United Nations COP or “Conference of Parties” is the highest decision-making process on climate issues as it convenes over 70,000 delegates, heads of state, and world leaders. KSLOF is honored to be participating in several events at COP28 this year to discuss the role of philanthropy in ocean conservation, upcoming projects that focus on monitoring and restoration of coral reefs, and the importance of preserving global biodiversity through coral reef protection…

Nurturing Innovation and Community Connection at UC Berkeley’s Gump Research Station

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In the heart of Moorea Island in French Polynesia, a recent workshop at UC Berkeley’s Gump Research Station set the stage for a potentially transformative endeavor. Hosted by Gump Station, this gathering was dedicated to fostering a dynamic collaboration between scientists and the local community. The goal? To inform the creation of an ‘Innovation Hub’ that bridges the gap between research and the people it ultimately serves.

The event brought together over 30 people from around the world with an interest in working with the environment and people of French Polynesia. Participants included an eclectic mix of scientists, funders, representatives from nonprofit and community outreach organizations, and prominent members of the local community. The Foundation’s Chief Communications Officer, Liz Thompson, attended and shared some ideas about what the Innovation Hub could be and how it could be structured to benefit both the people and the marine environment of Moorea. The workshop succeeded in bringing together diverse minds united by a shared passion for combining science and outreach for conservation…

Unite for Nature

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The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation is proud to have worked with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to help them launch a groundbreaking member magazine, ‘Unite for Nature.’ This publication is set to serve as a vital platform for IUCN members to share their conservation stories, showcase achievements, and foster a united sense of purpose within the global conservation community.

Named ‘Unite for Nature,’ the magazine embodies the shared vision of IUCN and its members to work collectively towards a just world that values and preserves nature. Through its pages, the magazine will highlight past successes, ongoing initiatives, and plans for the future of conservation. It will draw upon the extensive and diverse environmental network that constitutes the Union of the IUCN, showcasing the vital role of its members in this collaborative effort.

The Living Oceans Foundation takes immense pride in our IUCN membership. This affiliation serves as a testament to the Foundation’s unwavering commitment to the preservation of our planet’s invaluable natural resources. As a member of IUCN, the Foundation gains access to a dynamic network of like-minded individuals and organizations dedicated to effecting positive change in conservation. Working with IUCN embodies our commitment to conducting Science Without Borders® and working with organizations around the world to safeguard our precious natural heritage for generations to come…

Lau Seascape Initiative

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The Lau Seascape Initiative (LSI) is a program that focuses on the conservation and protection of marine ecosystem resources in the Lau region of Fiji. With multiple stresses such as climate change and overharvesting of coastal fisheries, the Indigenous peoples of Lau, in conjunction with the NGO Conservation International, have joined together to create a roadmap for protecting Lau’s biodiversity and ecosystems while in tandem with promoting sustainable development solutions for the local stakeholders.

One of the goals of this program was to bring together scientists, traditional leaders, government officials, and the people of Lau for the LSI Planning Retreat. The retreat took place in early March of this year in Suva, Fiji’s capital city. I was asked by Conservation International to speak to the LSI group about past work conducted in Lau by The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation (KSLOF) as well our future work with our in-country conservation partner the Pacific Blue Foundation. The title of my presentation Reefs of Lau Province: Past, Present, and Future, explains local, regional, and global context for status of the Lau reefs and what new technologies and methods KSLOF is helping refine for sustainable coral reef management…

Science Without Borders: Our Approach to Co-Design

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Earlier this month, H.R.H. Princess Hala bint Khaled bin Sultan spoke about the importance of conducting science for sustainable development at the Third Foundations Dialogue Meeting in Monaco.

Hosted by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation on behalf of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, this high-level event brought philanthropic organizations from around the world together in an effort to align our efforts in support of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, known as the “Ocean Decade.” Together, we are helping the Ocean Decade attain ‘the science we need for the ocean we want.’

As the President of the Living Oceans Foundation, Princess Hala spoke eloquently about her own journey into marine conservation and the Foundation’s work to preserve healthy oceans for current and future generations. She also highlighted the value of embracing a philosophy of co-design — working with community members as equal partners when developing science-based solutions for ocean conservation. In her speech, she called upon the global marine philanthropic community to work together and reach across borders to find solutions that can lead to a healthier ocean for all.

See what she said in her speech from the opening session, which was attended by HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, HRH Princess Lalla Hasnaa of Morocco, and Mrs Audrey Azoulay, Director General of UNESCO, along with many other esteemed guests: