Nature-Based Solutions and Metrics for Cross-Sector Success Discussed Last Week by Scientists, Private Sector and Government at SIDS4 Panel
ST JOHNS, Antigua, June 6, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- OceanShot, an innovative coral ecosystem restoration project spearheaded by renowned marine scientist Dr. Deborah Brosnan and philanthropist and business entrepreneur John Paul DeJoria, announced its latest expansion just ahead of World Oceans Day. Last week at the United Nations fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS), OceanShot co-founder John Paul DeJoria proudly revealed the opening of the OceanShot Innovation Learning Lab on Barbuda, a place to study the science and design of coral reefs to learn to build more effective reefs against wave action and climate change. With the opening of the Innovation Lab, the project strengthens its scalable expansion where solutions can be transferred and deployed to other SIDS.
Speaking remotely, John Paul DeJoria said, "Private investment is very essential in creating not only opportunities, but solving a lot of challenges that we have. I'm personally committed to building our OceanShot Innovative Center of Learning. The program that we've put together through our new international OceanShot Center will help train the community to take over, solve their own challenges and learn the scientific approach. The most exciting thing is it's a proper way to invest – When you take biodiversity, job creation, and create a project that is good for the land, good for the ocean, and most importantly good for the Barbudan people, it is also a good investment with a good return."
"OceanShot benefits both people and the planet," said Dr. Brosnan. "Providing a learning-based lab in a small Island provides a way to forge linkages between new technology, scientists, and local communities. There is a lot of talent on small Islands but not always the opportunities."
The announcement came as Deborah Brosnan & Associates hosted a high-level UN SIDS4 panel in partnership with the Government of Antigua and Barbuda and Fugro. The subject, "Assigning Cross Sector Values to Nature-Based Interventions and Solutions for the Oceans and Specifically for SIDS," covered the importance of investing in nature-based solutions to revitalize and build the SIDS nature-based economies, financing mechanisms, and ways to sustain biodiversity and create resilience.
Bringing together participants across sectors, the panel featured marine and climate scientist Dr. Deborah Brosnan, Antigua and Barbuda's Hon. Prime Minister Gaston Browne, Hon. Charles Henry Fernandez, Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Transportation and Investment of Antigua and Barbuda, Yabanex Batista, Deputy Director at the UN Global Fund for Coral Reefs, Dr. Valerie Hickey, Global Director, Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy at the World Bank, and David Millar, Government Accounts Director, Americas at Fugro with special expert commentary participation from Fergal Mythen (Ambassador to the UN for Ireland) Margaux Monafred (International Coral Reef Initiative) and James Crockett (Flora and Fauna International).
"Rarely do all of the sectors – scientists, private sector, and governments – come together to dialogue about what is important to all, to understand each other's perspectives, and where they can find common ground," said Dr. Deborah Brosnan. "Nature based solutions are a technology that can support the triple bottom line of environment, adaptation and growth. They are the through-line that will prevent SIDS from having to choose between growth and repeated disaster recovery efforts and costs."
Panelists noted that we have always relied on nature and that our challenge is to modernize our approach with good data, science-driven approaches, financing innovations, supportive policies and widespread engagement. As Dr. Valerie Hickey stressed, nature-based solutions are not a Trojan horse for conservation, but a dual-technology that offers a real solution to the triple bottom line and that must be conducted properly.
SIDS, home to approximately 65 million people, are stewards of the ocean and gatekeepers to a high degree of biodiversity. However, these countries are grappling with high import and export costs, a rising debt crisis and the worsening impacts of climate change. For SIDS, biodiversity, economic returns, and coastal resilience, including risk reduction and vulnerability reduction, are key metrics that capture the benefits from nature-based solutions – and which can be used across sectors.
ABOUT OCEANSHOT
Founded by marine biologist & climate scientist Dr. Deborah Brosnan and philanthropist entrepreneur John Paul DeJoria, OceanShot is a massive, scalable coral reef restoration project where coral modules are architecturally designed to restore a once-thriving ocean ecosystem, and to protect shoreline and ocean communities from the ravaging impact of storms and sea level rise, as well as to revive ocean-dependent local economies. OceanShot assembled a team of coral reef biologists, sea level rise experts, coastal engineers, and the local community on the island nation for an intensive, year-long ecosystem study – including monitoring innovative AI cameras to analyze the natural ecosystem, including fish diversity, coral growth, and wave patterns. Reefs were then designed in a lab and planted in the ocean.
The first phase of OceanShot was the deployment of 5 Built Reef Modules off Barbuda in October 2022, and several others are in the design process and will be deployed in the coming year. In October 2022, John Paul DeJoria, Dr. Deborah Brosnan and the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda announced the development of an OceanShot Center and Innovation Lab to be built on Barbuda. The program is managed by Deborah Brosnan & Associates.
ABOUT DEBORAH BROSNAN & ASSOCIATES
Deborah Brosnan & Associates brings 25 years' experience of successfully crafting innovative science-based solutions to environmental challenges for discerning clients worldwide who want the best for their project, environment and community. Led by renowned scientist Dr. Deborah Brosnan they are sought out by companies and governments seeking lasting solutions to climate-change and environmental issues.
Media Contact
Kristin Lunt, OceanShot, 1 (202) 262-1635, [email protected], https://www.deborahbrosnan.com/oceanshot.html
SOURCE OceanShot
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