DP World’s has announced ₤1 million investment to two Earthshot Prize Finalists, designed to scale their work in the UAE and Middle East.
Revive our Oceans Earthshot Prize Winner Bahamas-based Coral Vita will receive ₤500k to develop a strategy for the deployment of large-scale reef restoration in the UAE, which will implement approaches to grow climate resilient corals up to 50 times faster than traditional methods.
With these funds, they will begin collaborative work on reef restoration in the region, including scoping for the first commercial land-based coral farm for reef restoration in the Middle East.
Revive our Oceans Prize Finalist Australia-based Living Seawalls was also awarded ₤500k from DP World.
This investment will scale their innovative work creating panels that mimic natural habitats like rock pools and mangrove roots, which are fitted to coastal sea defences to return marine life to coastal shorelines. DP World’s commitment will fund the design and installation of the largest living seawall on the planet adapted to support the native marine life of the UAE and wider region.
Prince William lauded the DP World’s gesture during his visit to Middle East. On Friday, he was joined Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum and Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World, at the first-ever Earthshot Prize Innovation Showcase.
The Innovation Showcase profiled the ground-breaking solutions from the 2021 Earthshot Prize Finalists and included remarks from Earthshot Prize Council Members Prince William and Queen Rania Al Abdullah who participated via video message, challenging the distinguished audience to help scale the Earthshot Prize solutions that will repair and regenerate our planet.
“We have reason to hope, our future is not yet set, and while the task ahead is great, we still have the ability to repair our planet, and create a better world,” Prince William said. “The Earthshot mission is more than just a prize. It’s a global team effort to spark urgent optimism and game-changing innovation to transform our future”.
Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan said: “The future is these Finalists and so many like them around the world. They remind us that human ingenuity is the ultimate renewable resource.”
She continued: “Every sector has a role to play public, private, philanthropic. And the bottom line could not be clearer: If we work together, everybody wins.”
DP World Group Chairman and CEO, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, said: “Our business is connected to the oceans and their protection is an important priority across all our operations as part of our sustainable business commitments evidenced by our target of net zero carbon emissions by 2040”.