King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), in partnership with NEOM, has launched the first nursery of the KAUST Coral Restoration Initiative (KCRI), which represents the world’s largest coral restoration project.
Already operational with a second facility underway, both situated in the Red Sea, this initiative features a cutting-edge nursery on the coast of NEOM and will initially produce 40,000 corals each year, with plans in place to expand. Indeed, it establishes the framework for an even more impressive enterprise, constructing the world’s largest and most sophisticated land-based coral nursery at the same location. This will be capable of nurturing 400,000 corals annually and is expected to be up and running by the end of 2025.
Coral reefs, home to 25% of marine species yet occupying less than 1% of the ocean floor, are vibrant marine ecosystems teeming with life, characterized by colonies of tiny organisms called coral polyps. With mass bleaching events and serious heat stress threatening up to 90% of global coral reefs annually by 2050, initiatives like KCRI are crucial for ocean health.
The project, set on a 100-hectare site, plans to deploy two million coral fragments as a significant conservation effort
In line with Saudi Vision 2030, KCRI aspires to increase marine conservation efforts by leveraging KAUST’s marine ecosystem research and trialing innovative restoration techniques. The project, set on a 100-hectare site, plans to deploy two million coral fragments as a significant conservation effort. The project, set on a 100-hectare site, plans to deploy two million coral fragments as a significant conservation effort.
Professor Tony Chan, President of KAUST, emphasised the necessity of shifting from labor-intensive restoration techniques to industrial-scale processes in addressing coral reef degradation, explaining: “Our ambition is to pioneer a pathway that can significantly reverse the current rate of coral reef degradation.”
Nadhmi Al-Nasr, CEO of NEOM, added: “This collaboration with KAUST not only aims to restore vital coral reefs but also to educate and raise awareness about the importance of preserving these essential marine systems for future generations.”