Coral reefs are the most biodiverse ecosystem on the planet and the lifeblood of a thriving ocean. Yet without action, 90 percent of coral reefs could die by 2050. Fortunately, reef guardian Theresa Fyffe has a plan. Learn how her team at the Great Barrier Reef Foundation is rolling out a targeted approach to large-scale coral restoration by combining breakthrough science with Indigenous wisdom and global collaboration ā giving coral reefs (and our planet) a fighting chance. (This ambitious idea is part of The Audacious Project, TED's initiative to inspire and fund global change.)For a chance to give your own TED Talk, fill out the Idea Search Application: ted.com/ideasearch.Interested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links:TEDNext: ted.com/futureyouTEDSports: ted.com/sportsTEDAI Vienna: ted.com/ai-viennaTEDAI San Francisco: ted.com/ai-sf Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas and conversations to spark your curiosity every day. I'm your host, Elise Hu. When you hear of the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Queensland, Australia, many people think of vast colors, sparkling waters, and technicolor fish. But coral reef systems are extremely sensitive to temperature.
And so as the planet warms, reefs across the world, including the Great Barrier Reef, are dying and at a terrifying pace. This problem might seem insolvable, but not to reef guardian Teresa Fyfe.
So in honor of World Oceans Day coming up this Sunday, we're sharing her inspiring talk where she shares how she and her team are deploying new technology with roots in cancer research that's making scalable coral restoration a reality. And as Teresa says, why it's not game over, but game on.
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When I say Great Barrier Reef, what do you see? If you grew up in the 2000s, I'm guessing it might be Nemo and his best friend Dory. Coral reefs are the most biodiverse ecosystem on our entire blue planet, home to more than a quarter of all marine life. They are food, livelihoods and coastal protection for more than one billion people.
They anchor the economies of over 100 nations and hold deep cultural significance for saltwater First Nations peoples who see coral reefs as their family and the creators of life. Sadly, our reef, my reef, has become the poster child for climate change. And here's why. Coral polyps, the tiny animals that build reefs, are incredibly sensitive to warming oceans.
When stressed by heat, they expel the algae that nourish them, exposing their skeletons and turning them white, a phenomenon called coral bleaching. Now, a bleached coral isn't dead, but it is sick and starving. And if temperatures stay too high for too long, it dies. Coral reefs are the absolute lifeblood of a thriving ocean. We thought them too big and too important to fail.
Already, we have lost half of the world's coral reefs. In 2024, the global extent of coral bleaching reached 53 countries and every ocean on Earth. By 2050, 90 percent of corals could be lost. And with coral reefs thought to be one of the most vulnerable ecosystems to climate change, we could witness their extinction in our lifetime. Because of this, many people have already given up.
They see the problem as just too big and the progress too slow. But I haven't given up. And I'm here to tell you why you shouldn't give up either. Prior to working at the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, I worked in medical research, and the parallels are surprisingly striking.
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