Dr Emily Darling, Director of Coral Reef Conservation at the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), on AI, the cloud, corals, and saving the planet with citizen scientists by 2033.

Michael Gale's Futures In Focus

Ecological integrity represents an essential element for a sustainable planet by 2033 and beyond. Consider the importance of coral in safeguarding the food ecosystem within global communities, both affluent and impoverished. Approximately 40% of the world's population lives near or on the coastlines, relying significantly on the ecological balance of these areas.

Coral plays a vital role in preserving the ocean's ecosystem, responsible for absorbing up to 90% of all carbon emissions. Nevertheless, 15% of the tracked coral fields have already been lost worldwide. Suggestions to relocate bleached or dying coral to aquariums, sparked by record-high sea temperatures in Florida in 2023, are neither scalable nor a feasible long-term solution to safeguard coral.

The critical approach involves identifying resilient coral types that thrive under extreme climate conditions, such as typhoons and warmer waters. It's an imminent challenge necessitating a substantial database on coral responses to these climate variables. The key is empowering citizen scientists globally, whether in Fiji, Mauritius, Florida, or elsewhere, to collect crucial data on how coral adapts to diverse climatic conditions.

Emily Darling, overseeing strategy, partnerships, and impact for WCS's global coral reef portfolio across 16 countries, co-founded MERMAID (Marine Ecological Research Management AID; datamermaid.org). Through MERMAID, citizen scientists collect local coral visuals, which are then sent to the cloud for processing into a Postgres DB utilizing AI tools. This process, previously costing hundreds of millions and taking months, can now be completed within hours.

This signifies a prime instance of how basic technology, such as affordable underwater cameras, easy data sharing, and AI applications, can markedly contribute to the planet's sustainability. The open systems and the power of AI-driven networks formed by well-intentioned amateurs are influencing significant positive change.