The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A Grand Bahama-based coral farm is among 15 contenders that have been shortlisted for the Earthshot Prize that has been launched by the UK’s Prince William and the Royal Foundation.

Coral Vita, the international conservation group, is among three candidates for the Revive our Oceans award category with a project billed as “a truly cutting-edge breakthrough in coral farming that can restore our world’s dying coral reefs”.

Its land-based coral farm has been in restoration mode since Hurricane Dorian struck The Bahamas in September 2019. Located on a canal-front lot in the Discovery Bay subdivision, Coral Vita’s property experienced a 17-foot storm surge that carried away all its coral tanks. One was recovered 35 miles away in the High Rock settlement.

Coral Vita, whose partners include the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) and Grand Bahama Development Company (DevCO), has been working on a coral restoration project on the island. It estimates that around 80 percent of The Bahamas’ coral reefs have died.

The company’s founders include Gaitor Halpern and Sam Teicher. Other aspects of the development include an education and research centre and serving as an eco-tourist attraction. Coral Vita is competing with Living Seawalls, an Australian venture using seawall panels to restore marine life, and Pristine Seas, a US effort to protect 6.5m square kilometres of the world’s ocean.

Coral Vita has a chance to secure £1m if selected as the category winner. The Earthshot Prize aims to turn the current pessimism surrounding environmental issues into optimism through championing inspiring leadership, and helping to scale cutting-edge solutions. It seeks to discover 50 winners over ten years with the power to repair the planet.

Prince William said: “Over half a century ago, President Kennedy’s ‘Moonshot’ programme united millions of people around the goal of reaching the moon. Inspired by this, the Earthshot Prize aims to mobilise collective action around our unique ability to innovate, problem solve and repair our planet.

“I am honoured to introduce the 15 innovators, leaders and visionaries who are the first ever finalists for The Earthshot Prize. They are working with the urgency required in this decisive decade for life on earth and will inspire all of us with their optimism in our ability to rise to the greatest challenges in human history.”

The Earthshot Prize has been developed by The Royal Foundation, which assembled a diverse coalition of more than 200 people and organisations around the world, an Expert Advisory Panel, and The Earthshot Prize Council comprising influential individuals committed to championing positive environmental action.

The 15 finalists were assessed by the Expert Advisory Panel of scientific, academic and subject-matter leaders. Each of their solutions excelled in the screening process, and were assessed on their potential “to create game-changing impact around the world” while positively impacting people and communities. Some 750 nominations were received.