Coral Reefs In Peril

How we can protect the ocean right now

- MARC BENIOFF AND ED RUSSO

A nursery at the Coral Restoration Foundation in the Florida Keys

THE OCEAN MAY BE NATURE'S SINGLE GREATEST GIFT TO humanity. It provides about half of the oxygen we breathe, feeds billions of people, supports countless jobs in every corner of the globe, and absorbs more carbon dioxide than anything else on earth. The ocean connects us all.

But right now, the ocean is sounding an unmistakable alarm. Fishing boats around the world are returning emptier. Coastal zones are growing warmer and murkier, and they are becoming more polluted as millions of gallons of water laced with pharmaceuticals, forever chemicals, and sewage leak into the sea. Coral reefs are turning white.

We come to these challenges with different experiences and perspectives. One of us lives in the Florida Keys and chairs the White House Environmental Advisory Task Force. The other lives in Hawaii and the Bay Area and leads a global technology company. At the same time, we share something fundamental: a deep commitment to the health of the oceans—and a deep belief that differences in some areas should not prevent us from working together on pressing issues where we agree. We need to roll up our sleeves and get to work.

We have an opportunity for global action. Officials from more than 100 nations, scientists, and innovators recently gathered in Nice, France, for the United Nations Ocean Conference, held only once every few years. The meeting tested our ability to work together across sectors, borders, and worldviews, and to act on behalf of future generations.