Blue Horizons

Design-led innovation for global ocean conservation

THE THREATS TO OUR OCEANS OUTPACE THE STANDARD SOLUTIONS.

WE NEED TO THINK BIGGER, BOLDER, FASTER.

The ocean is critical to our survival, providing half the oxygen we breathe, capturing 30% of CO2 emitted by human activities, controlling rainfall, regulating climate and representing the 7th largest economy on Earth. We are at a pivotal moment in history, ready for innovative thinking and strong commitments to ocean protection and climate action. 

Blue Horizons (Innovate/Scale) is one of four pillars of ocean conservation at Conservation International, alongside Blue Protection (Protect), Blue Communities (Manage), and Blue Climate (Restore/Adapt).

Together, these programs represent an integrated approach to conserving our global ocean from coastlines to the high seas.

Portfolio Projects:

CLIMATE SMART SHRIMP

Shrimp aquaculture has been a primary driver of mangrove destruction worldwide. Our Climate Smart Shrimp initiative has successfully transformed this harmful industry into a force for ecological restoration. An initial US$75K investment unlocked US$3.6 million in funding and earned recognition from the Climate Finance Lab. Now operating in Ecuador and Indonesia, the program is working toward the restoration of 1.7 million hectares of vital mangrove ecosystems in two of the world’s top five shrimp-producing countries. 

BLUE NATURE ALLIANCE

Historically, ocean protection was heavily fragmented and efforts were not adding up to reach global targets. The Blue Nature Alliance was created to solve this challenge and has managed to align more than 100 partners to accelerate impact. So far, we’ve supported 161 conservation areas spanning 23.4 million km²—nearly the size of the entire continent of North America. A US$5 million spark helped ignite US$125 million in direct funding, plus millions more through microfinancing.

CORAL REEFS OF THE HIGH SEAS

The high seas cover 70% of the ocean, yet until recently, had no governance and little protection. Today, this coalition—now 60 members strong—is shaping the future of one of the first high seas protected areas in partnership with the government of Chile. An initial US$250K investment unlocked US$4 million in funding and catalyzed millions more in in-kind deep-sea research. That research has led to the discovery of 150 brand new species in one of the least explored places on the planet.

TODAY’S INNOVATIONS BECOME TOMORROW’S FOUNDATIONS

As Director of Blue Horizons I lead innovation, communications and scale for global ocean conservation initiatives. Blue Horizons is a launchpad for game-changing ideas that exists to push the boundaries of what’s possible in ocean conservation and climate resilience.

We are looking for new, bold, and visionary partners to join us in the exploration of ocean conservation, nurturing the growth of compelling innovations and catalyzing radical improvements in the health of our oceans.

Come join us.