Enric’s Articles & Op-Eds
To save the oceans, we need MPAs that emphasize actual protection of marine ecosystems
Mongabay, 1 March 2022
If you are pessimistic about the state of our planet, let me surprise you with this: It is perfectly possible to rebuild life in our ocean to avoid ecological disaster. There is a way to make the ocean healthy again for the creatures that live in it and the humans who depend on them – which is, actually, all of humanity. READ
The Time to Protect Our Oceans is Now
Inter Press Service, 10 January 2022
There is no other place in the world like Costa Rica’s Cocos Island National Park. The waters surrounding the island–covered with tropical forests–are a playground to countless shivers, or schools, of sharks, including hammerhead sharks, whitetip reef sharks and whale sharks. READ
Enric Sala: A Bold Plan to Protect 30 Percent of the Earth’s Surface and Ocean Floor
TED Countdown, 11 November 2021
As a diver in the 1970s, marine ecologist Enric Sala saw once-lush oceanscapes reduced to underwater deserts -- but later, in marine preserves across the globe, he also witnessed the ocean's power to rejuvenate itself when left to its own natural devices. WATCH
China can show historic leadership through COP15 biodiversity talks
China Dialogue, 21 July 2021
By Enric Sala
If we needed more proof of our biodiversity crisis, a herd of wild elephants marching through China has been doing the job in the most heart-warming way possible. They’ve been walking north from Xishuangbanna for months, and their antics – raising babies, getting drunk, barging down doors and turning on taps to drink – have captivated the public. READ
Protecting the ocean is key to fighting climate change
World Economic Forum, 18 March 2021
By Enric Sala
2021 ought to be the “super year” for nature, where we collectively agree on how to deal with the greatest risk to humanity: we have become totally out of balance with nature. But there is a solution that is scientifically proven and cost-effective, and new research has found a way forward. READ
A Triple Win for Oceans, Climate, and Us
Project Syndicate, 18 March 2021
By Enric Sala
The world must protect at least 30% of the global ocean in order to restore marine life, increase seafood supply, and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. Meeting this goal would generate annual benefits – in terms of increased economic output and improved ecosystem services – that far exceed the investment required. READ
Biodiversity is the Most Effective Vaccine
SEVENSEAS Media, 7 December 2020
By Enric Sala
Sharks contain a molecule called squalene that may help produce a vaccine against the coronavirus that caused the COVID-19 pandemic – by eliciting a stronger immune response in humans. Producing one of these vaccines to inoculate everyone on the planet once could take the lives of a quarter million sharks. Sounds like a great solution: we cull a predator that kills humans, and get a vaccine for us at the same time. What’s not to like? Not so fast. This is precisely the attitude that got us in trouble in the first place. READ
Why We Need the Wild
Apolitical, 1 December 2020
By Enric Sala
For the last decade, my colleagues and I have met with presidents, prime ministers, and ministers of the environment to persuade them to protect some of the most wonderful places in the ocean. READ
Uncomplicated Solutions to Protect Our Oceans, Widespread Benefits
MacArthur Foundation, 18 November 2020
By Enric Sala
Recent reports about the state of the world’s oceans, climate, and biodiversity have been dire. All this sobering news can lead to a sense of powerlessness, pessimism, and paralysis. Everyone, from world leaders to everyday people, is asking themselves: Can we really change course and restore balance on our planet? READ
California Commits to a Plan to Save Itself — And Our Planet. Why Other States Should Follow.
The Hill, 23 October 2020
By Enric Sala
On October 7, California Governor Gavin Newsom took the bold step of committing the state to a goal of protecting 30 percent of California’s land and coastal waters by 2030. The move makes a lot of sense for California. It is a global biodiversity hotspot because of its unique plant diversity, and harbors rich and productive marine ecosystems. But this bounty is threatened by the confluence of the climate crisis, overexploitation and development. Its latest manifestation has been the apocalyptic fires that have burned more than four million acres. READ
Pristine Seas: How We Turned Frustration into Action for the Ocean
MacArthur Foundation, 3 September 2020
By Enric Sala
More than a decade ago, I was in my office at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in Southern California, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, wading through a sea of data we had collected on marine life of the Gulf of California. The data were depressing. Everything good—fish, biodiversity—was declining, while coastal development and other human pressures were increasing. I was writing my latest scientific publication, but it felt more like I was writing (and rewriting) an obituary for the ocean. That was frustrating, almost like the doctor who is telling a patient in excruciating detail how the person is going to die but not offering a cure. So, in 2007 I quit my job as an academic scientist and dedicated myself to taking action. READ
INSIGHT: Opening Marine National Monument to Fishing Is Like Treating Covid-19 With Eyedrops
Bloomberg Law, 30 July 2020
By Enric Sala
On June 5, in the midst of social unrest across the nation and a global pandemic, President Trump issued a presidential proclamation using the power of the 1906 Antiquities Act to open the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument—the first-ever marine monument on the U.S. East coast—to commercial fishing. READ
To Prevent the Next Deadly Disease, We Must Stop Harming Nature
National Geographic Magazine, 20 July 2020
By Enric Sala
SINCE MY CHILDHOOD by the Mediterranean Sea, I’ve been enchanted by the diversity of life on our planet and eager to learn all I could about it. I’ve spent much of my career studying the ocean food web, where in the course of natural events the smallest of the small are consumed by larger and larger predators, often ending in us. But scientists know there is more to the story, and I’ve been humbled to see life on our planet brought to a standstill by a tiny virus. READ
Other News & Press
Greece becomes the first country in Europe to ban bottom trawling in marine protected areas
Euronews Green, 16 April 2024
“Countries that are serious about keeping global temperatures at bay, conserving biodiversity and keeping their fishing industries vibrant must join Greece in ending this outdated practice in MPAs.” READ
Greece bans bottom trawling in all Marine Protected Areas
Oceanographic, 25 April 2024
“This historic move – a first for Europe – brings the country one step closer to ensuring that its marine protected areas can deliver the full potential of their benefits, which range from protecting biodiversity and storing carbon to boosting the tourism and fishing industries.” READ
National Geographic Pristine Seas Awarded Grant by the Bezos Earth Fund to Advance Goal of Protecting 30% of the Ocean by 2030
National Geographic Society, 27 June 2022
“It is an honor to receive this grant. It provides us with an exciting opportunity to work with local partners to accelerate, scale and finance permanent ocean protection,” said Enric Sala, National Geographic Explorer in Residence and Founder of Pristine Seas. READ
‘We need a wilder world, with wolves and sharks’
El Pais, 10 May 2022
Marine biologist Enric Sala explains that predators are key to the functioning of the ecosystems that provide so many services to humans. READ
“Necesitamos un mundo más salvaje, con lobos y tiburones”
El Pais, 3 May 2022
En su infancia en la costa mediterránea, Enric Sala (1968, Girona) quería ser buzo en el Calypso, el buque de investigación del célebre oceanógrafo Jacques Cousteau. READ
How the ‘blue acceleration’ is supercharging ocean exploitation
New Scientist, 20 April 2022
“Our society has been based on the degradation of nature, destruction of nature,” says marine ecologist Enric Sala, a National Geographic Explorer in Residence. READ
National Geographic Pristine Seas Embarks on Unprecedented Expedition in Colombia to Support New Marine Protected Areas in the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean
National Geographic Society, 15 March 2022
Unprecedented National Geographic Pristine Seas expedition in Colombia in partnership with with the Government of Colombia will conduct studies along with Colombian researchers to support the creation of new marine protected areas that will encompass 30 percent of Colombia’s seas. READ
Ecuador expands sea life protections around Galápagos
The Washington Post, 14 January 2022
The Galápagos, Charles Darwin once said, are “a little world within itself.” Many of the finches, tortoises and other animals that he saw there in 1835 — and that inspired his ideas on evolution — know no other home on Earth. READ
“Godfather of Biodiversity” Thomas Lovejoy Dies at 80
The Scientist, 12 January 2022
“Tom was a giant in the field of ecology and conservation,” National Geographic Explorer in Residence Enric Sala says in a statement from the organization. “He fought hard for the conservation of the Amazon forest. But most importantly, he was a wonderful mentor and extremely generous with his students, colleagues, and friends. He was the epitome of ‘gentleman and scholar.’” READ
National Geographic Explorer Enric Sala Receives Prestigious Award from Oceanographic Institute of Monaco
National Geographic Society, 22 November 2021
Today, the Oceanographic Institute, Prince Albert I of Monaco Foundation awarded National Geographic Explorer and Pristine Seas founder Enric Sala the Prince Albert I Grand Medal, the highest international distinction dedicated to ocean sciences that has been awarded since 1948. READ
The world is waking up to the scourge of illegal fishing
The Economist, 8 November 2021
It is time to stop thinking of old-fashioned piracy as the worst scourge among all human activities taking place upon the ocean. In the Indian and Pacific Oceans and beyond, that dubious honour easily falls to those taking part in illicit fishing. READ
Cop26: can our seas save us?
The Guardian, 8 November 2021
The Science Weekly podcast is in Glasgow, where we are bringing listeners daily episodes from Cop26. Each morning you will hear from one of the Guardian’s award-winning environment team. Today, the Guardian’s biodiversity reporter, Phoebe Weston, talks to one of the world’s leading marine ecologists, Dr Enric Sala, about the role our oceans can play in preventing climate catastrophe. LISTEN
Imagining: Notes from Session 2 of Countdown Summit
TED, 13 October 2021
As a diver in the 1970s, Enric Sala saw once-lush oceanscapes reduced to underwater deserts — but later, in marine preserves like the Medes Islands in Spain and Cabo Pulmo in Mexico, he also witnessed the ocean’s power to rejuvenate itself when left to its own natural devices. Could “rewilding” the planet help us restore biodiversity and reduce the impacts of climate change? READ
Prince William's 'Visionary' Earthshot Prize Praised by American Finalist: 'We Need a Huge Deal of Optimism'
People, 4 October 2021
One of the finalists is Pristine Seas, whose goal is to protect 30% of the oceans by 2030. Explorer and campaigner Enric Sala says winning the $1.4 million inaugural prize in the Revive Our Oceans category would enable them to "scale our work." READ
National Geographic Pristine Seas Announced as an Earthshot Finalist
National Geographic Society, 17 September 2021
Today, the Royal Foundation announced National Geographic Pristine Seas as one of three finalists for the first-ever “Revive Our Ocean” Earthshot. The Earthshot Prize is designed to incentivize change and help repair our planet over the next ten years. READ
Islas Marías Biosphere Reserve Becomes Newest Fully Protected Marine Area in Mexico
National Geographic Society, 26 August 2021
“Thanks to our partners Mares Mexicanos and their leadership, we were able to support the creation of this new marine reserve and to continue making progress towards our goal of protecting 30 percent of our ocean by 2030,” said Enric Sala, National Geographic Explorer in Residence and founder of Pristine Seas. READ
UN Announces Delay of Biodiversity Summit—But World Must Step Up Momentum on Protecting Nature
National Geographic Society, 18 August 2021
Following the first draft of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), officials announced today new dates for the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15). The biodiversity summit, where 196 countries will agree on an action plan for ending the nature crisis, is now scheduled to take place in two parts: virtually in October 2021 from the 11 to the 15 and in person April 25 through May 8, 2022 in Kunming, China. READ
The case for ocean optimism
Knowable Magazine, 5 August 2021
Each year, China, the European Union, the United States and others give about $35 billion of subsidies to their fishing industries, many of them high-seas fleets going after populations that can’t sustain the attack. Without these large subsidies, “as much as 54 percent of the present high-seas fishing grounds would be unprofitable,” estimated marine biologist Enric Sala of the National Geographic Society and his coauthors in a 2018 Science Advances paper. READ
Deep sea trawling unleashes carbon from the ocean floor
Yale Climate Connections, 4 August 2021
When a whale dies, it sinks to the bottom of the ocean. As it decomposes, much of the carbon that makes up its body stays on the sea floor. The same thing happens when other ocean creatures die, creating a carbon-rich sediment that builds over millennia. READ
Champions of wildlife and wild places win prestigious awards
National Geographic, 17 June 2021
Enric Sala, a marine ecologist and Explorer in Residence at the National Geographic Society, has won the Hubbard Medal, named for the first president of the Society, Gardiner Greene Hubbard. It is the organisation’s most prestigious award, given to individuals who have made pioneering strides in exploration, scientific research, and discovery. READ
Announcing the National Geographic Society’s 2021 Award Honorees
National Geographic, 15 June 2021
The Most prestigious among National Geographic’s awards, the Hubbard Medal is awarded to individuals for the highest distinction in exploration, scientific research, and discovery. The award most often celebrates years of ground-breaking achievements in a particular field or discipline. The 2021 Hubbard Medal awardee is Enric Sala. READ
How Many Oceans Does Earth Have? National Geographic Now Says 5.
The Seattle Times, 10 June 2021
For the first time in the more than 100 years that National Geographic Society has mapped the world’s oceans, it will recognize five oceans. The organization announced this week that it will recognize the Southern Ocean, a body of water that encircles Antarctica, as the world’s fifth. READ
What Does 30x30 Have to do with the Oceans and Livelihoods?
Triple Pundit, 8 June 2021
From fishermen to fish to reefs, the theme of this year’s United Nations World Oceans Day, “Life and Livelihoods,” connects to just about every aspect of ocean health and coastal economies. READ
Seaspiracy explored: Why are bottom trawling and bycatch such bad news?
EuroNews, 2 June 2021
‘Seaspiracy’, the popular Netflix documentary released earlier this year, has made words like ‘bycatch’ and ‘overfishing’ everyday language. Previously technical terms, the film has catapulted these destructive fishing industry practices into the mainstream. READ
Study finds protecting key ocean areas could boost total catch, fight climate change
SeafoodSource, 19 May 2021
A new study published in Nature has found that protecting key areas of the ocean would increase overall catch, help reduce carbon emissions, and protect biodiversity. READ
G7 nations vow to phase out international financing for coal projects
The Washington Post, 21 May 2021
Environmental ministers from seven of the world’s most developed economies agreed Friday to ambitious new goals to move their economies from fossil fuels in an effort to slow the warming of the planet. READ
How Tiny Monaco Became a Giant in Ocean Conservation
National Geographic, 11 May 2021
A century later, the National Geographic Society promotes the establishment of such protected areas through its Pristine Seas program. The chairman of that program’s advisory board (though not a funder) is Prince Albert II, the great-great-grandson of Albert I. “He’s been a key partner in the creation of some of these marine reserves,” says Enric Sala, the marine ecologist and National Geographic Explorer in Residence who founded Pristine Seas. “He works so hard for this.” READ
Restoring Life in the Oceans
Life on Earth, 2 April 2021
Enric Sala’s love for the ocean drew him into a career in marine biology. But as he studied marine environments across the world that have been damaged by human activity, he began to feel he was writing the “obituary of the ocean.” So he left academia to advocate for protecting the oceans as a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence and the founder of their Pristine Seas program. With special thanks to the New England Aquarium, Enric Sala talks with Host Aynsley O’Neill about his passion for convincing decision makers to create marine protected areas, with stunning results for ocean biodiversity and local economies. LISTEN
Watch our Conversation on the Future of Waters and Oceans
New York Times, 31 March 2021
Oceans may seem otherworldly, but they cover around 70 percent of Earth’s surface. How do we take collective responsibility for areas that have no national governments? READ
Protecting 30 percent of the oceans would benefit the entire planet
Popular Science, 19 March 2021
When we give marine life a chance to recoup, the ocean gives back. In protected ocean parks, the mass of fish is on average over 600 percent greater than nearby fished areas. Often, the fish return the favor when their shoals spill over from the protected area into commercial fishing grounds. READ
How protecting the ocean can save species and stop climate change
Washington Post, 18 March 2021
Humanity has no better friend on this planet than the ocean. It provides more than half the oxygen we need to breathe. It supplies food that helps sustain more than 3 billion people. It absorbs many of the pollutants we keep pumping into the atmosphere: carbon dioxide, ozone-depleting chemicals. READ
Looking for climate solutions? Protect More Ocean, Researchers Find.
New York Times, 17 March 2021
For the first time, scientists have calculated how much planet-warming carbon dioxide is released into the ocean by bottom trawling, the practice of dragging enormous nets along the ocean floor to catch shrimp, whiting, cod and other fish. The answer: As much as global aviation releases into the air. READ
How Industrial Fishing Creates More CO2 Emissions Than Air Travel
Time, 17 March 2021
It’s been well established by now that the agricultural systems producing our food contribute at least one fifth of global anthropogenic carbon emissions—and up to a third if waste and transportation are factored in. A troubling new report points to a previously overlooked source: an industrial fishing process practiced by dozens of countries around the world, including the United States, China, and the E.U. READ
Oceans need protection now. A new blueprint may help countries reach their goals.
National Geographic, 17 March 2021
Giving the ocean space to recover promises to help declining fish populations recover, restore habitat, and help save the climate, according to a new plan to save the seas. READ
Ocean trawling emits as much CO2 as global aviation, study finds
Financial Times, 17 March 2021
Ocean trawling, condemned by green groups for destroying marine habitats and depleting fish populations, generates a similar volume of carbon emissions to the global aviation industry, driven by activity in Chinese national waters, according to a paper published in the journal Nature. READ
Trawling ocean floor for fish has carbon footprint equivalent to global aviation
The Independent, 17 March 2021
Commercial fishing vessels which drag the ocean floor produce carbon emissions on a level with global aviation, according to a groundbreaking study, which has calculated for the first time the climate impacts of the widespread practice. READ
Protect our ocean 'to solve challenges of century'
BBC, 17 March 2021
A global map compiled by international scientists pinpoints priority places for action to maximise benefits for people and nature. The study, published in the scientific journal Nature, sets a framework for prioritising areas of the ocean for protection. READ
Ocean areas that, if strongly protected, would help solve climate, food and biodiversity crises
Science Daily, 17 March 2021
From climate change and carbon emissions to biodiversity and global hunger, humanity faces so many challenges that tackling them quickly is a daunting task. One solution that potentially addresses multiple issues could provide the impetus society needs to make significant progress. READ
Protecting the ocean delivers a comprehensive solution for climate, fishing and biodiversity
EurekAlert!, 17 March 2021
A new study published in the prestigious peer-reviewed scientific journal Nature today offers a combined solution to several of humanity's most pressing challenges. It is the most comprehensive assessment to date of where strict ocean protection can contribute to a more abundant supply of healthy seafood and provide a cheap, natural solution to address climate change--in addition to protecting embattled species and habitats. READ
NatGeo Explorer Enric Sala Talks Ocean Emergency in Pristine Seas Doc
LRM, 22 February 2021
Enric Sala dedicated his life to saving the planet’s oceans. The planet only has a few years left to turn things around as changes in the ocean environment are drastically altering the ecosystems. That’ll spell disaster for all of us. READ
Nat Geo's Spotlight offers a series of globally relevant documentaries by award-winning filmmakers
The New Indian Express, 22 February 2021
The Last Ice: Directed by Scott Ressler and executive produced by Dr Enric Sala, The Last Ice (2020) tells the story of Inuit communities fighting to protect the rapidly disappearing Arctic that has been their home for centuries. READ
Enric Sala Talks National Geographic Doc Pristine Seas
MuseTV, 16 February 2021
MUSE TV recently talked with the subject of the National Geographic Wild Documentary Pristine Seas, Enric Sala. Pristine Seas is set to air on February 22, 2021 at 7/8c. WATCH
The Underwater Hero, Featuring Dr. Enric Sala
The Nature Dilemma Podcast, 9 February 2021
As the world pushes toward the goal of protecting 30% of our oceans by 2030, Dr. Enric Sala’s work with National Geographic has never been more timely. The Nature Dilemma discusses the value of marine protection with the founder and director of National Geographic’s Pristine Seas Initiative. LISTEN
Sharkfest and ‘Secrets of the Whales’: Nat Geo Is Diving Deep for Nature Programming in 2021
IndieWire, 9 February 2021
Even after decades of being one of the superstars of nature TV programming, sharks are beaming onto screens around the world in new ways. But not all of those changes for them and their aquatic colleagues are welcome ones. READ
‘The Nature of Nature’ Shows Us That Ecological Conservation Makes Economic and Moral Sense
The Michigan Daily, 3 February 2021
Like many conservationists, Enric Sala loved our world before he thought about saving it. “I loved the natural world before I could understand it. In fact, I was interested in understanding it becauseI loved it,” Sala writes in his book, “The Nature of Nature: Why We Need the Wild.” READ
Landmark UK Government Review Issues Stark Warning and Calls for Urgent Transition to Nature Based Economy
National Geographic Society, 2 February 2021
Destined to be as critically important as the Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review was commissioned by the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, and released today, February 2. READ
President Biden’s National Target to Protect 30% of U.S. Lands and Oceans by 2030
Campaign for Nature, 27 January 2021
Today's announcement by President Biden is a win for the people of the United States and the rest of the world, the environment, and the economy. Only by protecting the earth's climate and biodiversity can we truly be on a path to an inclusive and prosperous future for humanity. READ
Biden on Biodiversity: The Silence and the Promise
Common Dreams, 21 January 2021
On January 6, 2021, as many of us in the United States were glued to TV watching the horrors of the insurrection against the U.S Capitol, the AFP News in France posted, on its Facebook page, an infographic built with data provided by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which “confirmed the extinction in 2020 of 36 plant and animal species, not seen for decades.” Let us first acknowledge the crisis and then move toward mitigation. READ
11 Notable Books on Conservation and the Environment Published in 2020
Mongabay, 30 December 2020
Ecologist and National Geographic explorer-in-residence Enric Sala says he didn’t want his career as a scientist to be spent just writing obituaries, cataloging the final days of so many of the species he studies. The Nature of Nature is both an homage to the diversity of life on Earth and a warning of the steps we must take to ensure it persists. READ
Best of 2020: The Creation of Tristan da Cunha MPA
Our Daily Planet, 20 December 2020
In November of 2020, the government of Tristan da Cunha, a four-island archipelago in the South Atlantic, announced that it is creating the fourth-largest marine “no-take” reserve in the world. “This is a place that has a unique ecosystem that is found nowhere else,” National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Enric Sala remarked, and is notable for its kelp forests and as a critical nursery for blue sharks. READ
Satellite Data Identifies Companies Fishing in High Seas
NYU, 18 December 2020
A team of researchers, using satellite data and other analytical tools, has identified companies fishing in high seas—waters that lie outside of national jurisdiction where fishing has raised fears about environmental and labor violations. The study, which appears in the journal One Earth, is the first to link companies to fishing activity in these largely unregulated areas. READ
Dems Aim to Block Trump from OK’ing Arctic Drilling
My Twin Tiers, 15 December 2020
Marine ecologist and author Enric Sala works with governments to help protect wild lands and oceans. He said opening up the refuge to drilling will drastically impact global climate. READ
Nature Based Solutions Essential for Climate Mitigation
National Geographic Society, 11 December 2020
Five years on from Paris, climate change and biodiversity loss are two sides of the same global crisis. We must address both aggressively, across all sectors, and with the sense of purpose that governments and societies worldwide have shown with our response to Covid 19. READ
John Kerry on the Biden Administration’s Climate Strategy
NPR, 10 December 2020
If you're talking about big global problems, problems that require cooperation from countries all around the world, the coronavirus pandemic is nothing compared to climate change. READ
The Best Books of 2020
Bloomberg, 9 December 2020
Enric Sala brings a lifetime of exploring, learning, and studying to understand that everything in the great web of life is connected—and with some work, the natural world can be healed. READ
Biden Pledges to Conserve Nearly a Third of U.S. Land and Water by 2030
NPR, 8 December 2020
President-elect Biden is making a bold promise on the environment. His administration will work to conserve nearly one-third of all U.S. land and water by the year 2030. LISTEN
Saving the Seas with Conservationist Enric Sala
Bloomberg, 7 December 2020
This week on "Bloomberg Green:" how do we protect the oceans? Conservationist and National Geographic's explorer-in-residence Enric Sala gives his three-step cure for saving the seas. WATCH
Prince Albert of Monaco Speaks Out on Long Recovery from COVID-19
People, 7 December 2020
Currently on his nightstand is The Nature of Nature by Enric Sala, which he describes as an "incredible" book. "It explains the different relationships between ecosystems and how everything is connected in simple terms and how we are part of nature," the longtime environmentalist says. READ
In a Rare Show of Solidarity, 14 Key Nations Commit to Protect Oceans
National Geographic, 4 December 2020
14 leaders agreed to sustainably manage 100 percent of the oceans under their national jurisdictions by 2025—an area of ocean roughly the size of Africa. Additionally, they vowed to set aside 30 percent of the seas as marine protected areas by 2030, in keeping with the United Nations’ campaign known as “30 by 30.” READ
Smithsonian Scholars Pick Their Favorite Books of 2020
Smithsonian Magazine, 3 December 2020
Dubbed a “love letter to the planet,” this book from National Geographic explorer-in-residence and founder of the Pristine Seas project, Enric Sala, is a moving and well-informed read for anyone curious about how and why we should save the planet and its innumerable biodiversity. READ
Key Fishing Nations Endorse the Protection of 30% of the Ocean
National Geographic Society, 2 December 2020
By calling for transformative action on oceans, these champions for nature are sending a strong signal that the emerging blue economy can and must be sustainable and resilient—as well as profitable. READ
J.P. Morgan Draws on Inspiration for its Annual List of What to Read and Do
Barron’s Penta, 1 December 2020
The Spanish ecologist and National Geographic Explorer in Residence shows a way forward where everyone and everything thrives. READ
Pristine Seas Has Created 23 Marine Reserves Around the World, Hopes to Double That in the Next Decade
Forbes, 26 November 2020
Looking on a map, Pristine Seas is the only project in the United States that’s part of a global Green Citizens Initiative by UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. But its reach is global. Pristine Seas, funded by the nonprofit National Geographic Society, works with communities and governments around the world to inspire the creation of reserves. READ
UK Overseas Territory Becomes One of the World’s Biggest Sanctuaries for Wildlife
National Geographic Society, 12 November 2020
Enric Sala, National Geographic Explorer inResidence, said: “It is testament to the vision of the Tristan da Cunha community that one of the world’s smallest communities can make the single biggest contribution to global marine conservation this year. We can all look to Tristan for inspiration as the world commences a decade of work to protect 30% of the global ocean by 2030.” READ
New Atlantic Marine Sanctuary Will Be One of the World’s Largest
National Geographic, 12 November 2020
The waters around one of the world’s most remote inhabited islands, in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean, are set to become the fourth largest completely protected marine area in the world, and the largest in the Atlantic. READ
International Organizations Push for the Protection of the Antarctic Ocean
The Science Times, 2 November 2020
In 1982, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Living Resources (CCAMLR) was established to conserve Antarctic marine life. After concluding its 39th annual meeting this year, some environmentalist organizations expressed concern about the limited agenda and failure to address the impacts of global warming. READ
Potential COVID-19 Vaccines May Endanger Sharks
Toronto Sun, 31 October 2020
A COVID-19 vaccine could endanger the global shark population, according to an author with National Geographic Explorer. Dr. Enric Sala, the author of the new book The Nature of Nature, says squalene — a compound sourced from a shark’s liver oil — is playing a part in the development of several potential COVID-19 vaccines. READ
Protecting Land and Animals Will Mitigate Future Pandemics, Report Says
National Geographic, 29 October 2020
Absent major policy changes and billions of dollars invested in protecting land and wildlife, the world may see another major pandemic like COVID-19, an international group of scientists warned today. READ
Leaving More Big Fish in the Sea Reduces Carbon Dioxide Emissions
ScienceDaily, 29 October 2020
An international team of scientists has found leaving more big fish in the sea reduces the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) released into the Earth's atmosphere. When a fish dies in the ocean it sinks to the depths, sequestrating all the carbon it contains with it. This is a form of 'blue carbon' — carbon captured and stored by the world's ocean and coastal ecosystems. READ
Marine Ecologist Enric Sala Addresses the Financial Community
UNEP Financial Initiative, 27 October 2020
The blue economy is an attractive opportunity for banks and insurance companies, yet some players are rushing to invest without first adopting sustainability principles that can avoid repeating the wrongs of the past, says world-renown ecologist Enric Sala. WATCH
Why Small Rise In Fishing Bans Has Big Net Gain
The Times, 27 October 2020
Banning fishing in 5 per cent more of the ocean would boost global fish catches by at least 20 per cent in future, a study has found. It suggested that claims by the fishing industry that extending protected areas would harm their industry or deprive developing countries of a cheap source of protein were unfounded and that everyone would benefit in the long term. READ
The Outlaw Sea — Illegal Fishing Fleets Plunder the Oceans
The Economist, 24 October 2020
Without subsidies, China’s dark fleets in the eastern Pacific and the Indian Ocean would also be gone. Experts reckon that an end to subsidies and to forced labour would render half of all high-seas fishing unprofitable. Less fishing on the high seas would allow stocks of many species to recover. But the benefits go further, says Mr Sala: if just a fraction of the world’s harmful subsidies were diverted to better managing (more productive) coastal fisheries a huge rebound in inshore stocks could take place, providing better food security and millions of jobs. READ
Tourism Restrictions Strain Marine Protected Areas Amid Global Push for Expansion
Scuba Diving, 19 October 2020
Loss of tourism revenue from continued COVID travel restrictions is straining the budgets of marine protected areas around the world, reducing conservation activities and stressing the communities reliant on a steady flow of eco-tourists. These strains come as the push to protect 30 percent of the ocean by 2030 gains global momentum. READ
Why We Need the Wild: An Interview with Enric Sala
Rewilding Europe, 13 October 2020
“Tired of writing the obituary of the ocean,” as he phrases it, former university professor and marine ecologist Dr. Enric Sala left his life in academia to become a full-time conservationist in 2008. Working with National Geographic, for whom he became Explorer-in-Residence in 2011, he founded and leads the Pristine Seas Project, which essentially seeks to replicate the terrestrial role of national parks in the oceans. To date, Pristine Seas has helped to create 22 of the largest marine reserves on the planet, covering an area of 5.8 million square kilometres. READ
‘The Last Ice’ Review: Must See Documentary Plus Exclusive Clip for Indigenous Peoples Day
TV Show Ace, 12 October 2020
Tonight the premiere of National Geographic’s The Last Ice will air on Nat Geo WILD (October 12). This vexing and profoundly moving documentary is a classic David versus Goliath, with the indigenous Inuit playing the former and big oil money and corporate interests playing the latter role. READ
‘This is the Loudest Wake Up Call’: National Geographic Documentary ‘The Last Ice’ Warns of the Dire Consequences of Melting Sea Ice
Yahoo! Finance, 9 October 2020
“The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world,” Dr. Enric Sala, executive producer and National Geographic’s Explorer-in-Residence said in a panel discussion following the film’s premiere on Oct. 7. “The Inuit are really the human face of global warming, and all these activities that produce all this carbon pollution are not in the Arctic region, they are mostly in a world where we are or farther south, but they are suffering the consequences.” READ
An Explorer Debunks 5 Myths About Saving the Earth
HuffPost, 2 October 2020
To an outsider peering into the world of natural resource conservation, it may not always be immediately clear what the point of it all is. Why worry about plastics pollution or deforestation in the middle of a pandemic? What does the biodiversity of an ocean on the other side of the globe have to do with me? But to think that protecting the Earth is somehow superfluous, or counterproductive — or even a choice — is to miss a fundamental truth of life on this planet. READ
José Andrés on Diving with Hammerheads in the Galápagos
Condé Nast Traveler, 2 October 2020
Located in the remote north of one of the world's most remote archipelagos, Darwin Island is a meeting point for hammerheads, whale sharks, tiger sharks, penguins, seals—the heartbeat of the ocean in one incredible place. My friend Enric Sala, National Geographic's explorer in residence and the leader of its Pristine Seas marine conservation program, had invited me to join one of his missions to the Galápagos. READ
The Clock is Ticking: A Marine Ecologists’s Warning About the Ocean and the Planet
Oracle, 1 October 2020
Enric Sala has been sounding the alarm about the health of the world’s oceans for years. Now, with the waters warmer and more over-fished than ever, he’s turning up the volume on his life’s mission, warning about the planet’s future, not just the vulnerability of life in the high seas. READ
Food Tank’s Fall 2020 Reading List
Food Tank, October 2020
In this manifesto, internationally renowned ecologist Enric Sala makes a clear case for protecting nature. He argues that once people appreciate how nature works, they will understand how essential it is to humanity’s survival. Sala, who has expertise in ocean protection, broadens his attention to nature as a whole to argue for more sustainable farming methods and greater ecosystem diversity. READ
Inside the Ambitious Push to Protect a Third of the World’s Ocean
National Geographic, September 2020
When Enric Sala quit his job as a professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in 2007, it was because he was tired of writing death notices. ‘I found myself writing the obituary of the ocean with more and more precision,’ he says. Rather than spend any more of his life documenting the dying, Sala decided to try to safeguard the living in the few remaining patches of ocean where the Grim Reaper had yet to swing his scythe. READ
The Marine Scientist on a Mission to Cure the Oceans
Bloomberg, 28 September 2020
Never start with the numbers. That’s the advice marine biologist Enric Sala has for talking about science and the natural world to people who hardly ever think about it. The National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence’s new book, The Nature of Nature: Why We Need the Wild, is a high-spirited romp through the ecosystem science that humankind depends on but rarely acknowledges. Sala spoke with Bloomberg Green’s Laura Millan and Eric Roston. LISTEN AND READ
The Nature of Nature: Why We Need the Wild
WorldWarZero, 28 September 2020
The truth is, we need forests more than we need cathedrals. Without the natural world, there is no good food to eat, no safe water to drink, no oxygen to breathe, not even rain in many places. Everything humanity worries about, everything we count on, is built upon a healthy natural world. READ
The Last Ice: How Open Summer Seas in the Arctic Endanger Canada’s Efforts to Protect It
The Globe and Mail, 26 September 2020
Known for its old, thick, pack ice, Tuvaijuittuq means “the place where the ice never melts” in Inuktitut. That will soon be a misnomer: It is now widely accepted that the Arctic will soon be entirely ice-free during summer. READ
2nd-Lowest Arctic Sea Ice Increases Concerns About Impact of Climate Change on Indigenous Communities
ABC News, 25 September 2020
National Geographic Explorer In Residence Enric Sala spent time with these communities in Canada and Greenland while working on his new documentary, "The Last Ice." "It started as an environmental film; we wanted to see what was the effect of the loss of ice on the animals, but it ended up being a film about Indigenous rights, about the livelihoods, the culture, the traditions of the Inuit of Canada, in Greenland, and how climate change is affecting them," he said. READ
Enric Sala, Explorador de National Geographic y Autor: “La Supervivencia de la Persona Más Rica Depende de la Salud de la Más Pobre”
La Tercera, 25 Septiembre 2020
Este español, comparado con Jacques Cousteau y que ha impulsado la protección de áreas marinas en todo el mundo, acaba de publicar en plena pandemia su libro The Nature of Nature. Para el explorador, el coronavirus ha revelado las múltiples igualdades que vive el planeta. Al referirse a la negativa de Chile de firmar el acuerdo de Escazú, Sala señala que “si se piensa sólo a nivel nacional, no vamos a salir bien de esta”. LEER
To Save Humanity, Save Biodiversity: Q&A with Enric Sala
Fern’s Ag, 20 September 2020
Last year, as part of its “Campaign for Nature” initiative, the National Geographic Society — in collaboration with a slew of more than 100 other conservation organizations — set a goal of protecting 30-percent of the planet by 2030. Dr. Enric Sala, founder of the ocean conservation initiative Pristine Seas, constructs an enlightened defense for this plan, and for biological diversity at large, in his first book, “The Nature of Nature: Why We Need the Wild,” published late last month. READ
Interdependence as the Essential Framework for Addressing Our Greatest Common Challenges: Climate Correction
One Shared World Interdependence Summit, 17 September 2020
The summit explore how recognizing the mutual responsibilities of our interdependence with each other and our shared ecosystem must underpin all efforts to solve our greatest common challenges, including pandemics, climate change, and systemic global poverty and inequality. WATCH THE REPLAY
New Report: To Save Nature, World Must Increase Biodiversity Investments at least Fivefold
National Geographic Society Newsroom, 17 September 2020
Today, The Paulson Institute, The Nature Conservancy and Cornell University released a major new report, “Financing Nature: Closing the Global Biodiversity Financing Gap.” This is the most in-depth and comprehensive analysis ever completed about biodiversity financing. READ
World Fails to Hit All Targets to Halt Biodiversity Collapse, UN Reports
The Indepdendent, 15 September 2020
The world is not doing enough to stop the devastating destruction of the natural world, according to a United Nations report published on Tuesday. Ten years ago, more than 150 countries got together in Japan to set out the 20 Aichi biodiversity targets to prevent more species from vanishing and to safeguard ecosystems, tackling everything from deforestation to saving coral reefs. READ
Udall, Haaland Support Conserving Environment
Santa Fe New Mexican, 14 September 2020
As development and consumption drive some plant and animal species toward extinction, two of New Mexico’s representatives on Capitol Hill want to ramp up conservation of land and oceans by decade’s end. READ
We Must Protect 30% of the Earth’s Land and Seas to Prevent Environmental Disaster, Says Conservationist
CBC, 9 September 2020
After years as an academic studying the human effects such on ocean life, Enric Sala had a daunting realization. "I was studying ... the impacts of fishing and global warming, and it was bad news," he said. "I felt that all I was doing was writing the obituary of ocean life. I felt like the doctor who's telling you how you're going to die with excruciating detail, but not offering a cure." This epiphany motivated Sala to quit academia and become a full-time conservationist. He joined National Geographic in 2008 as an explorer-in-residence. LISTEN
Book Talk: The Nature of Nature
Center for Strategic & International Studies, 9 September 2020
Join us for an urgent conversation with Dr. Enric Sala, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence and leading ocean conservationalist to discuss his acclaimed new book on the links between environmental conservation and human security and prosperity. Dr. Sala's book has recieved praise from E.O. Wilson, Jane Goodall, Prince Charles, and Leonardo DiCaprio, among others. Sala's research provides a pathway to trillions more in global economic growth with improved living standards for all—as well as the necessary steps to avoid another global pandemic like Covid-19. WATCH REPLAY
‘Tamper With Nature, and Everyone Suffers’: Q&A with Ecologist Enric Sala
Mongabay, 4 September 2020
Early on in his new book, “The Nature of Nature: Why We Need the Wild,” marine ecologist and National Geographic explorer-in-residence Enric Sala offers a warning about our ability to control nature and mimic the services on which all life on this planet depend. READ
Book Review: ‘The Nature of Nature: Why We Need the Wild’ by Enric Sala
Laughing Place, 4 September 2020
No matter how many times I remind myself to never judge a book by its cover, there are some whose covers are so cool that you can’t not take a look inside. Thankfully, the contents of “The Nature of Nature” live up to the grandeur of the artful cover, with foil accents that reveal animals hidden in the leaves depending on how the light hits it. National Geographic Explorer Enric Sala speaks to readers like a close friend, revealing some of the marvels of the natural world while also stressing the need to protect it. READ
A Look at What 100 & Change Finalists Are Working on to Help Solve Issues around the World
WGN9 Chicago, 2 September 2020
The smartest people from around the world are competing for big money. This year there is a great mix of contestants. Some are tackling policy to solve a major crisis somewhere in our world. Others are using science. All of them are using their brains to not only identify a problem but to solve it. WATCH
Time ‘is Rapidly Running Out to Save Oceans’
Reuters Events Sustainable Business, 1 September 2020
Protecting at least 30% of oceans by 2030 is critical to prevent the collapse of Earth’s life-support system, but with destructive activities like bottom-trawling happening even in the 7% of areas that are meant to be protected, the challenge is huge. Angeli Mehta reports. READ
Dr. Enric Sala Celebrates New Book With a Virtual Launch
National Geographic, 31 August 2020
National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Dr. Enric Sala recently published a new book, “The Nature of Nature: Why We Need the Wild.” Enric’s book makes the case that conservation of our planet is our best health insurance plan, makes smart economic sense, and is a moral imperative. READ
Dr. Enric Sala Explains Why We Need the Wild
Bloomberg Businessweek, 26 August 2020
Dr. Enric Sala, Explorer In Residence at National Geographic, discusses his book "The Nature of Nature: Why We Need the Wild” and why investing in nature is good for business. LISTEN
Enric Sala: Es Mejor Invertir en Conservación Que en Prevención De Nuevas Pandemias
EFE: VERDE, 26 Agosto 2020
El biólogo español Enric Sala, investigador residente de National Geographic en Estados Unidos y creador de varias reservas marinas, señala a EFE que “es mucho más barato e inteligente invertir millones de dólares en la conservación del planeta que no trillones en prevenir nuevas pandemias”. LEE MAS
The Nature of Nature
National Geographic, 24 August 2020
Enric Sala wants to change the world and he shows us how in his new book. Once we appreciate how nature works, he asserts, we will understand why conservation is economically wise and essential to our survival. WATCH
Dr. Enric Sala on the Environment and Connectedness
The Unbeatable Mind Podcast, August 2020
Dr. Enric Sala is a former academic who grew tired of simply writing an “obituary” for the ocean. He now is the National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence and founder of the Pristine Seas project. He is also the author of The Nature of Nature: Why We Need the Wild, in which a quarter of the proceeds goes to ocean conservation. He talks with Mark today about the environment and how we are all connected—much like the current pandemic. LISTEN
Healthy Nature, Healthy Humans
The Nature Needs Half Podcast, 24 August 2020
What do pandemics, human health, and the economy have in common? Nature. Dr. Enric Sala, National Geographic Explorer in Residence, joins us to talk about how human health and the health of our planet are intertwined. And how every dollar we invest in protecting areas, nature gives us at least $5 in return. Now that's a good investment! LISTEN
Protecting the Pristine Seas
Forces for Nature Podcast, 24 August 2020
World-renowned ecologist and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, Dr. Enric Sala, founded and leads Nat Geo’s Pristine Seas, a project that combines exploration, research, and media to inspire country leaders to protect the last wild places in the ocean. Today, we talk about how some ocean species can act as our N95 masks, how our oceans are like a global savings account, and why even those nowhere near oceans can be affected by what happens in them. We also discuss his “love letter to the planet,” his new book, The Nature of Nature. LISTEN
NatGeo’s Explorer in Residence Defends the High Seas
Who’s Saving the Planet? Podcast, August 2020
In this episode of Who's Saving the Planet we discuss Dr. Sala's transition from the halls of academia to the (maritime) trenches of activism, his ongoing fight to preserve the aquatic wilderness, and how humans have disrupted the interconnected harmony of nature. LISTEN
Dr. Enric Sala on the Health of Our Oceans and the Ecosystem
Superhuman Academy Podcast, August 2020
Today I was joined by Dr. Enric Sala. Dr. Sala is a National Geographic explorer in residence, dedicated to restoring the health and productivity of the ocean. He's authored over 120 scientific publications, which are widely recognized and used for real-world conservation efforts, such as the creation of marine reserves. LISTEN
The Conduct Science Podcast: Dr. Enric Sala
Conduct Science Podcast, 21 August 2020
Today, Mitch and Tom are joined by Dr. Enric Sala who is the National Geographic explorer in residence and director of Pristine Seas. Join them as they talk about biodiversity and the wild and just why they are so important. Why do we need sharks and wolves and how does their impact benefit us directly? What does the future of conservation look like and will the standard practice change? The coronavirus epidemic has been a shock to the world but what do we stand to learn from it and how can we take this and move forward in a productive way? LISTEN
Dr. Enric Sala, Author of "The Nature of Nature: Why We Need the Wild"
The Climate Champions Podcast, 18 August 2020
Fascinating discussion with Dr. Enric Sala, National Geographic Explorer-In-Residence, Founder of Pristine Seas, and Author of "The Nature of Nature: Why We Need the Wild," with foreword written by HRH Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales. On sale 8/25/20. LISTEN
How the Health of the Planet Relates to the Health of Humanity
In Good Hands Podcast, 18 August 2020
Most of us recognize that complex ecosystems connect as one on Earth, and at the center of almost each of them is humanity. Yet the irony of advanced intelligence is we’ve unwittingly exploited each of those ecosystems to the brink of destruction. In his new book, THE NATURE OF NATURE: Why We Need the Wild, Dr. Enric Sala makes the case for why protecting our ecosystems is crucial not only to our economic health but our very survival. LISTEN
How China’s Expanding Fishing Fleet Is Depleting the World’s Oceans
Yale Environment 360, 17 August 2020
After exhausting areas close to home, China’s vast fishing fleet has moved into the waters of other nations, depleting fish stocks. More than seafood is at stake, as China looks to assert itself on the seas and further its geo-political ambitions, from East Asia to Latin America. READ
Episode 125: Dr. Enric Sala
This Ocean Life Podcast, 12 August 2020
Dr Enric Sala grew up in Spain along Costa Brava where at a young age he found passion for the undersea world by watching Jacques Cousteau’s Undersea World television series (like so many of us did). Pursuing a life of research and conservation to help protect all of the oceans Dr Sala came to the US and spent years as a tenured professor and researcher with Scripps Institute. We hear the story of his epiphany that his research felt more like writing an obituary of the sea rather than inspiring protection. LISTEN
Meet The Nature of Nature
Native Plants Healthy Planet Podcast, August 2020
Hosts Fran Chismar and Tom Knezick talk with Dr. Enric Sala (Author, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, Founder of Pristine Seas) about his new book, The Nature of Nature: Why We Need The Wild. They tackle the difficult issues facing our global ecosystems today and approach them with solutions. Topics include reclaiming our oceans, an organic approach to economic growth, re-balancing nature, and things that you can do to help. LISTEN
Nat Geo’s ‘The Last Ice’ Doc: What’s Really at Stake With Global Warming
Newsweek, 4 August 2020
Time is running out; scientific projections forecast the total disappearance of the Arctic summer sea ice—our planet's cooling system—by as early as 2040. While the world is focused on the COVID-19 pandemic and its disastrous effects on our economy, some believe global warming as less of an immediate concern. But not for the scientists who see the pandemic as the loudest wake-up call for our broken relationship with the planet. READ
The Deal that Saved Seychelles’ Troubled Waters
BBC, 3 August 2020
In a bid to build climate resilience and boost its blue economy, the Seychelles signed a unique deal in 2015: almost $22m (£16.8m) of its national debt was written off, in exchange for the country doing more to protect its oceans. READ
6 New Books to Read in August
Fortune, 1 August 2020
COVID-19 is yet another reminder that conservation is not just a luxury for rich countries or a romantic ideal—it's necessary for our global survival. The world has been brought to a standstill by a novel virus that was transmitted to humans from animals. Dr. Enric Sala, a National Geographic explorer-in-residence and leader of the Pristine Seas project, makes a case for why protecting nature is our best health insurance, why it makes economic sense, and why it is our moral imperative. READ
“The Nature of Nature” book
FOX KTVU San Francisco, 13 July 2020
Dr. Enric Sala, author of "The Nature of Nature" explains how helping save the environment could prevent the next pandemic. WATCH
Marine Monuments Don’t Hurt, But Help, the Fishing Industry, Scientists Say
Triple Pundit, 10 July 2020
Last month, during a roundtable with Maine fishermen, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation to open the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument to the fishing industry. Some fishermen claimed that restricting commercial fishing in the monument off the coast of New England endangered their livelihoods. READ
The Nature of Nature: Why we need the wild
CBS8 San Diego, 10 July 2020
National Geographic Explorer and author, Dr. Enric Sala joined Morning Extra to talk about saving California’s Kelp Forests. WATCH
“Protect 30% of the planet for nature,” scientists urge in new report
PHYS.ORG, 8 July 2020
In the most comprehensive report to date on the economic implications of protecting nature, over 100 economists and scientists find that the global economy would benefit from the establishment of far more protected areas on land and at sea than exist today. READ
How We Can Help Save the Pacific Kelp Forests
KPCW NPR Park City, 30 June 2020
This morning on This Green Earth, Dr.Enric Sala, a National Geographic Explorer-In-Residence and author of the forthcoming book THE NATURE OF NATURE, talks about Pacific Kelp Forests. LISTEN
Missing Kelp Forests And Other Challenges: The ‘Pristine Seas’ Project
Jefferson Public Radio
Jefferson Public Radio: Enric Sala says he got tired of writing the ocean's obituary, so he turned from academia to activism. Now he runs the Pristine Seas project for National Geographic and has written several books, including the soon-to-be-published "The Nature of Nature: Why We Need the Wild." LISTEN