Coral reefs cover less than 1% of the ocean floor but support roughly 25% of all marine life, providing habitat, spawning grounds, and food for more than a million species. They protect coastlines from storm surge, sustain fisheries that feed hundreds of millions of people, and generate over USD 300 billion a year in ecosystem services. With more than 70% of reefs already degraded, timely, data-driven intervention is no longer optional

Mangroves are among the most effective carbon sinks on Earth, storing up to four times more carbon per hectare than tropical forests. They shelter coastlines from storms and erosion, filter land-based pollution before it reaches the sea, and serve as nurseries for the fish and shellfish that coastal communities depend on. Yet they are being cleared faster than almost any other forest type, largely for aquaculture and coastal development

Seagrass meadows are quiet powerhouses of the coastal ocean. They stabilise the seabed, improve water clarity, sequester blue carbon at rates that rival mangroves, and provide critical feeding and nursery habitat for turtles, seahorses, and commercial fish species. Globally, seagrass is disappearing at around 7% per year, driven by nutrient pollution, sedimentation, and coastal development. With consequences that cascade through the entire coastal food web

Kelp forests are the underwater equivalent of rainforests: towering, three-dimensional habitats that shelter thousands of species and anchor the food webs of temperate coasts. They absorb wave energy, sequester carbon, and support fisheries worth billions annually. Rising sea temperatures, marine heatwaves, and ecological imbalances have caused dramatic declines in many regions. Making continuous, large-scale monitoring essential to any serious conservation response