Imagine diving into the crystal-clear waters offshore of Miami, only to find yourself surrounded by a scene of devastation. A moonscape. The water, once teeming with life, is clouded with sediment, and vibrant coral reefs are now buried beneath a layer of sand. This is the grim reality made manifest by the PortMiami dredging project that occurred from 2013 to 2015. The project resulted in catastrophic damage to adjacent coral reefs, triggering legal action by Miami Waterkeeper and co-plaintiffs. Despite the dredging company’s initial attempts to downplay the environmental impact, subsequent scientific research uncovered extensive coral mortality, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has now released a report that supports our finding that millions of corals were likely killed and at least 278 acres of the Florida Reef Tract were severely impacted.
Shockingly, less than 3% of the ocean is fully protected.
This means overfishing, bottom trawling, and other destructive activities continue to wreak havoc on the ocean.
Scientists say we must protect at least 30% of the ocean by 2030 to stabilize our climate, stop wildlife exploitation, and secure an equitable, healthy future for life everywhere.
In December 2022, at COP15, world leaders finally committed to put this urgent initiative in place. Now it’s time to hold them to their promise. Commitments are nothing without action.
