Posts by Lance Morgan
The 2022 Blue Park Awards at the UN Ocean Conference
Global leaders along with over 2,000 individuals from civil society met together in Lisbon, Portugal last week to create a path forward to revitalize our ocean. The UN Ocean Conference addressed a long list of priorities, including increasing the coverage of marine protected areas. And while the plenary sessions were busy with leaders talking about…
Read MoreA Visit to French Polynesia for the Blue Climate Summit
Recently I had the opportunity to join other ocean conservation leaders for the Blue Climate Summit in French Polynesia. The meeting brought us together for a week of focused meetings and community gatherings to advance conservation at the ocean / climate nexus. I was pleased to represent Marine Conservation Institute and share the important work…
Read MoreFive Feats to Celebrate from 2021!
As Marine Conservation Institute successfully concludes our 25th year (missed our Anniversary Gala? Watch here!), it is a time for reflecting on our most recent year of achievements. Our lean, smart team has been hard at work in 2021 to advocate for and protect extraordinary ocean places—from publishing significant contributions in Science and Nature, to…
Read MoreDeep Sea Takes CENTER STAGE in Ever Worsening Climate and Biodiversity Crises
Featured Image: Crossota millsae. Image courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, 2019 Southeastern U.S. Deep-sea Exploration. The future of the deep sea hangs in the balance As communities around the world are reeling from the impacts of escalating climate change and the mostly unchecked loss of biodiversity, the destruction of the…
Read MoreNature study (with Marine Conservation Institute’s help) provides a robust scientific roadmap for ocean protection in the next decade
A new study, Protecting the global ocean for biodiversity, food and climate, provides a roadmap for ocean conservation actions that should be taken to protect nature and people. Marine Conservation Institute scientists contributed information and were among the twenty-six scientists and economists led by Dr. Enric Sala of National Geographic Society that provided this groundbreaking…
Read MoreInside the Fight to Save Underwater Volcanoes
Featured image: An orange basket star covers a Picasso sponge at Davidson Seamount, California. Image courtesy of NOAA and MBARI. The deep sea harbors the greatest number of species and ecosystems on Earth. Within this vast realm, the dazzling submerged volcanoes called seamounts are among the most diverse places of all. Scientists have long recognized that…
Read MoreDeep-Sea Coral Expedition to California’s Channel Islands
Location, location, location! This axiom of the real estate world is perhaps even more true in the natural world. Finding the right environmental conditions for deep-sea corals and sponges to survive and thrive is a rare occurrence in the deep ocean. Marine biologists have discovered deep-sea coral ecosystems throughout the oceans from the tropics to…
Read MoreScaling Up the Blue Economy and Breaking Down Barriers to Ocean Conservation
I had the great pleasure of participating in The Economist’s World Ocean Summit earlier this month with nearly 400 other ocean stakeholders and conservation leaders. The meeting, billed as an opportunity to learn more about commitments made by businesses and governments to advance the “Blue Economy”, was a chance to check in on progress made…
Read MoreTrump Dumps the Clean Power Plan and Ocean Life
President Trump’s Executive Order to dismantle the Clean Power Plan is a move that blatantly ignores overwhelming scientific consensus about the immense threats that carbon pollution poses to human and environmental health. The Clean Power Plan, a set of rules to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address human-caused climate change, is an enormous step in…
Read MoreCalifornia’s Ancient Islands May Receive Additional Protections
CALIFORNIA — Congressman Sam Farr (D-Calif.) and Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) have introduced landmark legislation to safeguard a series of underwater mountains and the marine wildlife they support in the deep sea off California. Known as “seamounts,” these extraordinary places are highly productive ‘oases’ in the deep sea. Off California, seamounts support rare deep‐water corals and…
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