JEDDAH: A documentary on the plight of coral reefs, “Beneath the Surface: The Fight for Corals,” produced by Red Sea Global in collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery, was recently screened for an audience of ocean enthusiasts in Jeddah.

The 45-minute documentary released on Earth Day follows Saudi free diver and environmentalist Salma Shaker on a journey of discovery and hope, in the process highlighting the unique resilience of Red Sea corals and their potential contribution to global coral health.  

Currently airing on the Discovery channel in over 130 countries, viewers are taken on a journey into the depths of the sea where these vibrant underwater ecosystems are found.

At its core, “Beneath the Surface” aims to shed light on the undiscovered treasures of the Red Sea’s coral reefs, highlighting their biological diversity and vital role in sustaining the global ecosystem.

“The coral reefs in the oceans are the backbone of the planet’s entire ecosystem on which humans survive,” the documentary says. “However, pollution and climate change are threatening their survival.”

Shaker is portrayed in the documentary as a Saudi youth role model, inspiring others to prioritize the protection of the Red Sea’s ecosystem and its coral reefs.

The documentary delves into her relationship with her father, who has been a pivotal figure in shaping her connection to the sea. A marine geologist, fisherman, and diver himself, he instilled in her and her siblings a deep love for the ocean.

She told Arab News: “The core concept of the movie revolves around how the resilience of Red Sea corals in the face of climate change can offer hope for coral reefs worldwide. Without giving too much away, the movie explores this idea in depth, and I believe the message will resonate strongly with viewers.”

She added that she has visited Red Sea Global many times, and seen the corals’ “awe-inspiring” beauty.

“The untouched and protected corals create an underwater paradise that feels like stepping into an aquarium. Every aspect, from the marine life to the vibrant colors, is simply breathtaking,” she noted.

Red Sea Global’s commitment to marine environment protection is evident throughout the film, underscored by its dedication to sustainable development practices as the bedrock of its mission.

Raed Albasseet, group chief environment and sustainability officer at Red Sea Global, told Arab News: “Partnering with Warner Bros. to produce this film is an additional step we’ve taken. Our primary objective is to deliver the highest quality content to the broader public, including the Saudi population and especially the youth.

“We aim to showcase the beauty of these coral reefs, their significance to the economy, and their importance to humanity as a whole. Through this film, we hope to inspire individuals to take an active role in preserving and enhancing these invaluable ecosystems for future generations.”

Since around 2016 and 2017, Red Sea Global has collaborated extensively with various platforms within King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, he added.

Speaking about these environmental efforts to protect coral reefs, Albasseet explained: “Working with scientists, we’ve documented the environmental significance of our development sites, guiding master planning and project development. Leveraging this expertise, we’ve implemented long-term programs to protect corals during development and operations, aiming to enhance coral growth.”

They have also launched pilot projects for coral enhancement across ambitious regenerative tourism destinations The Red Sea and AMAALA, facilitating future coral growth. “Beneath the Surface” documents the company’s unveiling of Corallium, the new brand for its Marine Life Centre in AMAALA, at COP28 last November in Dubai. “Our Corallium project in AMAALA underscores our commitment to coral preservation and growth,” he added.

Omar Al-Attas, head of environmental protection and regeneration at Red Sea Global, told Arab News: “The breathtaking beauty of Saudi Arabia’s marine ecosystem is a gift that must be showcased and shared with the world. It's a shared responsibility for us all to focus on protection, conservation, and enhancement efforts.”

Speaking about the documentary, Al-Attas added: “In addition to raising awareness through this film, we want to shine a spotlight on the comprehensive initiatives undertaken by Red Sea Global to preserve, conserve, and enhance the environment. As the saying goes, ‘You can’t clap with one hand’ — success requires collective effort. Together, we can create a success story to inspire and educate the world.”

Through its Coral Gardening Pilot Project, Red Sea Global is monitoring around 300 reef sites, testing coral farming techniques, and establishing several floating marine nurseries to conserve and grow rescued coral populations, with a success rate of about 97 percent.

The multi-project developer is keen on utilizing the latest technologies in coral cover monitoring, employing robots and adopting machine learning approaches, capturing three-dimensional images and assembling them into digital twins. This enables scientists to identify potential negative events and respond to and solve them rapidly, such as coral bleaching and the arrival of invasive species.

RIYADH: The World Economic Forum’s Special Meeting in Riyadh is a critical gathering needed to help address global wars and financial crises, says the WEF’s managing director.

Speaking to Arab News on Sunday, Mirek Dusek said the issue of rebuilding trust in institutions and systems continues the theme of the recent WEF meeting in Davos.

The erosion of trust has not only been the result of the COVID-19 pandemic or the military conflicts worldwide, but also goes back “all the way to the financial crisis.”

“There is a lot of research now, sociological and economic, looking at what it has done to society, in developing and in developed economies,” he added.

“What is also important is that you’re not rebuilding trust for a system of the past,” he continued. “You need to make sure that as you do those things, it’s really with the view for the future.

“We would term it intelligent economies … we live through this age of all these revolutions.

“So, it’s not only AI revolution, it’s also the biotech revolution, the energy transition revolution etc. and so, obviously, there are huge opportunities, but are we really equipped?”

Dusek explained that while AI comes with risks that can seriously impact societies, it also offers significant opportunities, particularly in terms of productivity.

He pointed out that the Riyadh meeting’s agenda seeks to “shape and build intelligent economies that are inclusive, sustainable and, obviously, dynamic.”

On the role of Riyadh in conflict resolution, Dusek said that as a G20 country with the region’s biggest economy, Saudi Arabia “is very visible on the international scene — on behalf also of the whole region.”

Dusek said “working on peace, security, and stability in this region is in the interest of the international community at large.” He added that the participation in Riyadh of many foreign ministers, including from the G7 Plus nations and Syria, as well as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, is “symptomatic of the fact that people, again, are paying attention.”

“We are, of course, dealing with the war in Gaza and the terrible humanitarian situation in Gaza, but I think it is a larger issue of how important it is to keep investing diplomatically in issues that may have been underinvested in the previous years,” he added.

He described this as “a big turning point in terms of where the regional security and stability picture will go.”

Dusek said holding the WEF’s Special Meeting in Saudi Arabia was an “important milestone” that fits the global conversation and agenda of Davos.

“If we just look under the hood of what intelligent economies mean, it is not only being able to really deploy some of these cutting-edge technologies in industry and in society, but it’s also figuring out how to have a more inclusive economy (and) labor force.

“It is figuring out the whole triangle of the energy transition — security, sustainability, and access.”

He said that the erosion of trust has deepened inequality within societies and in certain economies, and “intelligent economies” seek to address this growing gap.

“We are seeing the need to not only have outcomes that are medium- to long-term and look at the big picture.”

He added: “So, if you look at intelligent economies, it is the big picture systems view. And we continue to do that because it is important, but, of course, you also need to be able to see what are the solutions for the here and now and for the near term.”

He explained that for this reason, the WEF works closely with labor unions “not only in Davos or other meetings, but also in our ongoing work” to find ways to deliver to the most vulnerable and to fragile communities within each society.

He said a great deal of work is being done with organizations including the World Bank, and that the WEF continues to explore ways to “make sure that you finally figure out, for example, how to bring in more private capital into fragile markets, and crowding private capital for climate finance, for energy finance, etc.”

He added: “I think leaders and overall organizations are fully cognizant of that (of) moving in that direction. Is it enough? Obviously, we are seeing that particularly in terms of the statistics within societies.”

He pointed out that this awareness may have also been “triggered by some of these (global economic) shocks, but (there is) a clear realization that more needs to be done.”