Global Symposium on Coral Reef Restoration: Mexican Caribbean Makes History

This week, the Mexican Caribbean proudly hosted Reef Futures 2024 for the first time. This global symposium is dedicated to discussing necessary interventions and actions to ensure the survival of coral reefs in the upcoming century. Over the past four years, this event has been held in the United States, but this is the first time it has been hosted outside the US. The symposium aims to facilitate the sharing and enhancement of participant's work and achievements in coral reef restoration.

Reef Futures is a biennial gathering of scientists, technicians, and experts in coral restoration. It provides a platform for these professionals to innovate, share, and learn about what is being done in different parts of the world. Erika Harms, the Director of Sustainability at the Iberostar Hotel, spoke about the importance of the event.

This year's conference was the largest yet, with over 840 attendees from 62 countries. From December 9th to 13th, 2024, these attendees shared their experiences, research, challenges, and knowledge about coral restoration with experts from around the globe.

The Coral Restoration Consortium (CRC) presents Reef Futures. Since 2017, the CRC has served as the practice community for coral restoration. As coral reef restoration efforts are being carried out worldwide, the CRC acts as a centralized hub of knowledge. It's a place where both new professionals and veterans can ask questions and receive support.

The CRC's mission is to support communities and professionals in implementing coral restoration projects. By hosting events like Reef Futures, they continue to foster a global community dedicated to the preservation and restoration of our planet's coral reefs.