Australia’s Great Southern Reef, known for its diverse and vibrant marine life, is facing serious challenges. Climate change has sped up the disappearance of many important underwater forests. These forests historically provided shelter and food for marine animals while acting as significant carbon sinks. However, there is hope, as tech giant Google is stepping in to help with the reef’s restoration.
In a joint effort, Google is working with a range of partners to use its skills in artificial intelligence, research, and conservation to tackle the significant loss of kelp. If this project succeeds, it could greatly benefit biodiversity, carbon capture, and Australia’s ocean economy. Kate Brandt, Google’s Chief Sustainability Officer, pointed out the unique features of kelp, including its fast growth. Some seaweed species can grow up to two feet a day, reaching lengths of 200 feet. Ms. Brandt also noted that this rapid growth helps reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and lessens ocean pollutants.
Google’s plan for restoring the Great Southern Reef relies on its technology. Through its US$1 billion Digital Future Initiative, Google is investing in this effort with key organizations like CSIRO, IMAS, the Nature Conservancy, the Kelp Forest Alliance, and the Great Southern Reef Foundation to locate and revive the remaining kelp forests. The project will use Google Earth Engine and Vertex AI models to map about 7,000 square kilometers of kelp canopy along the coast. This mapping process aims to find heat-resistant kelp strains that have shown resilience so far. By examining the genetic traits of these strong kelp varieties, scientists hope to grow and reintroduce kelp species better suited to thrive in a warming ocean environment. Importantly, the tools and data created through this project will be open-source to assist similar conservation efforts worldwide.
Professor Craig Johnson, a marine ecologist and director of the Marine and Antarctic Futures Centre at the University of Tasmania (IMAS), is optimistic about the project’s potential.
Google has both the ability and the duty to use its innovations to combat climate change, and sustainability has become important for the US-based firm, with water security. Google aims to replenish 120% of the freshwater it consumes by 2030, and to achieve this, it invested in over 100 water conservation projects in 2024. Ms. Brandt pointed out how Google uses AI to map existing “invisible forests” and find new plant varieties that can endure and thrive under tougher conditions, which, when used to restore the Great Southern Reef, illustrates how technology can play a significant role in global sustainability efforts.
