Deep discovery: the foundations for ocean conservation in NEOM

By Dr. Paul Marshall - Head of NEOM Nature Reserve

Rarely does the world beneath the waves disappoint. It is a space of beauty, mystery and deep serenity. And a realm harbouring elusive secrets that reveal Earth’s beginnings and the extraordinary richness of an unrivaled biodiversity. Our work to explore the ocean depths at NEOM has been no exception. We're only just beginning the adventure of discovery in NEOM, but already we have some amazing results. We're very excited to reveal the early findings from our joint Red Sea expedition with OceanX.

For six weeks, starting last October, a 30-member team studied the rarely explored depths of the marine ecosystems of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba in our backyard – here in the remote and almost undiscovered northwest region of Saudi Arabia.

The expedition aimed to help creates awareness about the importance of oceans, which produce at least half of the world’s oxygen, while also laying the foundations for our ambitious environmental mission here at NEOM: reinventing conservation to secure a healthy future for our ecosystems.

Whether applied to our clear blue sea, vast red desert expanses or snow-capped mountains, our approach to conservation at NEOM is guided by five environmental principles: to understand, protect, enhance, sustain and inspire.

Through the first principle, we are deepening the understanding of our land and ocean environments – including some of the most vibrant and resilient coral reefs in the world. This is happening through innovative research and collaboration with leading experts.

That’s where our project with OceanX comes in. The organization pledges to “bring the ocean back to the world” through the combination of science, exploration and storytelling.

And so the cutting-edge research vessel Ocean Xplorer set off with a team of world-renowned scientists and explorers – including experts from NEOM, National Geographic, the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).          

The focus was to understand the area’s coral reefs, known for their biodiversity and resilience to climate change. Two things happened that had never been done before: mapping the area’s deep-sea habitats and identifying new endemic species. The team also assessed the distribution of endangered and threatened species in near-shore and offshore marine ecosystems. They uncovered maritime archaeology from the ancient Nabatean era.

Our scientific efforts, documented by the OceanXplorer’s unrivaled underwater filmmaking capabilities, produced terabytes of data that are being analyzed for publication in scientific journals. However, the impact will reach far beyond this.

NEOM will use the results to design and establish a comprehensive network of marine-protected areas as a key pillar in our commitment to protect 95 percent of the region’s nature. The discoveries will also help global efforts to protect marine ecosystems around the world through new insights about deep ocean biodiversity, marine geology and the resilience of coral reefs to climate change and other pressures.

The project was previewed at last year’s G20 Leaders’ Summit hosted by Saudi Arabia, in support of one of the group’s key policy priorities: safeguarding the planet. And it is contributing to one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 – to “conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources.”

Without a doubt, the planet is faced with enormous environmental challenges. And there is still a long way to go to bring about the urgent change that is needed. But with these discoveries, and our commitment to protect this almost unknown part of the world's oceans, we hope to accelerate global efforts to tackle the great challenges of our time.

So please do follow us on our journey in the northern Red Sea. We hope it creates a better understanding of the treasures we have in the world beneath the waves. A world that not just still holds many secrets, but also is key to the very survival of life on earth.