Behind the scenes of Warner Bros coral bleaching documentary
Broadcast on Discovery for Earth Day, Monday 22nd April 2024, Beneath The Surface: The Fight For Corals follows the story of Salma Shaker. A free diver, her work has made significant contributions to better understanding how to protect reefs, and the impact of the climate crisis and global warming on the health of these vital marine ecosystems.
From her home in Saudi Arabia, to other areas of the Red Sea, widely considered one of the world’s foremost coral hotspots, and on to locations in Mexico, the documentary emphasises the global plight of reefs, which are enduring consistently higher sea temperatures and regular marine heat waves. A 2018 study showed that 70-90% of coral reefs will decline if the world experiences sustained 1.5C of global warming above pre-industrial levels. In January, this ‘limit’ was breached over a 12 month period for the very first time.
The film premiered as a fringe event during COP28 in Dubai late last year, and was co-produced by Red Sea Global. The investment company has extensive interests in sustainable and regenerative tourism. The company’s Advisory Board includes Environment Journal contributor Carlos Duarte, Professor of Marine Science at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia.
