Hamburg/Cologne/Zurich, 12 October 2023 – Team Malizia, Zurich Germany, rrreefs, and the Mama Earth Foundation are delighted to announce their partnership to restore coral reefs and mangroves in the Philippines. The partners are connected within the Planet Hero Award which is announced yearly by Zurich Insurance for climate-promoting initiatives as part of the partnership with Team Malizia. Sharing a common mission to take action for ocean health and against the climate crisis, these partners have already been working together in different capacities geared towards climate action and environmental conservation. Now, they are joining forces, combining their collective expertise and resources for this significant and long-term project aimed at regenerating degraded marine ecosystems in Pujada Bay, Philippines.

The Philippines contain almost 10% of the world’s coral reefs with exceptional biodiversity, but to date, 98% of the country‘s reefs are classified as threatened, with 70% at high or very high risk. On a broader scale, about one third of the world’s mangrove stocks have been destroyed over the past 40 years.

Mangroves and corals essential for coastlines

Coastal ecosystems like mangroves and coral reefs play key roles for our climate and the environment. Mangroves are champions at capturing CO₂ and form a buffer against coastal erosion and storm damage, whilst healthy coral reefs can absorb wave energy and are home to nearly a quarter of the oceans’ biodiversity. The regeneration of both ecosystems helps them to better withstand and recover from storms and the effects of climate change.

The new project is set in Pujada Bay, Philippines, where Boris Herrmann’s Team Malizia and the Mama Earth Foundation have been actively involved in restoring the mangrove ecosystem for many years through the creation of the Malizia Mangrove Park. Working in collaboration with the local university and with a mission to provide a better income for local communities, they have already planted over 800,000 mangrove seedlings and aim to reduce CO2 levels by binding large quantities of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The bay, which has been declared a marine protected area in 1994, is also an ideal location for the restoration of both mangroves and coral reefs together.

This can bring additional benefits for both the mangroves and the reefs. The increased biodiversity of the reefs may help young mangroves store more carbon, and in turn the mangroves may help the regenerated reef by decreasing ambient water temperature and sediment in the water.

Regeneration experiment with control group

For this project, rrreefs will rebuild a damaged coral reef, using their modular system made from 3D-printed clay bricks. The system provides a foundation for corals to grow and fish to thrive and enables the regrowth of a healthy reef ecosystem without further maintenance. Simultaneously, about 3000 mangroves will be planted in front of the restored reef, and another 3000 mangroves in front of a degraded reef that will not be restored. This experimental approach provides an opportunity to understand the potential benefits of simultaneous restoration of mangroves and coral reefs.

Does rebuilding the reef achieve a higher biodiversity in the mangroves than without the reef, or with a destroyed reef? Can the reef contribute to the mangrove forest absorbing more CO₂ than it would otherwise?

In addition to the environmental aspects, the creation of positive social impact plays an important role for the project partners. Academics and students from Davao Oriental State University in Mati are actively involved in all steps of the project, and the teams work with local communities along the coast, as their participation is crucial for the success and long-term sustainability of the restoration efforts.

Team Malizia’s skipper Boris Herrmann commented: “It is amazing to see how our various efforts and partnership network are coming together to rehabilitate two ecosystems that are crucial for our planet. As a sailing team, the Ocean is our home, our workplace but we all depend on the Ocean and it is threatened by climate change. From contributing to scientific research to community building, and to local environmental restoration efforts: This project represents our shared commitment to preserve our Ocean by actively taking action against the climate crisis. It’s a race we must win – and we must work together to achieve this!”

“The ‘Reviving Pujada Bay’ project is an impressive example of the positive impacts that result from the Planet Hero Award. With the Planet Hero Award, we not only honor promising innovative and effective environmental and climate initiatives as part of our sustainability strategy, but we have also established a platform for communication, networking and collaboration. The interplay between science, environmental protection and social commitment has the potential to lead the way for other initiatives,” reports Dr. Carsten Schildknecht, CEO of Zurich Group Germany.

About Team Malizia

Team Malizia is a professional offshore sailing team led by German sailor Boris Herrmann. The team’s mission goes beyond competitive sailing; through its A Race We Must Win – Climate Action Now! mission, it is committed to taking action against climate change and raising awareness on Ocean protection and the climate crisis. This mission is only possible due to the strong and long-lasting commitment from seven main partners: Zurich Group Germany, Kuehne+Nagel, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, Hapag-Lloyd, Schütz, the Yacht Club de Monaco, and EFG International. These partners band behind Team Malizia to support its campaign, each of them working towards projects in their own field to innovate around climate solutions. With Zurich, Team Malizia created the Planet Hero Award to support initiatives that improve climate and environmental protection, such as rrreefs, who received the award in 2021. www.team-malizia.com

About Zurich

Zurich aims to become one of the world’s most responsible and impactful companies. The insurer wants to create sustainable value for customers, employees, shareholders and the communities in which we all live and work. That is why Zurich Germany takes a holistic approach that integrates sustainability goals into all business areas and decisions and embeds them organizationally at all levels. Part of this is to support sustainable, outstanding environmental protection and climate research initiatives. Within this ambitious scheme Zurich announces yearly the Planet Hero Award for climate-promoting initiatives as part of the partnership with Boris Herrmanns Team Malizia. www.zurich.de

 

About rrreefs

rrreefs is a female-founded startup based in Switzerland that rebuilds damaged coral reefs. The university spin-off has developed a unique system of interlocking 3D-printed clay bricks that has been tested for two years in the Caribbean, achieving very high fish diversity and coral settlement. rrreefs’ vision is to restore 1% of all coral reefs on coastlines by 2034. rrreefs was awarded the inaugural Planet Hero Award in 2021, which was created by Zurich Germany and Team Malizia. www.rrreefs.com

About Mama Earth Foundation

The Mama Earth Foundation was founded by Ulrich Kronberg more than 10 years ago in the Philippines. The Foundation has been involved in land and coastal reforestation projects in Mindanao, the southernmost island of the Philippines. Working closely with the coastal inhabitants, the local university in Mati and the authorities, Mama Earth Foundation has established programs for farmers to help them secure their income base and prevent them from being forced to illegally cut down trees due to financial hardship. Building on the experience of more than 1.4 million mangroves planted, the Malizia Mangrove Park was launched in 2020 in cooperation with Team Malizia. www.mama-earth.info