The future of coral reefs
Following the 16th International Coral Reef Symposium hosted at Victoria University of Wellington, join the President of the International Coral Reef Society.
Description
Coral reefs are home to an estimated 25 percent of marine species, a critical coastal defence, and a food and income source for more than 500 million people worldwide, yet they are in critical danger of extinction. This special event will provide an opportunity to learn about the threats facing the world’s coral reefs and, crucially, efforts to restore and save them in the South Pacific and beyond.
The evening will start with a plenary lecture by Professor Christian Voolstra (University of Konstanz), one of the world’s leading coral reef scientists and President of the International Coral Reef Society. You will hear about science-informed restoration approaches (selective breeding, probiotic therapy, and so on) that could allow for the generation of more thermally tolerant corals that may be better equipped to withstand the pressures of global warming.
This will be followed by a public question and answer session chaired by VUW’s Professor Simon Davy, convenor of the 2026 International Coral Reef Symposium. This will be followed by a public question and answer session chaired by VUW’s Prof Simon Davy, convenor of the 2026 International Coral Reef Symposium. The question and answer panel will comprise Prof Voolstra, as well as international coral reef scientists Dr Tali Vardi (Executive Director, Coral Restoration Consortium) and Dr Antony Vavia (Lecturer at Auckland University of Technology and Senior Marine Researcher at Ocean Toa Tupuna Trust).
The evening will conclude with drinks and light refreshments.