Why the Digital Ocean is Essential to the Future of Our Planet
Liquid Robotics — November 29, 2016
I really believe that this is a unique period in human history. The sustainability challenge that we face is urgent, but we are also better positioned than ever before to take meaningful action to address it.
The ocean covers 70% of the Earth’s surface, produces most of our oxygen, and is a significant source of food and jobs. It’s imperative that we understand the ocean better, because it holds the answers to some of our planet’s biggest challenges.
- The global population will exceed 8.5B by 2030, increasing food demand by 50%.
- Climate change has doubled the number of Atlantic hurricanes over the last century, now averaging more than 15 per year.
- Sea levels are expected to rise by over 6 feet this century, putting nearly 1.9 million U.S. homes underwater.
New technology is making ocean data more accessible than ever. Pervasive connectivity is within reach, enabled by a growing network of platforms and sensors across the ocean surface, the air above, and the vast water column below.
We believe this—the Digital Ocean—is essential to the future of our planet.
In the Digital Ocean, we can get earlier tsunami warnings and more accurate hurricane forecasts, saving lives. We can instantly detect undersea threats. We can crack down on illegal fishing, smuggling and trafficking; and keep marine protected areas (MPAs), protected. We can create a sustainable food supply to feed our growing billions.
The Digital Ocean is not about a single technology. It’s about how multiple systems can come together to solve some of our planet’s biggest challenges.
From the seafloor to the surface to space, we have many of the pieces we need today. Now it’s time to come together to help shape the future of our planet and the ocean.
Have an idea for a problem the Digital Ocean could help solve? We’d love to hear it!
