After five years of research, field trials, monitoring, and evaluation, the world’s first reef protection trials using seaweed biofilters are underway in the Great Barrier Reef. In this bold talk, environmental entrepreneur and seaweed industry leader Jo Kelly explains how seaweed biofilters improve water quality, reverse the damage pollution causes to reef ecosystems, and reduce cattle methane emissions contributing to the climate crisis.
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Jo Kelly is CEO of the Australian Seaweed Institute. She leads an innovative, nature-based solution for seaweed biofilters to help protect the Great Barrier Reef from water pollution, recognised by the World Economic Forum as a top 10 ocean innovation for impact. Jo has presented at the UN Oceans Conference, Monaco Ocean Week and Economist Ocean Forums. Jo is Chair of the Australian Sustainable Seaweed Alliance and was an inaugural Steering Committee member of the UN Global Compact’s Global Seaweed Coalition, working across industry, government and research to build a global regenerative seaweed industry. In 2020 she authored the Australian Seaweed Industry Blueprint, outlining the opportunity and plan to achieve a new sustainable seaweed industry. Jo combines executive experience in strategy, sustainability, innovation, impact finance and environmental engineering and is a Nuffield Scholar, Myer Innovation Fellow and AMP Tomorrow Maker for her work in ocean impact and innovation.
Jo Kelly
TEDx Speaker
Environmental Entrepreneur and Seaweed Industry Leader
