08/10/2026
The first-ever RELX Environmental Challenge Ocean shortlist has been announced.
New for 2026, the Ocean category recognises innovative and scalable solutions that support ocean health, marine ecosystems and environmental resilience.
Following more than 100 applications from around the world, five projects have been shortlisted:
🌊 Thriving Planet Association, Thailand – using AI, GPS and blockchain technology to make community-led ocean plastic recovery in Thailand traceable and verifiable, with potential to scale across Southeast Asia
🌊 Mar Futura, Chile – using low-cost, AI-powered acoustic monitoring to enable coastal communities in Chile to track marine biodiversity by listening to underwater ecosystems.
🌊 Scaling Sea-Weeding, James Cook University, Australia, Philippines, Seychelles and Mozambique – developing a community-led approach to coral reef restoration that removes nuisance seaweed to support natural coral recovery across four different ecological and community settings.
🌊 SymbioShore in partnership with University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, USA – developing a submerged Oyster Reef Blanket in the United States that combines marine habitat restoration with nature-based coastal protection.
🌊 Waste Recycling Environment Network (WREN), Belize – transforming invasive sargassum and organic waste in coastal communities in Belize into compost and agricultural bio-stimulants through a community-led circular economy model.
Congratulations to all five shortlisted projects! Read more about the inaugural Ocean shortlist: https://sdgresources.relx.com/features/relx-environmental-challenge-2026-inaugural-ocean-shortlist-announced?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=relx&utm_term=perspectives&utm_content=corporateresponsibility