The sea is a rich source of sustainable food and green energy, driving a “blue gold rush” that could be revolutionary, and economically viable in mitigating the worst outcomes of climate catastrophe. But we risk irreversible damage if things are taken too far. Learn aboutvarious risks and rewards of accelerated investment in ocean extraction.

Hear the risks and benefits of:

• kelp farming
• oceanic carbon capture
• deep sea mining

What can the ocean sustain? When do we get to a point of no return for ocean conservation?

Rich historical details about ocean exploration, cautionary tales of over-use, and vivid first-person narrative that draws on the author’s two decades as a marine scientis. He’ll look at food, energy, transport, minerals, and carbon capture.

Ben Halpern is a marine ecologist who has conducted field expeditions around the world. A professor at University of California Santa Barbara’s Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, he directs the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS). Halpern’s writing has appeared in Scientific American, Nature, and Pacific Standard, and his lab’s research has been covered by the New York Times.