Aaron Olivera was hoping to discover iridescent corals beneath the tropical waves when he travelled to the Maldives six years ago. But what he found instead were white skeletons scattered across the Indian ocean floor. Under stress from warming, the reef had shed its colour.
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The sobering sight woke the Singapore-based businessman up to the need to combat climate change. But doing so, he thought, required the world’s brightest minds to join forces, so he decided to build a giant research vessel that would bring together the best scientists to save the planet.
Earth300, as the project is called, is a hugely ambitious endeavour. The vessel, which is being developed by an international team with headquarters in Singapore, looks like a spaceship and will house 22 state-of-the-art laboratories supported by the latest digital technologies. It will be a science salon that gathers geniuses who manufacture miracles, Olivera tells Eco-Business on this podcast.
Why build a ship? A global challenge calls for global solutions, says Olivera. When the ship embarks on its maiden voyage in late 2025, it will sound the ecological alarm on a global scale while inspiring people around the world to envision a better, greener and fairer tomorrow. At this daunting moment in human history, Olivera argues, governments need to heed scientists’ warnings and follow their lead. It’s either that or letting the planet cook.
Tune in as we talk about:
- Who will be able to board the ship
- Research on the vessel
- What’s wrong with today’s celebrity culture
- The role of ego in the climate change fight
- The team behind Earth300
