WILMINGTON, Del.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In partnership with The Sylvia Earle Alliance / Mission Blue, A.R. Thane Ritchie announces the launch of Project Ocean Conservation, a public awareness campaign focused on the health of the ocean. Project Ocean Conservation joins Ritchie’s five other pillars of industry—quantum computing, aerospace, life sciences, FinTech and clean energy—as his premier environmental philanthropic endeavor for this decade.
There is a symbiotic relationship between humans and the oceans and few efforts to preserve the vital ecosystem that sustains human life. Ocean pollution, including plastics dumped into the sea, are devastating to marine life and pose a significant danger to human health. Yet less than six percent of the ocean is protected in any way.
“People have to understand that the oceans are crucial to moving mankind forward. I see Mission Blue as a perfect partner in this endeavor as a leader in ocean conservation and exploration,” said A.R. Thane Ritchie. “While there's been a lot of money invested in ocean protection, we've seen little impact to date because there's a lack of mainstream awareness of the root causes and what actions taken actually work. I'm confident that with Project Ocean Conservation, we'll empower that change and make an impact."
The goal of this collaboration between Ritchie and Mission Blue is to bring awareness and support for ocean protection. Mission Blue Hope Spots are special places that are scientifically identified as critical to the health of the ocean. Through the partnership, Ritchie will be involved with the inauguration of new Hope Spots in locales such as the Cayman Islands.
“There is amazing synergy between Thane’s mission to build sustainable communities that secure healthy futures for natural and human populations and Mission Blue’s efforts to restore the ocean, the blue heart of the planet,” said Dr. Sylvia Earle, President and Chairman of Mission Blue and The Sylvia Earle Alliance. “He is the perfect champion and partner for this cause as we set out to educate more people about the importance of the high seas.”
Ritchie’s vast experience in health and wellness, tech and documentary production creates a partnership of apolitical, universal thoughts and brands that will make an impact on the planet’s essential water supply.
About Thane Ritchie
A.R. Thane Ritchie, founder of Ritchie Capital Management commands a history of achievement in alternative investments, mergers and acquisitions, real estate markets, and other areas. With more than 30 years of experience in his field, Thane Ritchie currently oversees investments through various private equity partnerships and his family office, covering investment funds and portfolio companies at various stages of growth. Over the course of his career, he has worked with innovative companies in the insurance, energy, technology and media sectors, and routinely seeks promising ventures that may have been overlooked. In the past decade alone, Thane turned a signature investment fund that started with $30 million into a financial colossus, with a peak valuation of $4 billion.
About Dr. Sylvia Earle
Sylvia Earle is President and Chairman of Mission Blue / The Sylvia Earle Alliance. She is a National Geographic Society Explorer at Large, and is called Her Deepness by the New Yorker and the New York Times, Living Legend by the Library of Congress, and first Hero for the Planet by Time Magazine. She is an oceanographer, explorer, author and lecturer with experience as a field research scientist, government official, and director for several corporate and non-profit organizations.
About Mission Blue
Mission Blue inspires action to explore and protect the ocean. Led by legendary oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle, Mission Blue is uniting a global coalition to inspire an upwelling of public awareness, access and support for a worldwide network of marine protected areas – Hope Spots. Under Dr. Earle’s leadership, the Mission Blue team implements communications campaigns that elevate Hope Spots to the world stage through documentaries, social media, traditional media and innovative tools like Esri ArcGIS. Mission Blue also embarks on regular oceanic expeditions that shed light on these vital ecosystems and build support for their protection. Currently, the Mission Blue alliance includes more than 200 respected ocean conservation groups and like-minded organizations, from large multinational companies to individual scientific teams doing important research. Additionally, Mission Blue supports the work of conservation NGOs that share the mission of building public support for ocean protection. With the concerted effort and passion of people and organizations around the world, Hope Spots can become a reality and form a global network of marine protected areas large enough to restore the ocean, the blue heart of the planet.