Ocean Central is a data-driven platform helping users explore ocean health, track progress toward global ocean goals, and better understand the value marine ecosystems provide to society.

The northern Amazon is the world’s last contiguous stretch of intact rainforest, generating 20% of global rainfall and 70% of Latin America’s precipitation. These “flying rivers” — massive water vapor systems produced by the forest — sustain global food security, weather stability, and biodiversity. Their loss would carry catastrophic consequences for climate, economies, and societies.

Once numbering 60 million across North America, buffalo shaped entire ecosystems and cultures. Today, the Buffalo Nations Fund (BNF) is pioneering a replicable Indigenous-led model to restore buffalo to ancestral lands, unlock new classes of nature-backed credits, and generate long-term ecological and economic resilience.

The Bahamas is home to one of the largest seagrass meadows on Earth, a natural climate solution with immense potential for carbon sequestration, biodiversity protection, and coastal resilience. By restoring and safeguarding this vast ecosystem, the project contributes directly to climate mitigation, sustainable development, and resilient island economies.

Sea otters are a keystone species whose presence promotes recovery and stability of kelp, seagrass, and salt marsh ecosystems. They stabilize fish nurseries, thus benefiting wildlife and providing protein for people. Nearly wiped out by humans, we are learning that sea otters are worth more alive.

Whales are major contributors to ocean productivity, nutrient cycling, and carbon storage. Valuation of these services transforms ecological value into financial instruments that drive investment into conservation action to protect these sentient beings from human impacts.

Bison are a keystone species whose presence restores grasslands and soils, increases carbon storage, and enhances nutrient cycling and biodiversity. Killed by the millions in the 19th century, we learned the hard way that they are essential to land productivity and carbon sequestration.