To close the opening day of EarthX, legendary oceanographer Sylvia Earle delivers a powerful keynote tracing the evolution of Mission Blue from vision to global movement.

Drawing on more than a decade of progress, Earle reflects on how early calls to protect the ocean have translated into real-world impact—from expanding marine protected areas to elevating the ocean’s role in climate stability, biodiversity, and human survival. At a moment of intensifying pressure on marine ecosystems, this keynote offers a clear-eyed view of what’s at stake—and a compelling case for why the ocean remains our most powerful, and most overlooked, ally.