Symbiosis is an ongoing long-term documentary project examining the impacts of climate change and human activity on marine and coastal ecosystems.
Through a positive, solution-oriented approach, the project focuses on the conservation efforts of local communities and the work of marine scientists who are responding to environmental degradation from within the territories they inhabit and study.
Oceans are a fundamental pillar of life on Earth. They regulate the climate, sustain biodiversity, and provide economic, social, and cultural foundations for billions of people worldwide. Yet today, marine ecosystems are under unprecedented pressure. Rising temperatures, pollution, overexploitation of resources, and coastal development are pushing many environments toward irreversible thresholds.
Symbiosis was born from the need to understand these transformations beyond statistics, by observing how environmental change reshapes daily life, livelihoods, and cultural identities. The project aligns with the United Nations Ocean Decade (2021–2030), aiming to raise awareness and encourage deeper public engagement with marine conservation.
At its core, Symbiosis seeks to share stories of resilience, responsibility, and care — highlighting the efforts to restore ecosystems and safeguard a livable environment for future generations.
The first chapter of Symbiosis was produced in 2022 across Thailand and on two Indonesian islands: Java and Bali.
According to IPCC reports, marine and coastal ecosystems in Southeast Asia are experiencing a severe decline. Climate change–driven phenomena combined with human-caused pressures, such as pollution, overfishing, and rapid coastal urbanization, have already destroyed approximately 40% of coral reefs and 60% of coastal mangroves. Fish stocks continue to diminish while consumption patterns remain unsustainable. These pressures are further intensified by ocean warming and acidification, which weakens the ocean’s ability to regulate the climate and sustain biodiversity.
Regulatory frameworks and environmental policies play a crucial role in shaping the future of marine ecosystems.
In Thailand, recent changes to fisheries legislation risk slowing down hard-won progress in environmental protection, labor rights, and sustainable trade. In Indonesia, the effects of climate change are already tangible: rising sea levels are reshaping low-lying islands and coastal settlements, affecting access to freshwater, housing, and food security.
In response to these pressures, coastal communities across the region are developing adaptive strategies and conservation initiatives aimed at protecting marine resources and sustaining livelihoods. Community-based fisheries management, habitat restoration projects, and locally driven conservation efforts are emerging as practical forms of resilience, reinforcing social cohesion and redefining traditional relationships with the sea.
Across the Indo-Pacific, where more than 200 million people depend on fisheries for food and employment, these initiatives demonstrate how environmental protection can also become a tool for cultural continuity and long-term stability.
This chapter follows small acts of care and resistance, where coastal communities seek to restore balance and reimagine their relationship with the ocean.