David Obura is a Founding Director of CORDIO East Africa, a knowledge organization supporting sustainability of coral reef and marine systems in the Western Indian Ocean. CORDIO takes research to management and policy, builds capacity, and works with stakeholders, managers and policy makers. David’s primary research is on coral reef resilience, in particular to climate change, and he increasingly works to integrate conservation and development through inclusive blue economy principles and using global sustainability goals and targets to stimulate local action. David serves on the Earth Commission, to describe a ‘safe and just corridor’ into the future, for people and planet.