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National Geographic Explorer and Ocean Conservation Leader Enric Sala Honored with Cosmos Club Award
The J.W. Powell Honoree carries forward the geologist’s legacy of protecting Earth’s natural wonders
Washington, DC (March 27, 2026) – This week, National Geographic Explorer in Residence and founder of Pristine Seas Enric Sala was presented as the Cosmos Club’s J.W. Powell Honoree for his work studying and protecting the ocean. Over the past two decades, Sala’s team has helped to create 31 marine protected areas (MPAs) around the globe – covering nearly 7 million square kilometers of ocean (over ⅔ the size of the United States).
Sala became the honoree for the Cosmos Club’s annual event, which recognizes individuals who embody the values of the club’s founder — geologist, and explorer John Wesley Powell — in the areas of scientific discovery and public service. Powell (1834–1902) conducted the 1869 geographic expedition down the Green and Colorado rivers, including the first U.S. government-sponsored passage through the Grand Canyon.
“I am humbled to join a group of leaders who studied Earth’s natural wonders and helped preserve them for future generations,” remarked Sala. “Protecting our lands and waters is our most vital task — without a healthy natural world there would be no us.”
Since its founding in 2008, Sala’s project, National Geographic Pristine Seas, has been a leading force in advancing marine conservation globally. At the invitation of governments, the team studies ecosystems from the Arctic to the tropics, from kelp forests to coral reefs. The local and international scientists use cutting-edge tools like cameras that drop to the bottom of the sea, a submersible that can reach 1,000+ meters deep, and eDNA analysis that can catalogue species not seen with the naked eye. Sala’s team makes a documentary for use in each country, featuring local communities’ knowledge, insights, and personal connections to the sea.
The J.W. Powell honoree event is a timely recognition for the importance of MPAs, which preserve the wonders of the ocean while increasing the food supply, providing economic benefits, and building resilience against global warming. These “national parks of the sea” have proven that when the ocean has space to recover from damaging activity, it bounces back spectacularly.
A growing body of research shows that fully protected MPAs can help restore fish populations by 500% on average, yield bigger fish over time, and help replenish fishing grounds around the MPAs because of the spillover of marine life. The marine reserves that Pristine Seas has helped to create account for two-thirds of the world’s highly protected ocean.
Today, less than 10% of the ocean is somehow protected — and less than 3% is fully protected from fishing and other damaging activities. Pristine Seas supports the global goal of conserving at least 30% of the ocean by 2030.
The J.W. Powell Honoree, which began in 2015 to honor the Cosmos Club founder, selects an individual who has achieved exploratory feats. Past recipients include leaders across science both at sea and in space and in such feats as geological discoveries as a part of public service plus other adventures.
Sala was nominated to be the Honoree by photographer Kenneth Garrett, who remarked, “Enric is giving nature a chance to heal for the benefit of all people around the world. It seems so simple, but if you let nature find its own way, the results can be amazing. I nominated Enric because I believe he is working hard and succeeding with something vitally important for the future of our planet.”
As a professor, Enric Sala realized he was writing the obituary of the ocean. This spark led him to quit academia and launch Pristine Seas, a project that combines science, exploration and storytelling to protect the vital places in the ocean. Now, Pristine Seas inspires people worldwide to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030.
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About National Geographic Pristine Seas (2026)
National Geographic Pristine Seas works with Indigenous and local communities, governments, and other partners to protect vital places in the ocean through research, policy, and filmmaking. Since 2008, Pristine Seas has helped establish 31 marine protected areas, spanning more than 6.9 million square kilometers of ocean.
Pristine Seas is part of the global non-profit, the National Geographic Society. Our mission is driven by science and filmmaking — we are fully independent from National Geographic publishing and its media arm.
The work of Pristine Seas is made possible through the generous support of the Bezos Earth Fund, Bloomberg Philanthropies, The Campbell Foundation for the Environment, Disney, Don Quixote Foundation, The Aaron And Catie Enrico Family Foundation, Google, LGT Venture Philanthropy, Lindblad Expeditions – National Geographic Fund, Minderoo Foundation, Oracle, Philip Stephenson Foundation, Postcode Lottery Group, Rituals, Tanka Foundation, Ted and Michele Waitt–TTMMC Fund, UBS Optimus Foundation, an anonymous donor, Renwick Family and other individual donors.
Cosmos Club
Founded in 1878, Cosmos Club is a private social club for men and women distinguished in science, literature, the arts, learned professions, or public service. The Club provides a welcoming environment to share in scholarship, conversation, and culture.
About The National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society is a global nonprofit organization that uses the power of science, exploration, education and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world. Since 1888, National Geographic has pushed the boundaries of exploration, investing in bold people and transformative ideas, providing more than 15,000 grants for work across all seven continents, reaching 3 million students each year through education offerings, and engaging audiences around the globe through signature experiences, stories and content.
To learn more, visit www.nationalgeographic.org or follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
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