Camila Bustos

Colombian environmental engineer pioneering coral reef restoration in climate-vulnerable Caribbean communities

Camila Bustos' Coral Vivo project has regenerated 15km² of coral reefs in Colombia's Caribbean coast since 2018, protecting 200,000+ residents from coastal erosion. Her breakthrough came in 2020 with the invention of "CoralNets", biodegradable mesh structures that accelerate reef growth by 400%. Partnering with UNDP, she expanded operations to Panama and Jamaica by 2022, creating 800+ green jobs. In 2023, Camila developed the first coral acidification resistance testing lab in the Americas, predicting climate resilience of 30+ species. Her community engagement model includes training local fisherwomen as marine biologists, now managing 40% of restoration sites. Controversy arose in 2021 when her methods were accused of disrupting natural ecosystems, but peer-reviewed studies in Nature Scientific Reports confirmed 90% survival rates versus 20% in traditional methods. Her recent $5M grant from Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation funds an artificial reef project near Cartagena, expected to sequester 2,500 tons of CO₂ annually. Critics question long-term scalability, but Camila's open-source methodology has inspired 12 similar initiatives in the Caribbean. She was named 2024 Young Champion of the Earth by UNEP for her innovative conservation strategies.