Coral Reefs of Wakatobi (Atmos)

In 2023, Emery created a portfolio incl. over 100 photographs documenting Wakatobi National Park, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in Southeast Sulawesi, in an effort to highlight the importance of well-regulated marine protected areas. In the mid-1990s, Emery’s father co-established Wakatobi Dive Resort and its Reef Conservation Program, which transformed six kilometres of reef into a no-fishing sanctuary. The initiative set a precedent for community-led, rights-based conservation and led to the government’s 2002 expansion of the park to 1.39 million hectares. Wakatobi’s success underscores the ecological value of protected marine zones — vital systems that sustain biodiversity, regulate climate, and generate the oxygen on which all life depends.