Leaders at net-zero developer URB have unveiled their plans for the world's largest ocean restoration and ecotourism project.

Dubai Reefs is a floating living lab that would include residential, hospitality, retail, educational, and research facilities.

The project would support the building of an artificial reef, which would span 200 square kilometres.

Its designers also hope it will house more than one billion corals and 100 million mangrove trees. The marine institute will be the heart of the project, working towards greater protection of the marine and coastal environment of Dubai.

Dubai Reefs will offer unique experiences in marine ecotourism too, including floating eco-lodges which are powered by 100 per cent renewable energy from various types of solar and hydropower.

Wave farms will also produce additional clean energy for Dubai's growing population. And Regenerative Ocean Farming, a climate-friendly food production technique, is another key feature of the project.

The project is dependent on funding but the first phase could be realised by 2025 to 2030.

Baharash Bagherian, chief executive of URB, highlights the significance of the project for Dubai. "The health of our cities is intrinsically tied to the health of our oceans. The ocean is the source of life controlling everything. Given that everything on our planet is connected, a healthy ocean is a healthy city. Our ocean will be entirely different by the end of the century if we don't take action today."