French Polynesia's pearl farmers combat climate change with sustainable practices February 13, 2021 Today's best articles Daily business briefing Solving COVID newsletter Pearls cultured in the lagoons of the many islands and atolls that make up French Polynesia are world-renowned for their unique and illustrious colors. Tahitian pearls, as they are commonly known, are found in many different colors: black, pink, green, blue, and brown, with shades in between. Before the coronavirus pandemic set in, the gems accounted for a majority of the French Pacific island territory's exports â making pearls the second-biggest driver there, after tourism. But some pearl producers in French Polynesia are contributing in another major way: by implementing innovative sustainable farming practices that help ensure the oceans in which they work stay healthy and thriving.