Conservation International’s Post

New: Here’s another reason to get stoked about surfing: Forests, marshes and mangroves adjacent to surf breaks store 88.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, according to a first-of-its kind study. That represents about 1% of annual global energy-related emissions, equivalent to the carbon spew of 77 million cars. The type of carbon sequestered around surf breaks is significant, according to the peer-reviewed paper published Tuesday in the journal Conservation Science and Practice. Researchers call it “irrecoverable carbon,” meaning it could be released by development but would be impossible to re-sequester before the mid-century deadline to reach net-zero emissions and avoid the worst impacts of climate change. “The protection of these surfing areas helps to achieve two of our most important conservation goals, both protecting biodiversity and keeping carbon in those soils, in those forests and in the mangroves,” said Scott Atkinson, a co-author of the paper and senior director of surf conservation at environmental group Conservation International. Bloomberg Green #surfing Free link for seven days. https://lnkd.in/dpdkrgqA

🏄 Surfer Magazine |  The year is 2024. The earth’s oceans, as a result of pollution and endless eras of manmade carbon emissions and, thus, the resulting global warming, are slowly slipping into a cesspo... #surfing #surfer

🌊 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐚𝐲: 𝐌𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐜𝐞𝐚𝐧 🌊 Today, I’m taking a moment to celebrate International Surfing Day and my deep connection to the Ocean. Surfing has always been a source of joy for me — even though I spend a lot of time falling back into the water, it’s the climbing back up that truly matters. When I’m out there in the waves, I feel a profound sense of belonging. I’m reminded that I’m a small part of a vast, beautiful ecosystem. The Ocean is the blue heart of our planet, and being in it—whether I’m riding a wave or just floating—brings me pure happiness and peace. Ecosystems are intricate systems, fully connected and interdependent. The Ocean ecosystem, in particular, plays a critical role in capturing more than half of all CO2 in the world, making it essential for regulating our climate and sustaining life on Earth. I hope you can find some time to enjoy the beauty of nature around you and feel that special connection to the world. It’s this feeling that drives me to do my part in protecting our Ocean, our life support system. Personally, I strive to keep plastics out of the Ocean, but there’s so much more that needs to be done. Some amazing people are working on creating marine protected areas, preserving species, reducing global warming (which heats our oceans and bleaches our corals), and stopping deep-sea mining. If you’re curious about the latter, I recommend checking out this insightful HBO episode: https://lnkd.in/etbbbFvN The Ocean needs our help. And in return, it gives us life. Thanks for taking the time to read and share this message. Let’s cherish and protect our blue heart together. #InternationalSurfingDay #OceanConservation #Sustainability #ProtectOurPlanet #NatureConnection

Why Connections Matter: Surfing, Blue Planet, and Ecosystem Science. A shout out to Breene Murphy for sending me an interesting study about surfing and blue carbon.  I read it on the train recently. And he got me thinking.   This study* looked at surf spots around the world and the ecosystems including reefs and mangroves around them. These places today are storing >88 million tonnes of carbon, that if lost into the atmosphere would be impossible to recover before 2050. About 20% of these places are biodiversity hotspots.  The surfing industry is important- it is valued at up to 30 times the current value of the voluntary carbon market.   This study made me reflect about connections and #ecosystemscience. This is the science of drawing the lines connecting one species to another directly, and indirectly through its impacts on an intermediary species.   A simple example: A caterpillar directly damages or kills a plant by eating it. If a bird eats that caterpillar (also a direct effect), this reduces the damage to the plant- an indirect  (+) effect of the bird on the plant (see image).  It is the #number, the #nature, and the #strengths of those interaction lines that keep our planet dynamically working.  Ecosystem science doesn’t always include the range of human interaction lines on these web diagrams, and it doesn’t factor other human-generated links in the interaction web of life. These are often done as separate studies such economic studies or socio-economic impact evaluations. The study that Breene sent me is fundamentally all about the connections between surfing, coastal protection, climate mitigation, carbon, GHG, biodiversity and serious economic value. We often speak generally about these connections and multiple-values when it comes to climate or our planet.  But can we better identify and quantify these diverse connections and across different spheres? Can we do it in a compelling way that engages other sectors to see the real value in focusing on linkages as a driver for good climate and environmental decisions. The failure to understand the critical interaction web components leads to unintended environmental and financial consequences that can be synergistic- bad news for the planet and bad news for business. But knowing and accounting for these these links can be powerfully positive. “Connection” is often viewed as a “soft topic” It’s not. It runs the world. It’s also highly quantitative and with strong predictive value. Ecosystem science has some good answers to build on (-it's why I love that science).  AI is driving us in that direction. Can we broaden the palette? I believe so- now how do we do this? Kevin Ranker Andrew Revkin Sean Davies Emma Laffey Reece Pacheco Patrick Rafter Read the paper-*Co-occurence of surf breaks and carbon dense ecosystems suggests opportunities for coastal conservation Jacob J. Bukosky et al Conservation Science and Practice Aug 2024

The Olympic Games are often criticized because, despite all claims to the contrary, they do cause damage to the environment. This is also the case with the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, although the protest is taking place several thousand kilometers further east in Tahiti. This is where the Olympic surfing competitions will be held.🏄🏽 Building a referee tower in the middle of an intact coral reef could severely damage the local ecosystem! ➡️ on the one hand for the valuable coral reef habitat ➡️ also for the local population, who depend on this reef for their livelihood and well-being Intact coral reefs protect the coast from the surf, provide a nursery for fish and thus a source of protein for the local population as well as income from diving tourism. Many coral reefs around the world are under severe pressure due to climate change, over-fertilization, mechanical damage caused by shipping or invasive species, which is why intact ecosystems must be protected at all costs! ☝️ The Olympic idea also requires sustainable, socially just planning for sporting events! #climatecrisis #environmentalprotection #OlympicGames #sustainablity #coralreef https://lnkd.in/eATuSbAS

There is a business case for conservation of our oceans and waters. For example, insurers are triggering pay-outs and deploying finance for reef response brigades immediately after hurricanes, with the sole aim to conserve and restore the reef system as soon as possible. Why? Because we depend on ecosystems and the services they provide. Reefs increase coastal resilience, which in turn lowers the overall bill for insurers (think of insurance for a coastal building). Over the weekend, I stumbled upon a report that aimed to estimate the impact of designating an area as a World Surfing Reserve. I was extremely eager to know the impact as the report combines two of my favorites things: surfing and protection/preservation of oceans and waves. But the problems were (the first two are quoted from the study): - lack of data on a regional level - various economic social and environmental impacts cannot be correlated exclusively with the designation of World Surfing Reserve - lack of baseline valuation of the situation pre-designation and lack of a selection of key metrics to track along the years We need more robust systems that collect and share nature data to build the transparency and trust that are needed to drive additional investment in protection.

“Indigenous wisdom is sacred” It’s a wonderful thing, and fills me with hope for us all since my first truly privileged connection with a community alive today holding indigenous wisdom, which I’m so grateful for. It remains the most meaningful experience I’ve had, bigger than my own individual life or lifetime. We still have those among the human race who are tapped into the depth of wisdom and connection to the natural world, and what it truly means to be human. This is something to rejoice, revere, respect and protect.  We all have the capacity for this as human beings, but have been systematically and brutally severed, or at least distanced to the point of obscurity, from our deepest connections over many centuries. Amongst our human race, alive at this very moment, we have what I see as the grandmother and grandfather wisdom of ancient ancestors living and breathing, who can help the adolescent confused and often destructive natures of the modern human condition we find ourselves in. It isn’t natural at all, it’s constructed and distorted. Bridges can be built inside and out to make us whole again. For the most part we need to more often shut up and listen.  Indigenous people and the wisdom they carry is the most sacred thing we have left in humanity. We should treat it as such and heed their original instruction and their guidance, to rekindle that connection in ourselves and forwards for our future generations. 

In an era where global warming casts a long shadow over winter sports, innovative ski resorts have turned to a groundbreaking method known as "snow farming" to preserve their snowy slopes. This practice, a response to the decreasing reliability of natural snowfall, is reshaping the ski industry, offering a glimmer of hope against climate change. The Rise of Snow Farming Snow farming, a technique that involves stockpiling snow from one season and preserving it for the next, has emerged as a beacon of sustainability in ski resort operations. Resorts like Levi in Finland have spearheaded this approach, using insulated mats to store large quantities of snow, ensuring they can kickstart their season with a reliable snow base. This method not only guarantees a certain layer of snow for early skiing but also cuts down on the energy and water usage typically associated with snow cannons. Marko Mustonen, Commercial Director of Levi, emphasizes the critical role of snow in skiing businesses. "It's our gold, and by saving it, we're ensuring the start of the season," he states. Please continue reading >>> https://lnkd.in/gh8NFtgy

Sustainability has crossed the barrier of fads and trends, and it won’t stop. We at @OldSurfer understood this when we created #TheOceanConnections, the first digital platform dedicated 100% to connecting change leaders in favor of the oceans, whom we call Green Story-Doers.   This year we’re continuing our efforts, but we've gone much further and, together with Flama Circular, reached the coasts of Mozambique to put circularity into action, demonstrating that rethinking the surfing industry is possible for anyone, anywhere in the world who wants to join the change. For #WorldOceanDay2024, we launched a teaser video with wide distribution on social media, but that was just a preview of the project. A few days ago, for #InternationalSurfingDay, we released the full video case study that we’re sharing with you today, in which we connected everything: change leaders, professional talents, technology and know-how, foundations, companies, artisans, surfers, Armindo, and a lot of willpower for change.   Thanks to everyone who made this project possible. Together, we have unlocked a new level of sustainability in surfing, and you can be a part of it. Comment and share, because here, and for the sake of change, every little bit helps! #FlamaCircular #RethinktheSurfIndustry #SustainabilityUnlocked #SustainableSurfing