We Are One Ocean: A Surfer’s Call to Action
The beautiful places around the world we aim to protect and conserve so we can continue to enjoy.
As surfers and ocean lovers, the ocean provides more than a beautiful barrel.
It’s our stadium and playground. It represents a refuge and a grounding presence in our daily lives. It connects the world in a way like no other natural resource. The ocean fosters community and connection to people around the world who use the ocean as therapy to keep us balanced, as a friend to meet for an evening surf, even as an alarm that wakes us up. For all it gives us, it is now in dire need of protection.
The World Surf League (WSL), with its non-profit WSL PURE, is committed to protecting the waves we surf, they are the heart of our existence. Leveraging the WSL’s global platform to highlight the people and organizations spearheading ocean conservation around the world, WSL PURE announced the We Are One Ocean campaign. This campaign calls on world leaders to protect and conserve 30% of our global ocean by 2030, and urges world leaders to be driven by science and led by an inclusive process embracing all stakeholder communities and considers the ocean’s value to the peoples of every nation. We Are One Ocean provides a platform for all ocean lovers to show their support for meaningful protection of our global ocean through a petition signature. Over 80 non-profit organizations and businesses, from PADI and World Sailing to Conservation International and The Ocean Project, have joined WSL PURE’s We Are One Ocean coalition with a shared purpose of amplifying the urgent call to protect our one ocean.
Kanoa Igarashi paddling through crystal clear waters at the 2019 Tahiti Pro Teahupo’o presented by Hurley.
Not only does the ocean provide over half our oxygen, but it also bonds a unique community of ocean goers around the world. The ocean is an irreplaceable respite for surfers, divers, sailors, and communities worldwide. Healthy coral reefs provide structure for some of the world’s most treasured waves, biodiverse ecosystems motivate SCUBA divers to keep adventuring, and steady seas allow sailors the thrill of navigating uncharted waters for exploration and competition. It is our responsibility to protect it so future generations are able to reap the benefits.
By protecting and conserving 30% of our global ocean, we can help ensure equitable access to the ocean and its resources for all people. We can preserve sacred places and traditions for cultures tied to the sea and capitalise on a critical opportunity to safeguard our most precious resource. On this World Ocean Day, join surfers, divers, and ocean-lovers in protecting our one global ocean that gives so much to us.
Edited version of the original text published by World Ocean Day.