Protecting Surf Breaks as a Climate Solution
Some of the world's most popular surf spots are delicate ecosystems that hold what is known as "irrecoverable carbon." They could be crucial for climate progress.
A new kind of recreational designation for nature conservation has arrived in the surf world: Surf Protected Areas. The designation, developed and implemented by the NGO Conservation International (CI) and Save The Waves Coalition, protects the delicate ecosystems in areas around major surf breaks from unchecked tourism and other extractive practices (deforestation, mining, overfishing - you name it).
The reason? According to a new study in the journal Conservation Science and Practice, the biodiverse areas around the world’s largest surf breaks draw down 88.3 million metrics tons of CO2 (that’s “more than 1% of annual global energy-related pollution”).
Why? These areas are dense in what CI calls “irrecoverable carbon” — delicate ecosystems (mangroves, old growth forests, wetlands, peatlands) that, if destroyed, cannot be necessarily replanted/rehabilitated in the same way (“irreplaceable” is another good word here). Surf breaks are usually located in coastal inlets rich with biodiversity and plant life, and what’s more, they are places of value to recreationalists who feel an even deeper need to protect them.
As Scott Atkinson, senior director of surf conservation at CI says, “Surfers across the world are fantastic allies for efforts like this – they love the ocean, know that it is threatened and are extremely motivated to protect it.”
So far, CI has established 30 Surf Protected Areas around the world, primarily in Indonesia, Costa Rica and Peru.
🌿 This is an interesting example of legal designations that draw upon community activism and recreationalist action, benefiting multiple stakeholders while leading to a favorable outcome for nature and climate. What other outdoor pursuits can we try this with? 🤔
Check out the article here: https://www.surfer.com/news/environmental/saving-our-surf-best-way-save-the-planet
Photo credits: @ryanthrower