24. 10. 2024 Natthanicha Luengvoraphan

Can traditions become Ocean-friendly? The story of Thailand’s Loy Krathong Festival

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Our Ocean, rivers, lakes, canals and other bodies of water have provided us with so much for centuries.

They sustain ecosystems, support livelihoods and offer vital resources. It’s no wonder that they are appreciated and celebrated worldwide.

In Thailand, a full moon night in November, during the Loy Krathong Festival, is dedicated to worshiping the goddess of water.

The Loy Krathong Festival involves floating a ‘krathong’ (a small floating lantern). This is an act of paying gratitude to the goddess that personifies all bodies of water and apologising to her for polluting the waterways.

Each year, I celebrate Loy Krathong dressed in my traditional Thai dress, making the krathongs and sometimes teaching younger students to do the same. I’ve floated them in a river, swimming pool, pond and even virtually with my school class through a website.

Thaliand's Loy Krathong Festival involves floating a krathong — *Photo credit: Natthanicha Luengvoraphan*

This tradition has been ongoing since the 14th century and with a growing population, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) reported collecting 640,000 krathongs in 2023. With this vast amount, the environmental damage to the waterways cannot be overlooked.

The materials krathongs are made of make a huge difference.

Traditionally krathongs are made using a banana tree trunk, banana leaves, flowers, and candles. In the past, plastic and styrofoam were popular materials but since have reduced in numbers due to awareness of their adverse environmental impacts.

Materials that do not decompose have numerous impacts on wildlife, human health and economic costs. Aquatic animals can mistakenly ingest these materials or become entangled in them, leading to injuries. Microplastics and chemical leaching can lead to health issues from making their way up to the food chain.

The economic repercussions include the expense of clean-up efforts and the impact on tourism. Polluted waterways could reduce the appeal of natural sites, potentially deterring and disappointing tourists.

Recently, bread krathongs appeared with the idea that they would leave no waste, as fish would consume them. However, when excessive amounts of bread krathongs were floated, they ended up rotting as not all the bread was consumed. Since then, there has been an increase in the range of feasible creative alternatives.

Traditional krathongs are made using a banana tree trunk, banana leaves, flowers, and candles. Wavemaker Story, posted by Ocean Generation — Photo credit: Natthanicha Luengvoraphan, Wavemaker

How is the tradition of the Loy Krathong Festival becoming more sustainable?

BMA reports that 96.75% of the krathongs were made with environmentally friendly materials in 2023, a 1.05% increase from the previous year. In recent years, there has been a huge experimentation of materials people have brought to celebrate with. Some examples include ice, coconut shell, and cassava which take a short time to disintegrate.

Technology and innovation can be used to our advantage in allowing people to participate in events like Loy Krathong Festival without physically floating krathongs to reduce environmental impact.

In 2023, a technology known as projection mapping allowed visitors to doodle their krathong design on paper. These were then projected onto a river in Bangkok where 3,000 digital krathongs were floated. There are also multiple online platforms where people can write out their wishes and watch an animated krathong float across the screen within the comfort of their own homes.

Seeing how tradition and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand
is encouraging to witness. — *Photo credit: REUTERS/Thomas Suen/ File photo*

For those who still want to continue the tradition in its original form, people are embracing the practice of floating one krathong per family or group of friends to reduce the number of krathongs that need to be collected.

Experimentation and exchange of ideas can create a ripple effect, leading to more impactful solutions that enable more people to help continue tradition responsibly while enjoying it in new and innovative ways.

Seeing how tradition and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand is encouraging to witness. It’s inspiring to see how people are becoming aware of their environmental impact, striving for greater sustainability through creativity and innovation.

This is just one example of a tradition that demonstrates how cultural practices can adapt to modern environmental challenges. As we continue to innovate and integrate sustainability into various customs, it is clear that we hold power and capability in honoring both heritage and the health of our Ocean.

Loy Krathong Festival is a tradition that demonstrates how cultural practices can adapt to modern environmental challenges — *Photo credit: Natthanicha Luengvoraphan*

Thank you for raising your voice for the Ocean, Ferra!

Connect with Ferra via LinkedIn. Learn about how to submit your own Wavemaker Story here.

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Natthanicha Luengvoraphan

Ferra, from Thailand, is a certified island girl with a deep love for the beach. She believes in everyone's power to care for our planet and hopes to inspire action through her story.

Balancing conservation and community in polar wildlife conflicts

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14. 10. 2024 Thi Nguyen

Surviving the Polar Regions: Animal strategies and adaptations

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The polar regions are among Earth’s most unique environments

Characterised by low temperatures, limited food availability, harsh climates and extreme seasonality, it’s challenging to live in the polar regions. Species inhabiting the Arctic and Antarctic have evolved various physiological, morphological (structural), and behavioural adaptations to survive in these challenging conditions.

Where is the Arctic? Where is the Antarctic?

The Arctic is in the Northern hemisphere whereas Antarctica is in the Southern hemisphere.

Iconic Arctic species include the polar bear, Arctic fox, narwhal, walrus, and bearded seal.

In contrast, the Antarctic is home to species such as the leopard seal, Emperor and Adélie penguins, and rock ptarmigan (a medium-sized game bird).

Iconic Arctic and Antarctic animals, posted by Ocean Generation.

Slow and steady is key to survival.

Temperature has a major impact on how fast species develop. A pattern of slow development rates has been observed among Antarctic marine ectotherms (species that rely on the environment to regulate their body temperature).

For example, the development rates of marine larvae are slower at low temperatures compared to those in temperate and tropical regions. This is likely due to lower temperatures reducing protein synthesis and folding, resulting in fewer functional proteins available for growth.

With the close link between metabolism and development, polar species tend to have slower metabolic rates and use up minimal energy. Antarctic Nototheniodei fish, for instance, have evolved with reduced quantities of red blood cells and haemoglobin , the protein responsible for transporting oxygen throughout the body.

This reduction in haemoglobin reflects their lower metabolic rates and oxygen demands compared to species in warmer, temperate climates. Slow metabolism and development are key to surviving with the limited food available in the polar regions.

Slow metabolism and development are key to surviving in the polar regions.

How species cope with food scarcity in the polar regions

The polar regions experience dramatic seasonal shifts in solar radiation, with continuous daylight in the summer and nearly total darkness in the winter.

This is accompanied by blizzards, freezing temperatures and limited food availability.

During winter, reduced sunlight limits the growth of primary producers like phytoplankton and plants, which in turn affects the entire food chain. Additionally, the sea ice that forms over the Ocean restricts access to open water, where many marine animals feed. Snow cover makes it more challenging for land animals to access their food sources.

For some animals, these harsh winter conditions are too extreme, and they migrate to more favourable areas. For those that remain, many build up fat reserves during the summer and early autumn to prepare for the limited food availability.

How animals cope with food scarcity in the polar regions

In the Svalbard rock ptarmigan, for example, these fat reserves are primarily used during episodes of acute starvation rather than supplementing daily energy needs.

Some animals also exhibit surplus killing and hoarding behaviour in the summer, such as the Arctic fox. The fox has been observed storing food, with one cache containing as many as 136 seabirds.

Many animals will limit physical activity to conserve their energy and reduce their resting metabolic rate. This refers to the amount of energy the body uses at rest to maintain basic physiological functions.

Adult King penguins can go without food for up to one month. Meanwhile, chicks can endure fasting for up to five months during the subantarctic winter, losing up to 70% of their body mass while relying mostly on stored fat reserves.

Pregnant female polar bears accumulate up to 40% of their body mass as fat before entering dens in late autumn. Here, they hibernate through the winter to conserve energy during periods of food scarcity.

During hibernation, they refrain from eating, urinating, defecating, instead recycling urea to conserve protein and relying solely on fat reserves for energy. Polar bears also have an exceptional sense of smell. They’re capable of detecting prey from as far as 32 km away and seals beneath compacted ice from 1 km away.

Small invertebrates that live on the seafloor, or meiofauna, have adapted to polar environments by feeding on degraded organic matter, which remains available year-round.

In many Arctic marine mammals, the milk produced for their young is exceptionally rich in energy and nutrients, which is vital for the pups to survive in the harsh, cold environment.

How animals cope with freezing temperatures, explained by Ocean Generation, leaders in Ocean education

How species cope with freezing temperatures

Air temperatures in the polar regions can occasionally drop to -60°C, while Ocean temperatures are close to freezing. To maintain a stable core temperature, organisms must employ strategies to minimise heat loss through conduction, convection, radiation, and evaporation.

One common adaptation is the evolution of a rounded body shape to reduce exposed surface area. For instance, walruses have a large, tubular body with minimal projecting extremities, such as visible ears or a tail, reducing heat loss through conduction and convection.

Rounded body shapes help cope with freezing temperatures of the polar regions.

Many polar species develop dense fur for insulation, such as reindeer and caribou (also a species of deer), whose hollow guard hairs provide air-filled cavities for additional warmth. In marine animals, where fur offers little insulation value, a thick layer of blubber becomes essential for protection against cold seas. It also serves as a food reserve.

Many species have evolved sophisticated blood flow regulation systems in body parts exposed to the cold. In marine mammals, a network of blood vessels in the flippers operates as a counter-current heat exchange system. This is when warm blood flows to the flipper transferring heat to cooler blood returning from it. This adaptation allows them to conserve heat in critical areas while maintaining functionality in their extremities.

Moreover, both Arctic and Antarctic fish have independently evolved antifreeze glycoproteins, which are secreted into their blood to prevent the formation of harmful ice crystals. These compounds are produced during the cold winter months in Arctic fish and year-round in Antarctic fish.

Behavioural adaptations also play a key role in survival

Emperor penguins form large huddles in extreme Antarctic cold and wind, with groups consisting of hundreds of individuals. The penguins take turns occupying the warmer centre of the huddle, where ambient temperatures can reach 37.5°C, helping conserve energy and incubate eggs during the winter.

Emperor penguins form huddles to shelter from the cold

Snow place like home

Survival in the polar regions requires a combination of physiological, morphological and behavioural adaptations, enabling species to endure extreme cold, limited food availability and harsh climatic conditions.

As climate change continues to alter these environments, the ability of polar species to adapt will be crucial for their ongoing survival in an increasingly warming world.

Check out How Climate Change threatens polar species: Polar bears, Orcas and Narwhals, where we discuss the opportunities and challenges for animals in a changing world.

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Thi Nguyen

Balancing conservation and community in polar wildlife conflicts

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11. 10. 2024 Thi Nguyen

Balancing conservation and community in polar wildlife conflicts

Balancing community and conservation in polar wildlife conflicts

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Addressing human-wildlife conflict is essential for both wildlife conservation and human well-being.

As human populations expand into natural habitats, finding solutions that promote coexistence between people and wildlife becomes increasingly important. By fostering harmony, we can support thriving species, healthy ecosystems, and positive relationships between local communities and conservation efforts.

Reducing conflicts benefits wildlife and eases financial losses for local communities. It also aligns with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals by enhancing livelihoods, building community resilience, and creating economic opportunities for local populations.

Mitigating human-wildlife conflict on land

Climate change intensifies human-wildlife conflict by changing the historical range and behaviour of wild species, increasing the frequency of interactions between humans and wildlife.

Climate change intensifies human-wildlife conflict. Posted by Ocean Generation, leaders in Ocean education.

While addressing climate change is key to reducing these conflicts, communities can adopt strategies to minimise interactions with conflicting species. Some of these approaches are listed below:

Fencing key resources, such as livestock, and securing protected areas. Planting buffer crops could also reduce wildlife consuming important resources.
Implementing animal-safe food storage facilities and improving waste management systems can prevent wildlife from being attracted to human food sources.
Integrating guarding measures, such as specialised livestock-guarding dogs or patrol officers, into resource protection could provide early warning signs to alert residents to potential conflicting wildlife.
The use of non-lethal deterrents, such as visual, chemical, and acoustic repellents, can further discourage wildlife from approaching human settlements and resources.
Economic costs of conflicts could also be reduced through compensation schemes, alternative income generation, or increasing wildlife-related tourism.

A better understanding of animal movement can help predict high-risk areas and times, allowing for more targeted mitigation efforts. For example, researchers studying moose found that the risk of vehicle collisions increases in winter when snow depth is below 120 cm and nighttime traffic is higher due to longer nights.

This highlights the need for seasonally adaptive strategies to mitigate such risks.

Mitigating human-wildlife conflict in the Ocean

Fishers have several options to minimise encounters with marine mammals.

Ocean mammals often become entangled in fishing lines

Mammals often collide with or become entangled in vertical lines attached to buoys, which mark where nets have been set. To prevent wildlife harm and gear damage, fishers could reduce the number of vertical lines in the water column or use ropes in colours more visible to mammals.

Common rope colors like yellow, green, or blue may be difficult for whales to detect. Switching to colours such as white, black, or striped patterns could make the ropes more visible to whales, potentially helping them avoid entanglement.

Another approach involves weakening lines so that entangled animals can break free more easily. However, this solution can result in financial losses due to reduced catch and replacing lost gear.

Technological innovations, such as acoustic buoy releases that surface only when triggered, could eliminate the need for vertical lines. Another potential solution is the use of pingers, which are devices placed on lines that emit noises at specific frequencies to warn whales and other marine mammals away from boats and fishing gear.

Fisheries-have-several-options-to-minimise-encounters-with-marine-animals

While these strategies could help reduce human-wildlife conflict in fisheries, more testing is needed to see how effective they are. Supportive initiatives, like financial compensation programs to cover losses from wildlife, can ease the economic strain on fishers and encourage the use of non-lethal deterrents.

Collaboration between scientists and communities is key to solving these challenges. For example, the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association partnered with biologists and bioacoustic experts in 2003 to study whale behaviour and minimise interactions with longline boats. This led to the creation of the Southeast Alaska Whale Avoidance Project (SEASWAP), a successful project improving our understanding of depredation.

Balancing conservation and community needs

The key to addressing human-wildlife conflict involves recognising and valuing the diverse attitudes towards conservation that influence both the conflict and resolution.

By appreciating the different perspectives of stakeholders, conservation plans can be designed to address the needs and interests of everyone involved. Engaging meaningfully with communities is key to developing policies that are not only effective but also widely supported.

Balancing conservation and community to mitigate polar wildlife conflicts, posted by Ocean generation

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Thi Nguyen

Balancing conservation and community in polar wildlife conflicts

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9. 10. 2024 Thi Nguyen

Bearly coexisting: Human-wildlife conflict in the polar regions

Human-wildlife conflict in the polar regions: Explained by Ocean Generation

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As human populations grow, we’re getting closer to natural habitats, leading to increased interactions with wildlife.

Conflict arises when wildlife presence poses real or perceived costs to human interests or needs, like loss of livestock, crop raiding or attacks on humans.

Human-wildlife conflict can have negative impacts on wildlife and can also affect community dynamics, commodity production, and sustainable development.

Conservation biologists are increasingly concerned about human-wildlife conflict in the polar regions – the Arctic in the Northern Hemisphere and Antarctic in the Southern Hemisphere.

Why is human-wildlife conflict increasing in the polar regions?

The polar regions are characterised by low temperatures, extreme seasonality, and the seasonal advance and retreat of sea ice. Both polar regions are home to numerous endemic species, but their survival is threatened by climate change, fishing, tourism, invasive species, and pollution.

Experts are concerned about human-wildlife conflict in the polar regions. Posted by Ocean Generation.

These pressures often lead to more frequent encounters between people and wildlife, especially in the Arctic where around 4 million people live.

A recent study on protecting Antarctic biodiversity found that current conservation efforts are insufficient. It’s predicted that around 65% of land animals and land-associated seabirds could decline by 2100 if global greenhouse gas emissions continue on their >2°C trajectory. The study suggests several ways to boost conservation efforts, such as:

Improving the quality of land that has been polluted or negatively impacted by human use
Managing infrastructure
Protecting areas
Controlling non-native species and diseases

How does human-wildlife conflict appear in the polar regions?

Encounters between people and polar bears

Polar bears are an iconic Arctic species, distributed across 19 subpopulations within five countries: the United States, Canada, Greenland, Norway, and Russia. They rely on sea ice for hunting (primarily seals), breeding, and resting.

With climate change accelerating and sea ice diminishing, polar bears are forced to spend more time on land. Here finding natural food sources becomes challenging, so they often seek out human settlements for a predictable source of nutrition.

The town of Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, is famously known as the ‘polar bear capital of the world’ due to the Western Hudson Bay population that pass through the town each summer and autumn.

Polar bears often seek out human settlements for food

Between the 1940s and 1980s, these bears regularly visited a waste disposal site, feeding on scraps that caused property damage, human injuries, and malnutrition for the bears. The food waste was often insufficient in fat and contaminated with plastics, metals, and wood. 

Efforts to manage the problem included better waste management, relocating bears, temporarily housing them at a holding facility until Hudson Bay froze, or, in some cases, lethal removal.

The Government of Manitoba has since closed the dump site and established the Polar Bear Alert Program to minimise the need for lethal measures and reduce conflicts with bears.

As polar bear encounters become more frequent, the significance of this program is expected to grow.

How orcas and Arctic foxes hunting impact communities

Sometimes predators feed on animals of economic and ecological importance to people. These are depredation events (events that cause damage or destruction).

Depredation events often happen in the polar regions. Posted by Ocean Generation

Mammals in the Arctic Ocean are increasingly observed preying on fish caught by commercial and recreational fishing boats. Longline fishing, which involves the use of baited hooks on a long line, is currently the most severely affected by depredation across both hemispheres, primarily by toothed whales, such as orcas and sperm whales.

These depredation events can result in financial losses for fishers who face difficulties due to reduced catch and often face costs for repairing damaged fishing gear. These interactions can also harm wildlife through injuries or fatalities caused by entanglement with fishing gear and responses from fishers.

Orcas, otherwise known as killer whales, are frequently involved in depredation events in polar regions. It’s been suggested that their group hunting behaviour enables orcas to effectively remove fish from longlines.

These animals are highly social and live in tightly knit family groups, known as pods. Research suggests that pods which overlap geographically can communicate and share information. It’s thought that this cultural transmission is causing depredation behaviour to spread throughout western Alaska.

Depredation on land is also a concern, particularly with Arctic foxes preying on reindeer calves

In the Yamal Peninsula, traditional reindeer herding practices are central to the lives of the indigenous Nenet people of Arctic Russia. However, reindeer mortality has increased due to factors such as pasture icing (explained later), disease outbreaks, and predation by Arctic foxes.

Arctic foxes prey on reindeer calves in Arctic Russia

The population growth of arctic foxes has been fueled by the collapse of the fur trade in the 1990s, which reduced hunting pressure. Industrial expansion also provided waste for foxes to feed on, further supporting their population increase.

Climate change worsens the issue by causing abnormal weather conditions, such as freezing rain and rapid temperature fluctuations, which lead to pasture icing. This occurs when a thick layer of ice forms over grazing land, trapping vegetation and making it inaccessible to livestock and wildlife. As a result, weakened reindeer become easier prey for foxes, while more carcasses are left for scavenging.

Finding solutions for people and wildlife

Human-wildlife conflict in the polar regions presents challenges, especially with the added pressures of climate change and other stressors.

However, finding solutions that harmonise conservation goals with community needs can lead to positive outcomes for both people and wildlife. Check out our article on Balancing Conservation and Community in Polar Wildlife Conflicts for strategies to effectively manage and resolve human-wildlife conflict.

Post by

Thi Nguyen

Balancing conservation and community in polar wildlife conflicts

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6. 09. 2024 Sana Lamy

The power of water and the science of passive cooling

The science of passive cooling: A Wavemaker Story posted by Ocean Generation

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When interests collide: My love of water and fascination with ancient architecture.

I have always been fascinated by, and attracted to, water.

My parents would vouch for the fact that I immediately seek out the nearest body of water whenever we have the opportunity to travel… whether that be the warm Caribbean Sea, the stunning beaches of the Hamptons, or the cold glacial lake water in the Adirondacks in Upstate New York. And as a child, they could never get me out of the bathtub!

My natural curiosity and desire to learn has led me to study various subjects of interest in STEM disciplines, and through my university studies I have discovered a genuine passion for ancient architecture and the associated technology and building techniques.

I’m a huge fan of interdisciplinary research (i.e. combining strategies and information from across disciplines), which leads me to introduce an unlikely connection to our Ocean, or more correctly water, that I discovered while researching the “Scirocco rooms” of Sicily, Italy.

Scirocco Room, where the passive cooling force of water was used.

How water was used to cool scirocco rooms hundreds of years ago.

The “scirocco rooms” are not rooms in the commonly understood sense, but rather man-made, underground caves. From the art historical perspective, they are important social gathering spaces.

Scirocco rooms were mainly constructed and used in the city of Palermo and rely on ancient technology to facilitate passive cooling.

During the summer, the dry and sandy Scirocco Winds from the Sahara Desert in Africa blow across to Sicily and send temperatures skyrocketing … to upwards of 40°C! Hence the need for a naturally cooled space, especially before the invention of air conditioning. These “rooms” were lavishly decorated in the 16-19th centuries and used as an escape from the sweltering heat of the summer months.

What is passive cooling anyway?

It is the process of naturally cooling the air flowing through a space without the use of external power or energy. So, the natural cooling properties of convection currents, properties that are hugely amplified in the presence of water, created a comfortably cooled space.

View leading to the scirocco rooms, where passive cooling was used — Views of the tunnel leading to the scirocco room. On the left is the base of the “wind-tower” and on the right is the qanat (Arabic for ‘canal’), covered today.
Image credit: Saeli, Manfredi and Enrico, 2022. “La Camera Dello Scirocco Di Villa Naselli di Gela A
Palermo.” La Camera Dello Scirocco – Periodico di Arte Cultura e Società.

How passive cooling works in a scirocco room:

Water flows from a natural spring across the terrain of Palermo to the scirocco room. Amazingly, the clay terrain naturally filters the water, and when it arrives in homes, farms or scirocco rooms it is sparkling clean!

The natural course of the water (flowing entirely due to gravity) is diverted into scirocco rooms through man-made canals designed after the Ancient Persian structure called qanat (process explained later in diagram).

The flow of convection currents is enhanced by the evaporation of the water in the canals, cooling the air more and at a faster rate. It’s like when you hop out of the pool in cool weather, you are instantly shivering.

The water is also directed to fountains, pools, and artificial waterfalls. This not only created a pleasant atmosphere aesthetically in scirocco rooms but also made it comfortably cooler for guests.

So, we can see that the power of water, found everywhere around us and flowing naturally through all sorts of terrain, can be used as a sustainable cooling mechanism, thanks to the natural principles of physics.

The Ancient Persian technology used to cool scirocco rooms includes qanat (the Arabic word for ‘canal’), to divert water, and “wind-towers”. The “wind-towers” act as the main point of hot air expulsion. These two features are still widespread and regularly used in the Middle East, such as in the city of Yazd in Iran.

Take a look at the diagrams below to see how these “wind-towers” work and how they amplify the convection currents.

How Iran’s ancient windtowers work Download

Here’s what I would like you, dear reader, to take away from my exploration:

By sharing my research through various formats, including now through this Wavemaker Story, I would like to encourage all readers to uncover any and all of the wonderful and exciting connections to our Ocean… however unlikely and niche they may seem… and share this with those around you, because you never know how, or who you may inspire.

I discovered the amazing power of water in a completely un-STEM-related context. I was able to dive deep into the history and science of the use of water in architecture and find that water tied generations of Sicilians together through this architecture.

Our Ocean, and water specifically, hold great potential for ecological and sustainable solutions to current pressing issues as in the case of passive cooling. Our ancestors knew this quite well and I believe there is much to learn from pre-industrial societies.

Passive cooling is cooling the air without external power. A Wavemaker Story posted by Ocean Generation

Thank you for raising your voice for the Ocean, Sana!

Learn about how to submit your own Wavemaker Story here.

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Sana Lamy

Sana has always loved being in the water, although the Ocean was somewhat daunting. However, once she learned a bit more about deep sea creatures and the mechanisms behind hydraulic energy, the Ocean became a great fascination! She is pursuing master's studies at the University of Cambridge (U.K.) and researching the interconnection between the power of water and it's importance to the visual culture of early-modern (16-18th centuries) Europe.

Balancing conservation and community in polar wildlife conflicts

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6. 09. 2024 Natthanicha Luengvoraphan

Green tourism and Thailand’s unexpected wildlife revival

Green tourism and wildlife revival in Thailand. A Wavemaker Story by Ferra, posted by Ocean Generation

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Being well into summer, tourism in Thailand is at its very peak again.

It may not be obvious but the beaches that you see today have undergone a significant recovery during the pandemic. Many called it a miracle in disguise. It was a turning point that allowed for a more sustainable path forward to emerge.

To understand why, let’s go back in time.

During the pandemic, I took part in a beach clean-up as a high school community service project. When I arrived, I could see that all the beaches were empty, and it was unusual to see them without people as I have always linked the two together.

However, it was peaceful.

There was a lot less litter than I remember from my visit a few years ago, where there was trash every 5 meters along the coast and floating in the sea. I felt relieved for the Ocean and its community – this was probably the first break it had in a long time.

Ferra, a Wavemaker took part in a beach clean in Thailand — *Photo by Ferra, a Wavemaker*

In the south of Thailand, numerous sea creatures such as fish, sharks, turtles and dugongs made unexpected appearances.

There were multiple news reports of locals’ observations of sea life, indicating that there has been a promising recovery of the marine ecosystem. I even saw my first shark in the Ocean at Maya Bay in 2023, a clear and unforgettable sign I witnessed firsthand.

But it wasn’t always like this.

As often happens, many of the following problems occur because of us, and our impact.

Pollution can arise from littering, air emissions, noise, or oil and chemicals. The most prominent is litter, ingested by marine animals or accumulating in Ocean gyres. Microplastics are another significant threat which cause toxic chemicals and disrupt food chains.

In the Mediterranean Sea, marine litter accumulates 4.7 x faster during the high tourist season. This mostly happens due to too much waste, from lack of resources, food waste and unfamiliarity with waste systems.

Anchoring and other marine activities damage corals and other marine environments such as seagrass beds. Anchors can impact 7.11% of the coral at popular sites every year. This has severe repercussions as corals are one of the slowest growing creatures – massive ones grow merely 0.3 to 2 cm per year.

Green tourism in Thailand is the responsible way of travelling — *Photo by Ferra, a Wavemaker*

How did this crisis turn into opportunity?

With the absence of tourists during the lockdown, conservationists seized the opportunity by repairing 30,000 fragments of coral in Maya Bay, Ko Phi Phi Lee; collecting rubbish and cleaning the beach.

Moving forward, there will be rules such as limiting the number of tourists per day at popular tourist sites such as Maya Bay, Similan islands and Koh Tachai. Additionally, closing off the island at certain points of the year and increasing the strictness of regulations to move towards a sustainable future.

Sea creatures such as sharks have made reappearances in Thailand. — *Photo by Ferra, a Wavemaker*

What is green tourism?

Green tourism is a more responsible way of travelling. It means being mindful of the destination’s natural resources and the local community to minimise our environmental impact.

Nowadays, hotels are being more sustainable by eliminating single use amenities and promoting the re-use of products. When travelling, it’s up to us, too, to make a positive impact.

Here are a few tips to be more sustainable when travelling:

Support local businesses & communities
Bring your own refillable water bottle (if there are no refillable stations, I often ask nearby stores/restaurants which may have large containers of water)
Consider traveling during off-peak season
Take public transport, walk or cycle
Stay on path and avoid interacting with wildlife
Avoid collecting seashells and sand
Do your own research on how you can minimise your impact at the destination you plan on visiting

After seeing the Ocean come back to life, I felt hopeful that we can indeed restore its health.

With green tourism, we can reduce our ecological footprint and make sure that the breathtaking destinations will be there for us and future generations to cherish. I believe that the Ocean and people can thrive together, but for that to last, we must appreciate and take care of it.

After seeing the Ocean come back to life in Thailand, Ferra felt hopeful.

Cover photo by Prinn Vajrabhaya

Thank you for raising your voice for the Ocean, Ferra!

Connect with Ferra via LinkedIn. Learn about how to submit your own Wavemaker Story here.

Post by

Natthanicha Luengvoraphan

Ferra, from Thailand, is a certified island girl with a deep love for the beach. She believes in everyone's power to care for our planet and hopes to inspire action through her story.

Balancing conservation and community in polar wildlife conflicts

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9. 08. 2024 Jemma Sargeant

Re-thinking the shark stereotype

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With torpedo-shaped bodies, forked tails, and dorsal fins, sharks belong to a group known as cartilaginous fishes (meaning their skeleton is made from cartilage, not bone).

As one of the oldest evolutionary groups, the earliest fossil evidence for sharks or their ancestors’ dates to 400 – 450 million years ago.

This means that the earliest sharks may have been around before trees even existed (trees evolved around 360 million years ago).

What makes sharks unique?

Sharks are one of the most diverse groups of predators in the animal kingdom. They come in all shapes and sizes. Sharks can have huge, gaping mouths (like the basking shark), long whip-like tails (like the thresher shark) or flattened, club-like heads (like the hammerhead shark).

The largest species is the whale shark, reaching lengths of 20m. The smallest is the dwarf lanternshark which grows to just 20cm long.

It’s this diversity in shape, size, feeding mechanism and habitat that has enabled sharks to persist throughout all parts of the Ocean over millions of years. They even live in some freshwater environments.

Why are sharks important?

Sharks can play many roles in ecosystem functioning: from predators to prey, competitors, and nutrient transporters.

Some species of shark are apex predators, meaning that they’re at the top of their food chain and exert a top-down control on food webs. Others can sit further down the food chain, yet still play an important role as food for other predators and transporting energy through ecosystems.

Large scale movements and migrations of sharks also connect even the most widely spaced food webs, transporting nutrients across the open Ocean system.

Unfortunately, sharks are heavily misunderstood.

Media and popular culture often demonise sharks, portraying them as senseless killers through sensationalistic headlines and striking imagery. This is designed to incite fear, leading us to believe that the threat posed by sharks is greater than it really is.

Did you know? Our fear of sharks originates from the ‘Jaws Effect’. It’s the powerful influence of the famous 1975 Hollywood thriller on our human perception of risk from sharks.

Put simply: Few animals are feared more than the shark.

Some sharks are at the top of the food chain

But in reality, sharks have much more to fear from us than we do them.

The probability of a shark biting a human is very low compared to many other risks that people face in their everyday lives. According to the International Shark Attack File, there were 69 unprovoked shark bites, including 10 unprovoked shark-related deaths globally in 2023.

To put this into perspective, on average, 500 people are killed by elephants each year.

Sharks don’t actively hunt humans. The most common shark incident is known as a ‘test bite’. It means sharks swim away after a single bite once they realise it’s not their preferred prey. Surfers and other board sports make up 42% of reported incidents, as the shape of their boards can bear a resemblance to seals and other prey from below.

When we do encounter sharks, it’s often because their natural behaviour clashes with our activities, from fishing to recreation.

In contrast, the global population of sharks and rays have plummeted by over 70% over the past 50 years.

The pressure on shark populations continues to rise. At least 80 million sharks are killed each year and over 1/3 of all shark and ray species now threatened with extinction.

To put that into perspective, there are only 19 countries in the world whose population is greater than 80 million. As of 2024, the number of sharks killed each year exceeds the total population of Thailand (71.8 million), the UK (68.3 million), and France (68.1 million).

Sharks are particularly vulnerable to overexploitation.

They grow slowly and take a long time to reach sexual maturity.

Shark mothers put a significant amount of energy and time into the development and care of their offspring. They also take extensive rest periods between pregnancies.

This makes sharks far less resilient and slower to recover from disturbance and overexploitation than other fish species.

Overfishing is the greatest threat to shark populations worldwide.

The 70% decline in shark and ray populations is largely attributed to an 18-fold increase in fishing pressure over the past 50 years.

A key incentive for shark fishing is the Shark Fin Trade. This is the practice of removing the fins from a captured shark and discarding the rest back into the Ocean. Shark fins have become one of the most valuable seafood products worldwide, and this globalised market exists largely to meet the demand for the traditional dish: shark fin soup.

However, despite widespread legislation designed to prevent shark finning in recent years, fishing pressure and shark mortality continues to rise.

Sharks are vulnerable to overfishing. Posted by Ocean Generation: We're rethinking the shark stereotype

Restrictions surrounding the practice of shark finning has driven up the appetite for shark meat. It’s because it’s often only illegal to land fins with the shark removed, not the whole animal. As a result, largely unregulated fisheries in the high seas continue to put pressure on global shark species.

These markets are muddied by misidentification (often of protected or endangered species). For example, in Brazil, the meat is labelled “cação”: an umbrella term under which both shark and ray meat are sold.

This lack of transparency leads to consumers being poorly informed, and they often aren’t aware that the animals on their dinner plate are at risk of extinction.

Scientists used satellite tracking to discover that about 24% of the area sharks use each month overlap with large-scale industrial fishing zones. This means that many shark species in the open Ocean spend almost ¼ of their time under the looming shadow of large-scale fishing fleets.

Climate change compounds these threats.

The Ocean’s oxygen minimum zones (naturally occurring areas of open Ocean low in oxygen) have expanded horizontally and vertically. This is due to higher temperatures and changing circulation patterns associated with climate change.

The expansion of these oxygen minimum zones has caused the habitat of oceanic sharks to be compressed towards the surface, since they can’t survive in low oxygen conditions.

Species like the blue shark are being pushed closer towards intense surface fisheries as a result, making them more vulnerable to being caught as bycatch.

Sharks diversity has enabled them to persist through millions of years. Posted by Ocean Generation: We're rethinking the shark stereotype

Despite the alarming statistics, it’s not all bad news for sharks.

In the northwest Atlantic, the white shark appears to be recovering after a 70% decline over the past 50 years, and hammerhead shark populations are also rebuilding here. This success is owed to strictly enforced fishing bans and quotas throughout their range.

This gives us hope that the successful implementation and enforcement of science-backed management across a species range can reverse shark population declines.

To protect sharks, we need to change the way we think about them.

Our irrational fear of sharks is limiting support for their conservation.

When we portray sharks in a negative light, our sense of risk becomes heightened. This leads people to believe that extreme mitigation measures such as culling are not only appropriate, but necessary.

This fear also diverts our attention away from the species which are at the highest risk of extinction and ignores the ongoing threats to sharks and their habitats.

Sharks have survived all five previous mass extinction events. For them to survive the sixth, we must re-evaluate our perceptions of them and show our support for the conservation of these magnificent creatures.

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9. 04. 2024 Storm Birch

The history of Earth Day and practical actions you can take

The history of Earth Day explained, with practical actions we can all take

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Everything you need to know about the history of Earth Day

Earth Day is celebrated annually on 22 April. It sparks environmental action and reminds us there is no planet B – but how and when did Earth Day start? We’re hopping in a time machine to break it down.

Can you imagine a time when factories polluting our waterways and spitting thick, toxic smoke into the atmosphere came with no consequences? Before 1970, that was the reality.

53 years ago, there were no legal or regulatory mechanisms in existence to protect our environment – even though climate change had started making the news in 1912.

*Unofficial Earth Flag created by John McConnell includes The Blue Marble photograph taken by the crew of Apollo 17. Via Wikipedia.*

A ripple in time: The birth of Earth Day

In 1970, amidst a growing environmental movement in the United States, Earth Day was created by the junior senator from Wisconsin: Senator Gaylord Nelson.

Public concern about pollution, deforestation and the deterioration of natural habitats was growing but environmental action and protection wasn’t yet on the US national agenda…

To force the issue, the Senator, along with activist Denis Hayes, envisioned a day dedicated to raising awareness about environmental issues and mobilising communities to take environmental action.

Although originally called the ‘Environmental Teach-In’ and aimed university students, the duo quickly realised their concept could inspire a wider audience. They renamed it Earth Day and pencilled it in on the calendar.

On 22 April 1970, the first Earth Day was celebrated.

What did the first Earth Day look like?

Looking back at the History of Earth Day: An image of demonstrators in Philadelphia, 1970. It's believed 20 million Americans raised awareness about environmentalism on the first Earth Day. Image shared via Ocean Generation

It’s reported that 20 million Americans took part in the first Earth Day (around 10% of the total population of the United States at the time).

They took to the streets, parks and auditoriums to demonstrate against the impacts of 150 years of industrial development.

From coast to coast, US citizens from all walks of life made it clear: They understood and were concerned about the impact we were having on the planet.

Their voices were heard.

In July of the same year, President Nixon called for establishment of the EPA: The Environmental Protection Agency. And in the 10 years that followed the first Earth Day, dozens of regulations to protect the environment were put in place in the US.

President Richard Nixon and First Lady Pat Nixon plant a tree on the White House South Lawn to recognise the world's first Earth Day. Shared by ocean Generation. — *President Richard Nixon and First Lady Pat Nixon plant a tree on the White House South Lawn to recognise the world’s first Earth Day.*

The origin of Earth Day reminds us that we have immense power to influence political decision making.

When we care, and make it known we want political action, we let the leaders of our countries know they better want it, too.

Why Earth Day matters: A call to climate action

By 1990, Earth Day was celebrated by over 140 countries around the globe. Now, Earth Day is the largest civic observance in the world.

No matter where we live or how old we are, there’s no denying that looking after our planet is in our best interest.

The Ocean deserves a VIP invitation to Earth Day celebrations

If we look down at Earth from space, most of what we see is blue. Over 70% of our planet is Ocean, but more than just big and blue, the Ocean is the beating heart and lungs of our planet.

The Ocean absorbs 90%
of the excess heat
associated with climate change.

5 reasons to look after the Ocean this Earth Day

The Ocean is keeping us all alive. It provides over 50% of all oxygen on Earth. Simply put: If the Ocean’s ability to produce oxygen was compromised, we’d be in trouble.
Around 30% of the CO2 we produce is absorbed by the Ocean.
The Ocean helps regulate land temperature and drive global weather patterns.
Coastal “blue carbon” ecosystems, like mangrove forests and seagrass meadows, can sequester (store) more carbon in their soils than terrestrial forests.
The Ocean is the main protein source for over 3 billion people.

We depend on a healthy Ocean for a healthy planet. In the words of Dr. Sylvia Earle, “No water, no life. No blue, no green.”

What’s the theme for Earth Day 2024?

In 2024, the theme for Earth Day is Planet vs. Plastics. 422 million tonnes of plastic are produced annually – half of which is for single-use purposes.

Plastic is everywhere. It’s in what we wear, the items we use daily, and it’s even in the food we eat.

We know plastic was designed to be indestructible (so, it’s not going anywhere, anytime soon). We know it has numerous negative impacts on human health. We know single-use plastics are the biggest contributors to marine litter. And we use it anyway.

It’s safe to say: We have a problematic relationship with plastic.

This Earth Day, rethink your relationship with plastic.

The 2024 theme for Earth Day
is Planet vs. Plastics.

What action can I take this Earth Day?

Say goodbye to unnecessary single-use plastics you can avoid.
Explore these 20 ways to reduce and reuse plastic.
In general: Buy less, reuse more, and become the friend who reminds everyone to bring their reusable cups and bottles when meeting up.
Implement these 15 practical climate actions anyone, anywhere can take

Riding the Wave of Change

As we commemorate Earth Day, it’s important to reflect on how far we’ve come and re-commit ourselves to leaving our blue planet better than we found it.

We only have one planet and it’s up to all of us to look after it.

We only have one planet so we have to look after it.

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11. 01. 2024 Jemma Sargeant

COP28 Outcomes: The beginning of the end of fossil fuels

Young woman in a fashionable dress shirt floating in the Ocean. Her eyes are closed and she looks relaxed. Ocean Generation is sharing COP28 outcomes in this article with a focus on Ocean wins.

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Everything you need to know about COP28 outcomes.

After a gruelling set of negotiations which dragged on well into the night, a new deal has finally been agreed at the UN climate summit COP28, in Dubai, UAE.

COP28 outcomes: ‘Fossil fuels’ finally make the cut.

In the face of colossal opposition from the world’s oil producing countries, and despite the highest number of fossil fuel lobbyists at COP than ever before, a global consensus has been reached. The world has finally agreed to transition away from fossil fuels.

For the first time ever, the elephant in the room has been addressed. ‘Fossil fuels’ have made it into the official outcome agreement at COP28.

Environmentalists celebrate the results of COP28 because for the first time ever,
‘fossil fuels’ have made it
into the official outcome
agreement at COP28.
Shared by Ocean Generation: Experts in Ocean health and Ocean conservation.

This is the biggest step forward for climate since the adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015. And the COP28 agreement signals the beginning of the end of the fossil fuel era.

The agreement follows the widespread fury sparked by an earlier draft, which was deemed a “death sentence” by representatives from Pacific Island nations. The new document calls on countries to “contribute to global efforts to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems in a just, orderly and equitable manner.”

The deal also calls for a tripling of global renewable energy capacity and doubling of energy efficiency by 2030.

Ocean Generation questions if the COP28 outcomes go far enough to fighting the climate crisis. Alone, it won’t keep global temperature rise below 1.5˚C. But it may help the world to get closer to net zero by 2050.

Does the COP28 Agreement go far enough?

Despite the standing ovations as the new COP28 agreement was passed, many nations have criticised the final decision. And there are concerns that it hasn’t gone far enough.

With just six years left until 1.5 degrees becomes inevitable, it’s not the “phase-out” that we had all hoped for.

Put simply, the language of the text was weaker than many countries wanted.

There was no mention of coal or methane (the most potent greenhouse gas). A finance path to aid the transition for developing countries was also missing. There was also no request for developed countries to take the lead on the transition away from fossil fuels. This raised further criticisms over the fairness of the deal.

A ‘litany of loopholes’ scattered within the text provides enough ambiguity for fossil fuel producers to continue ramping up production. Examples include ‘abatement’ (A.K.A CO₂ removal); ‘transition fuels’ (A.K.A gas), and ‘fossil fuel subsidies’ to name a few.

Loopholes in the COP28 agreement text provide ambiguity for fossil fuel producers to continue ramping up production. Shared by Ocean Generation: Experts in Ocean health and Ocean conservation.

This will have devastating consequences. Particularly, for the most vulnerable communities who are already bearing the brunt of the worsening impacts of climate change.

Opposition to the new deal was voiced by a representative of Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The SIDS said: ‘You agreed the deal when we weren’t in the room’. This was meant literally (delegates from SIDS were still discussing their response to the text when it was agreed further down the hall). However, it also reflects that these nations feel overlooked, despite being the hardest hit by climate change.

Does the COP28 Agreement go far enough?

The agreement alone will not be enough to keep global temperature rise below 1.5˚C. But it may help the world to get closer to net zero by 2050. That’s if individual countries put a rapid transition to green energy at the heart of their new NDCs.

Here are some reactions from top climate scientists:

“At my lowest points as a climate scientist I did not think I would see a COP agreement that includes wording on the start of transitioning away from fossil fuels in my lifetime.”
– Prof Mary Gagen, Climate scientist, Swansea University

“The agreement, though inadequate, is an essential and sustained baby step towards the goal of limiting human caused climate change.”
– Prof Richard Allan, Climate scientist, University of Reading

Rainbow over the Ocean shared by Ocean conservation charity Ocean Generation

How does the Ocean fit into COP28 outcomes?

Multilateralism (alliance between countries to achieve a common goal) connects us all, and so does the Ocean.

This was recognised during the Nature, Land Use and Ocean’s Day. Countries, non-state actors and other stakeholders came together in support of nature-based Ocean and climate action.

Here are our top three Ocean-wins from COP28:

The importance of maintaining the health of our Ocean is getting recognised.

During the Nature, Land Use and Ocean’s Day, 18 countries pledged to implement Sustainable Ocean Plans. These plans are supported by the official launch of Ocean Breakthroughs.

These will provide a roadmap for change and aim to catalyse momentum across five key areas. Namely, marine conservation, shipping, aquatic food, coastal tourism, and marine renewables. These contributing countries represent 50% of the world’s coastlines and close to 50% of global Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ’s).
There’s an increased appreciation that the Ocean can provide solutions for mitigation and adaptation.

$186 million of new funding was pledged towards investment in nature-based solutions and Ocean-action. The Mangrove breakthrough was also formally endorsed by 21 countries. Its global goal is to protect 15 million hectares of mangroves.
And a growing acknowledgement of the need for synergy between climate and biodiversity targets.

The joint statement on climate, nature and people was signed by 20 countries. It seeks to align action on climate change, biodiversity loss and sustainable development. It recognises that a healthy Ocean will provide benefits across all three avenues.

Image of a woman and the Ocean. We cant solve the climate crisis without a healthy Ocean says David Eades, BBC Journalist and presenter. Shared by Ocean Generation: Experts in Ocean health and Ocean conservation.

What happens next?

For world leaders: While the COP28 decisions are not legally binding, Parties (countries) are obliged to act in accordance with the outcomes of this process. It’s time for world leaders to head home and begin delivering on the promises made. Individual countries are required to submit stronger action plans in their next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in 2025.

For COP: Fossil fuels have officially entered the global conversation. The work now begins to tighten this language and ensure a fair, equitable and just transition at COP29 in Azerbaijan, and beyond. To ensure a liveable planet and a healthy Ocean, we need a full ‘phase-out’ of fossil fuels before it’s too late.

For us: Together, we must ride this growing wave of hope and momentum, to continue advocating for stronger Ocean-action.

Stay up to date with all things Ocean:

We’re known for translating Ocean science into engaging content. See what we’re all about on your favourite social platform or make a donation to support our charity:

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22. 11. 2023 Jemma Sargeant

What’s happened on our blue planet since COP27?

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Extreme weather events and temperature records have made headlines more frequently in 2023 than ever.

The transition into an El Niño climate pattern (explained here) compounded by worsening impacts of climate change have resulted in an unstable year of weather patterns.

This is a trend which is set to intensify in the coming years.

The more often these events happen, the less headline-worthy they are and instead they simply become part of the norm. As the world turns its attention to climate change at COP28, we must recognise weather events as part of the larger-scale changes that are happening all around us, right now.

It’s also important to celebrate the key breakthroughs for Ocean-action in 2023 and use these as a foundation to expand our future ambition at COP28 and beyond.

The more often extreme weather events happen, the less headline-worthy they are and instead they simply become part of the norm.

Timeline of extreme weather events and Ocean wins that have made headlines in 2023:

Our Ocean regulates global climate and is inextricably linked to these extreme weather events.

How the Ocean is linked to temperature records broken:

Over the course of 2023, we saw the warmest Northern Hemisphere summer on record and the hottest September ever recorded (average global temperature reached +0.66°C and +0.93°C warmer than the 1991-2020 baseline respectively).

Unsurprisingly, since the Ocean absorbs 90% of the excess heat associated with climate change, these broken temperature records were not limited to land.

The highest ever Ocean surface temperature was recorded in August 2023, as widespread marine heatwaves spread across the North Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Gulf of Mexico.

This unprecedented heat stress caused a severe coral bleaching event in the Caribbean, during which the highest warning level alerted to significant coral mortality

September 2023 also saw the lowest mean winter sea ice extent ever observed in the Antarctic, with maximum coverage a shocking 1.03 million km² below the previous record low.

Scientists fear that this could mark the beginning of a long-term declining trend.

Graph of Antarctic Sea Ice Extent in 2023 shared by Ocean Generation.

As greenhouse gases continue to accumulate in the atmosphere, our Ocean continues to warm.

Warmer water absorbs less carbon dioxide, and the Ocean’s ability to act as a buffer and protect us against rapid temperature change slows.

How the Ocean links to storms and flooding events:

Weather systems are supercharged by our warming Ocean, as warmer water supplies more moisture and thermal energy to the atmosphere.

This process drives intensified rainfall and more powerful storm and flooding events.

For instance, Cyclone Freddy made landfall multiple times across Malawi, Mozambique, and Madagascar in February 2023, killing more than 1,000 people and displacing millions.

This was the longest-lasting tropical cyclone ever recorded (34 days long), and also broke the record for the most accumulated energy based on wind strength measurements.

You’ve probably also heard of a phenomenon called ‘El Niño’ which has been linked to many extreme weather events this year.

The Ocean absorbs 90% of the excess heat associated with climate change. Image of a dessert and the Ocean, showing how the Ocean is connect to everything on Earth.

What is the El Niño phenomenon?

El Niño occurs due to the periodical weakening of trade winds in the Pacific Ocean. This pushes warm surface water towards the west coast of the Americas and drives changes in wind and weather patterns across the globe.

The surprising impact of wildfires on our Ocean:

Wildfire events are growing in frequency and intensity across the globe, partly driven by rising temperatures, strong winds and drier conditions.

In a surprising discovery, severe Australian wildfires in 2019-2020 were found to cause abnormal algal blooms in the Southern Ocean, thousands of miles downwind of the flames.

It is believed that aerosols from the fire, which contain high levels of iron, phosphorous and other minerals, were transported downwind into the Southern Ocean. These minerals, which are usually in low supply in this region, acted as a fertiliser and caused abnormal algal bloom events.

In a surprising discovery, severe Australian wildfires (2019-2020) caused abnormal algal blooms in the Southern Ocean. Image of wildfires and Ocean corals, showing how the Ocean is connected to everything.

Artificial fertilisation events can disrupt natural nutrient cycling and marine photosynthesis patterns in the Ocean.

Further clues of these widespread impacts were seen in 2023. Huge wildfires in Canada burned all summer long, releasing persistent aerosol pollution over the Atlantic Ocean. Evidence of this was seen in the skies over parts of the UK in September, where incoming smoke diluted the sunshine, causing the sun to appear lilac in colour.

Only time will tell the impacts of this year’s events, but it’s clear that wildfires can have far-reaching consequences on underwater ecosystems.

Ocean wins giving us hope for the future.

2023 has been a monumental year for Ocean wins.

This year, we celebrated the agreement of the landmark High Seas Treaty, improved single-use plastic regulations, and the decision to pause deep sea mining among others. This is a sign of the ever-growing Ocean-recognition in local, regional, and global decision making.

Whale tail breaking out of the Ocean. 2023 was a momentous year for Ocean wins. Ocean Generation is sharing the Ocean wins that happened in 2023 and a timeline of other extreme weather events.

Each Ocean win moves us one step closer to effective Ocean-action, and it does not stop here. At COP28, we need to see continued momentum to protect and safeguard our Ocean into 2024 and beyond.

Stay up to date with COP28:

We’re sharing bite-sized COP updates, commitments, and Ocean wins on your favourite social platform.

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21. 11. 2023 Jemma Sargeant

The Global Stocktake: Translated

Three diverse woem with the blue sky behind them.

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What is the Global Stocktake and what has it told us about the progress we’re making in the face of climate change?

The Global Stocktake is the first comprehensive assessment of global progress made on climate change since the adoption of the Paris Climate Change Agreement in 2015.

Essentially, it is a global inventory of all-things climate change: What progress has been made? What areas need more focus? Are we on track to meet our climate goals? (Spoiler alert…we are not).

What is the global stocktake? The Global Stocktake is the 1st comprehensive assessment
of global progress made on climate change since the adoption
of the Paris Climate Change Agreement in 2015. Shared by Ocean Generation.

In this critical decade for climate action, assessing collective progress towards climate goals helps us to identify key gaps, holds us accountable to our commitments, and allows us to work together to agree on solutions.

The Global Stocktake provides an opportunity for leaders to course correct by ramping up global ambition and avoid the worst consequences of the climate crisis.

The Global Stocktake consists of three phases:

Data collection phase:

Culmination of all available information across all thematic areas (including coastal zones, terrestrial and marine ecosystem services, food, water, and energy use).

Technical phase:

Evaluation of information to produce insights and summary reports, written by a range of stakeholders. The findings were culminated in a synthesis report.

Political phase:

Negotiations, policy changes and decisions based on synthesis report findings.

This phase will take place during COP28 and is critical to determine how countries will respond.

So, what does the Global Stocktake report tell us?

The Global Stocktake synthesis report is a 46-page technical dialogue which serves as a factual resource and provides a comprehensive overview of the outcomes from phases one and two.

Key finding 1:

While the Paris Agreement has driven climate action, we are not on track to meet its goals. Ambitions and action must be ramped up to get us there. 

Image of speed boat in the Ocean making a circle in the water. Ahead of COP28, Ocean Generation - a global Ocean charity shares - While the Paris Agreement
has driven climate action,
we are not on track
to meet its goals.

Key finding 2:

Climate change must be addressed within the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Tougher, more transparent accounting measures are needed to accurately assess the credibility of climate contributions.

It is vital that marginalised groups (including women, youth, and Indigenous Peoples) are stakeholders to ensure that everyone can actively participate in these efforts.  

Key finding 3:

The large-scale systems transformation needed will be disruptive, so they need to be equitable.

Example transformations include shifting the current ways in which we get around to low-carbon forms of transport. This will involve shifting ownership from petrol and diesel to electric cars, and the entire reconfiguration of public transport networks.

Systems transformation also applies to the food and agriculture sector. We must find a way to reduce the land-footprint of agriculture, halt and reverse deforestation, and effectively manage fish stocks. All while simultaneously increasing production to provide for the ever-growing number of human mouths to feed.

These are the systems which underpin how we live our day-to-day lives, and they need to be transformed to better align human society with a climate-positive future. Therefore, it is vital that we focus on inclusion and equity to ensure that no-one is left behind.

Those most affected by climate impacts should be involved in crafting the solutions.

Key finding 4:

Global emissions are not in line with where they need to be, and the window to limit warming to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels is closing rapidly.

According to the IPCC AR6 Report, global greenhouse gas emissions must peak between 2020 and 2025 to limit warming to the Paris Agreement temperature goal. Global emissions have not yet peaked. 

Key finding 5:

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs – self-determined plans put in place by each nation to achieve its climate goals) must be more ambitious.

More leadership in reducing emissions is needed, particularly from developed countries. 

Key finding 6:

Systems change is needed from everyone, everywhere.
No sector can escape the need for transformation.

Two hands holding up a replica of the planet, symbolising that to take climate action change is needed from everyone, everywhere. No sector can escape the need for transformation. And everyone must look after our planet. The planet is in our hands.

Key finding 7:

A fair, just transition can be applied to a range of different approaches and contexts, at different stages of the journey.

Goals should be set in reasonable, manageable chunks to reduce the negative consequences of rapid systems change.

Key finding 8:

We must diversify the economy to cope with the changes that are needed. 

This includes contributions to the loss and damage fund agreed at COP27 and may involve restructuring entire supply chains.

Key finding 9:

We must secure a liveable and sustainable future for all.

No-one is safe from climate change, and greater focus (and funding) is needed to reduce, adapt, and respond to these impacts.

This is particularly vital for communities who are already feeling the effects but are neither prepared nor able to recover from disasters. 

Key finding 10:

Climate planning must be coherent amongst all sectors and regions, and adaptation measures need to be more streamlined, ambitious, and ubiquitous.  

Word cloud of all 17 of the findings from the global stocktake: our planet's first assessment - country by country - of the progress we're making in the face of climate change; created by Ocean Generation. — *Word cloud of the most-used words in the 17 findings from the Global Stocktake Report, 2023.*

Key finding 11:

Lots more support for locally led adaptation methods is needed. This includes improving access to critical resources and information, to empower communities forge their own solutions.

Key finding 12:

Despite the 1.5°C benchmark, we need to understand that impacts will worsen with every fraction of a degree of global warming, particularly for vulnerable communities who are already affected.

It is vital that we do not exceed certain thresholds and ‘tipping points’ which will lead to irreversible changes. Filling knowledge gaps is crucial to identify these tipping points and effectively avoid them.  

Key finding 13:

Climate finance is inadequate and needs to be urgently improved and scaled-up. 

Key finding 14:

Access to climate finance in developing countries needs to be enhanced.

Key finding 15:

Finance and investment flows need to be directed towards the energy transition and away from greenhouse gases.

Clean technology (eg. Renewable energy) is crucial to tackle climate change.

Ways of implementing this include:

De-risking investments in clean-energy technologies.
Creating pipelines of investible products for adaptation and mitigation.
Subsidies.

Key finding 16:

Clean technology (eg. Renewable energy) is crucial to tackle climate change. A reduction in cost and push towards scalability is needed to rapidly deploy existing technologies and effectively integrate them into grid systems.

More research is also needed to understand the role of technology and innovation (such as Carbon Capture and Storage) in supporting the transition.  

Key finding 17:

We need international cooperation to reduce the barriers to climate action.

This would involve empowering each nation to assess their climate risks and seek ways to improve them.  

breaching wave shared by Ocean Generation: Experts in Ocean education

What happens next?

The Global Stocktake is a vital tool to catalyse the urgency we need for robust, decisive action at the scale that is needed.

It will enter the political phase during COP28, where discussions will take place and a new round of NDCs will be released. These decisions will determine how the world responds to this information at such a critical stage of the climate crisis.

Read: Everything you ned to know about COP28.

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Jemma Sargeant

Balancing conservation and community in polar wildlife conflicts

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16. 11. 2023 Jemma Sargeant

What to expect from COP28

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Everything you need to know: COP28.

It’s almost time for the world to come together once more, at COP28, to discuss our climate change commitments.

Ahead of this year’s summit, the Global Stocktake provided a useful inventory of current progress toward global climate goals. COP28 will therefore represent an important opportunity for course correction and increased ambition towards Ocean-climate action.

What is COP all about?

What is COP? The Conference of Parties is the annual conference and decision-making body for global climate change commitments. Definition of COP on an image of a woman with short hair, walking away from a singular yellow chair on a beach. Shared by Ocean generation in an article about COP28 expectations.

The Conference Of Parties (COP) is an annual conference where the main decision-making for global climate change commitments takes place.

And when is COP28? COP28 will be held between 30^th November – 12^th December 2023, at Expo City, Dubai, UAE.

The formal goals of COP28 are:

Energy and emissions:

Phase-down demand for, and supply of all fossil fuels, leading to an energy system free of unabated fossil fuels by 2050 (which basically means we’d be free of fossil fuels used and produced without interventions to reduce the greenhouse gasses they emit throughout their life cycle).

This includes tripling renewable energy capacity and doubling the rate of energy efficiency improvements across sectors by 2030.

Finance:

Ensuring that climate finance is affordable, available, and accessible to developing countries, by delivering the annual investment in climate action needed by 2030.

Putting nature, people, lives, and livelihoods first:

Investing in people and nature through the loss and damage fund and encouraging all parties to align climate action with biodiversity targets, since one cannot exist without the other.

Inclusivity:

Commitments towards strengthened collaboration with marginalised groups such as women, Indigenous Peoples, local communities, youth, people of determination, subnational actors, and faith-based organisations.

There is no room for phasing-down the use of fossil fuels in a net zero world. We must phase-out fossil fuels to protect our planet. Quote shared by Ocean Generation: Experts in Ocean health.

Why is COP28 controversial?

COP28 has received a lot of attention from the media, particularly regarding this year’s COP President’s position within the fossil fuel industry.

Dr Sultan al-Jaber is the minister of industry and advanced technology for UAE, and the managing director and group CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC Group).

Concerns have been raised about the impartiality of climate talks and the influence of fossil fuel lobbyists, for whom blocking fossil fuel phase-out is within their economic interest.

For instance, ADNOC announced a five-year, $150 billion investment in fossil fuel expansion in November 2022.

This is predicted to produce 7.5 billion barrels of oil and gas, 90% of which would have to remain in the ground to meet the International Energy Agency’s net zero emissions scenario.

How can we spot when climate-dialogue is shifted towards the interests of the fossil fuel industry?

Decoding climate dialogue – it’s all in the wording:

When navigating climate conferences, it’s important to understand key terms and phrasing which may open loopholes and derail progress.

Accurately decoding the dialogue helps us to stay diligent, see past greenwashing and spot false solutions.

This is particularly important during discussions on topics which divide the crowd.

Two little penguins on ice in the Antarctic. The accompanying wording reads: When navigating climate conferences, it’s important to understand key terms and phrasing which may open loopholes and derail progress. Shared by Ocean Generation as part of their series of everything you need to know about COP.

Here are some key phrases to look out for this year:

Unabated fossil fuels:

Fossil fuels burned without using technologies to capture the resulting CO₂ emissions.

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS):

The relative importance of CCS remains contentious in climate discussions.

What is CCS?

Carbon capture and storage is a process used to capture the carbon dioxide produced by power generation or industrial activity, transporting it, and storing it deep underground.

The science tells us that while CCS has the potential to play a key role in meeting climate change targets (eg. For heavy industry that’s much harder to decarbonise. And once we reach net zero, it can help tip us back the other way), but it’s not the silver-bullet solution to the current problem.

Focussing on mobilising CCS instead of simply keeping fossil fuels in the ground is a distraction. It delays the inevitable transition away from fossil fuels that needs to happen.

Phase-down emissions:

There is no room for phasing-down in a net-zero world; we must phase-out.

The use of the word ‘emissions’ also deliberately omits fossil fuels from final decisions. This ambiguous phrasing provides a loophole for their continued growth and development.

The focus must therefore be on ‘phasing-out fossil fuels.’

Ocean spotlight at COP28:

Motorised boat on a dry stretch of land that should be water. The words read: Our Ocean is increasingly recognised in global climate dialogue and will take the spotlight at COP28 during the ‘Nature, Land use and Oceans’ thematic day (9th December 2023). This dedicated day aims to support climate-aligned and nature positive use of land and Ocean systems.

This reflects the increasing focus towards ‘blue ambition’ and the growing recognition that when we protect the Ocean, we also protect ourselves.

Our Ocean is increasingly recognised in global climate dialogue and will take the spotlight at COP28 during the ‘Nature, Land use and Oceans’ thematic day (9^th December 2023). This dedicated day aims to support climate-aligned and nature positive use of land and Ocean systems.

This reflects the increasing focus towards ‘blue ambition’ and the growing recognition that when we protect the Ocean, we also protect ourselves.

Ocean action is climate action and climate action is Ocean action.
Ignace Beguin Billecocq, Ocean Lead for UN Climate Change High-Level Champions.

Are the conversations at COP going to cut it? We need action, not promises. Implementation, not good intentions. This article runs down Ocean Generation's expectations for COP28.

Ocean Generation’s hopes and expectations for COP28:

We will always welcome more commitments to safeguard our Ocean, but this year we want to see promises turn to progress, and ideas turn to action.

This includes: 

Decarbonisation across every sector.

New research suggests that we have less than six years before global warming of 1.5°C is inevitable. Rapid, widespread reduction of CO₂ emissions is essential to steer us away from this fate.

Decarbonisation efforts should seek alternative fuels and port infrastructure for Ocean shipping, enabling technologies to connect new and existing marine-renewable energy to the grid, and strengthened net-zero commitments across fisheries and aquaculture supply chains.

Opportunities to incentivise emissions reductions within the Ocean-tourism sector should also be considered.

Strengthening of mitigation and adaptation commitments.

Commitments made in the landmark High Seas Treaty agreement earlier in 2023 must be actioned in climate policies, to meet the goal of protecting 30% of the Ocean by 2030. Focus must also be drawn to the remaining 70%, to build progress toward the Ocean we need. 

Further restoration and protection of “blue carbon” ecosystems (such as seagrasses, mangroves, tidal marshes) within exclusive economic zones must be included in national commitments to ensure their sustained benefits (such as carbon sequestration and flood protection).

Mainstreaming Ocean-action.

Now, more than ever, widespread recognition of our Ocean’s pivotal role in combatting climate change is vital.

We need increased Ocean-recognition in global climate dialogue, and countries must commit to mainstreaming Ocean-actions into their national commitments.

These Ocean-climate solutions must be integrated into biodiversity goals since one cannot exist without the other.  

Blue carbon ecosystems reduce impacts of climate change. What are blue carbon ecosystems? Blue carbon is any carbon stored by the Ocean so blue carbon ecosystems are ecosystems that make that carbon storage in the Ocean possible. Examples include mangrove trees, salt marshes and sea grass meadows.

Inclusive and mobilised solutions for all.

No-one is safe from climate change, so no-one should be left out of forging solutions.

We need full empowerment and collaboration with marginalised groups, especially those that are disproportionately impacted by climate change. Community-led marine management should play a central role, and this must be enabled by providing access to critical resources and information.

Stable and accessible finance flows are needed to provide a healthy Ocean for all.

Filling knowledge gaps in this critical Decade for Ocean Science.

Strengthening of Ocean-focused research and standardised data sharing is critical to effectively implement and manage Ocean-actions.

How to stay up to date with all things COP28

Follow Ocean Generation on your favourite social platform for COP updates, progress, Ocean wins, and actions.

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Jemma Sargeant

Balancing conservation and community in polar wildlife conflicts

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Can traditions become Ocean-friendly? The story of Thailand’s Loy Krathong Festival

Our Ocean, rivers, lakes, canals and other bodies of water have provided us with so much for centuries.

In Thailand, a full moon night in November, during the Loy Krathong Festival, is dedicated to worshiping the goddess of water.

The materials krathongs are made of make a huge difference.

How is the tradition of the Loy Krathong Festival becoming more sustainable?

Thank you for raising your voice for the Ocean, Ferra!

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