I lately had the privilege of attending the third United Nations Ocean Convention (UNOC3) in Good, France, an energizing five-day occasion co-hosted by France and Costa Rica that introduced collectively over 15,000 contributors and greater than 60 heads of state and authorities. It was an unimaginable convergence of world leaders, policymakers, scientists, and ocean advocates working to speed up motion on marine protected areas, ocean finance, excessive seas regulation, and air pollution discount.
PADI and the PADI AWARE Basis® have been the one organizational representatives from the dive trade in attendance, a truth each humbling and illuminating. Whereas a few of our PADI AmbassaDivers and PADI Execs additionally joined the dialog, our presence as a corporation was invaluable in highlighting what’s at the moment lacking: a proper recognition of the dive sector as a robust stakeholder in ocean conservation.
A newly revealed examine in Cell Studies Sustainability underscores why this recognition is lengthy overdue. The worldwide scuba diving trade contributes between $8.5 billion and $20.4 billion to the worldwide financial system every year and helps as much as 124,000 jobs throughout 170 international locations. Past these financial advantages, the report additionally highlights the sector’s distinctive position in advancing marine conservation by means of tourism-driven environmental stewardship. This additional validates what we at PADI have lengthy recognized: divers will not be simply passionate in regards to the ocean—they’re very important to its safety.
Time and again within the aspect occasions I attended, centered on coral monitoring, habitat restoration, and underwater survey work, I heard compelling plans and bold targets. However one factor was lacking: a workforce technique. There was little point out of who would really be doing the diving, amassing the info, or supporting implementation on the bottom. And but, our world neighborhood of educated divers and dive operators is already doing simply that.
At PADI, we imagine that divers and dive professionals are a crucial but underutilized power in ocean safety. By means of applications like Undertake the Blue™, Dive Towards Particles®, the upcoming International Shark & Ray Census, and world advocacy efforts, together with our latest petition to guard sharks and rays at CITES, we’ve demonstrated that the dive neighborhood isn’t solely prepared however already contributing to significant marine conservation outcomes.
With the launch of the Conservation Motion Portal (CAP), we’re making it simpler than ever for divers and dive companies to take impactful motion, from logging underwater survey information to participating in restoration efforts or influencing coverage. These instruments weren’t created in a single day. They’re the results of years of foundational work, built-in collaboration with our world educational, scientific, and conservation companions, they usually’re able to scale.
Our attendance at UNOC3 confirmed what we’ve lengthy recognized: the dive trade holds untapped energy to help world ocean objectives. Over the subsequent three years, we’ll be working towards a extra outstanding position at UNOC4 – not simply taking part within the dialog however serving to lead it. And we have now this window of time to amplify our voice and solidify our place on the worldwide stage.
The dive neighborhood isn’t just a witness to ocean change – we’re an energetic, succesful, and passionate power driving its safety. I don’t see a future the place PADI, the PADI AWARE Basis, and our world community of dive facilities and professionals aren’t on the forefront of ocean conservation.
However to completely understand this imaginative and prescient, we’d like continued momentum. We’d like extra divers taking motion with their dive facilities; amassing crucial information, taking part in conservation actions, and advocating for native marine safety. We’d like extra dive operators to Undertake the Blue, lead neighborhood citizen science efforts, and interact with policymakers. And we’d like extra help for the PADI AWARE Basis, from month-to-month donors to company companions, to speed up conservation applications and scale affect.
Most of all, all of us must imagine that collectively, we are able to create a more healthy, extra resilient ocean. The chance is now. And we’re able to rise.
By Katie Thompson, Senior Director of Setting & Sustainability, PADI
