ASB MAGAZINE: For three days in the heart of Santa Cruz, CA, Save The Waves Coalition and the Surfrider Foundation hosted the unforgettable 5th Global Wave Conference, bringing together the best international minds from the surfing, conservation, and innovation communities in an inspiring call to tackle the world’s most challenging ocean issues.
The other keynotes included Conservation International CEO, M. Sanjayan; Social Media Guru Guy Kawasaki; Shaun Tomson; Imperial Beach Mayor and Wildcoast CEO Serge Dedina; Patagonia Ambassador Liz Clark; acclaimed IMAX filmmaker Greg MacGillivray; Filmmaker and Pro Surfer Chris Malloy; NY Times bestseller Dr. Wallace J Nichols; and Big Wave Champion Greg Long. The week finished in a memorable paddle out with the entire conference, led by legendary Santa Cruz shaper Bob Pearson with replica redwood shapes of ancient Hawaiian boards and a powerful native Hawaiian tribute by surfer-scientist Cliff Kapono.
The conference’s three themes of Land to Sea Connection, Surf + Protected Areas, and Climate Change and Innovation, gave birth to the following tangible outcomes:
- Declaration by leading surf brands to reduce plastic packaging waste Release of 5 Gyres BAN List 2.0
- New collaborative paper for the IUCN launched on legal tools for protected surfing areas
- New App mobilizing surfers to gather data on coastal issues unveiled
- New Surfing Protected Areas established in Chile, Malibu and Point Conception, CA –
- Activist toolkit for surfers and scientists launched by Patagonia
- New International Association of Surf Academics formed
- Stoke sustainability certification for the conference achieved
The Global Wave Conference will be heading to the surfing mecca of Gold Coast, Australia for the 6th iteration of the conference in 2020. For more information, go to globalwaveconference.org
Many thanks to our 2018 Global Wave Conference sponsors: Dream Inn, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Ugg, Patagonia, Resources Legacy Fund, Verve Coffee, Don Q Rum, Danny Kwock Family Foundation on behalf of SALT. Optics, Ocean Foundation, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Clif Bar Co., Klean Kanteen, Finisterre, Whova, Parley for the Oceans, Santa Cruz Waves, Avion Tequila, NOAA, and WSL PURE.
C/O Save The Waves Coalition.
