Marine Life & Conservation
PADI AWARE’s ‘Adopt the Blue’ Programme to protect 30% of the Ocean by 2030
PADI® and PADI AWARE Foundation have launched an ambitious new initiative to establish the world’s largest network of conservation sites aimed at safeguarding ocean habitats and species threatened with extinction. Managed by the PADI AWARE Foundation™, Adopt The Blue™ will activate a global network of dive sites across the planet to establish more Marine Protected Areas with the support of PADI Members, divers, and ocean torchbearers.
Over the next decade, the Adopt The Blue programme will serve as the connective tissue to drive forward PADI’s Blueprint For Ocean Action, the organisation’s roadmap that underpins all local conservation efforts on marine debris, protection of vulnerable species, restoration of coral reef systems and tackling climate change. These local actions, when replicated and scaled up, will truly help drive global impact.
“Our goal is to create 10,000 Adopt The Blue sites by 2025, working with local communities and PADI operators to accelerate local conservation efforts where they are most needed, and to actively contribute towards protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030,” says Danna Moore, Director of PADI AWARE Foundation.
Since the launch on World Oceans Day this month, 301 sites have been adopted covering a total area of 3159742652m².
Adopt The Blue is supported by PADI MPA Programme founding partner Blancpain, who shares a rich history rooted in the exploration and preservation of the world’s oceans. Together, PADI and Blancpain are committed to establishing the largest inventory of Marine Protected Areas in the world.
PADI’s Mission Hubs are at the heart of Adopt The Blue – the 6,600 dive centres and resorts and more than 128,000 professional members worldwide who will serve as the backbone for the programme’s global footprint, providing unprecedented scale and unmatched potential for participants to take direct action that will drive measurable conservation impact at the local level – all tied to the global commitment to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030.
“Over the years we have been consistently amazed by the passion and readiness of the diving community to take action where and when it’s needed. With the scale and support of our mission hubs, divers and ocean torchbearers will be able to help countries meet their ocean conservation commitments as well as driving forward the creation of coastal MPAs,” continues Moore. “This global collective effort of meaningful action at local levels will help us move the needle on the most urgent conservation issues facing our blue planet.”
The programme does not require Adopt The Blue sites to be diveable, meaning PADI Members can identify any underwater site anywhere in the world that is important to them. These sites could contain an iconic habitat or species, such as mangroves, shallow water seagrass beds, nursery sites, or breeding grounds; even sites that are of particular economic benefit to local communities – as they all contribute to PADI’s overall vision to restore balance between humanity and the ocean. Once the sites are adopted and listed on the Adopt The Blue platform, PADI AWARE Foundation will coordinate the appropriate local, regional and national conservation efforts.
To join the network, visit www.padi.com/aware/AdoptTheBlue/Join.
GROUNDTRUTH, a story-led material innovation company that is fast forging a reputation for its next generation travel gear, is thrilled to announce its collaboration with the world’s largest diving association – PADI – on a range of pioneering submersible bags.
Entitled UNDA, Latin for wave, the collaborative range sets a new standard in sustainable design, with the GROUNDTRUTH team transforming the standard drybag into a future-focused travel companion, representing the two partners’ shared philosophy of ocean and environmental protection.
The 100% recycled bag range’s proprietary material is made from plastic waste including ghost fishing nets, post-consumer Nylon and plastic bottles. It is used alongside GROUNDTRUTH’S own patent-pending GT-OCO-CO2® hardware range, made from recycled plastic and captured CO2 emissions.
With a presence via 6,600 dive centres and resorts in 184 countries and territories throughout the world, PADI has amassed a hugely engaged community of 30 million+ divers to date. This collection creates a platform to highlight the shocking / mind blowing impact of plastics affecting our blue planet while actively contributing to its removal – empowering people from around the globe to take meaningful action to protect what they love.
“We are incredibly excited to partner with PADI on this project which will be launched via PADI’s global diving network and via our own channels,” said Georgia Scott, Co-founder and CEO of GROUNDTRUTH. “Ghost fishing nets account for over 50% of all plastic waste in our oceans, causing irreversible damage to global marine ecosystems. By combining our expertise in innovative design with PADI’s dedication to Ocean conservation, we aim to make a significant positive impact through the repurposing of these harmful plastics. GROUNDTRUTH was created with the value that all consumer products should contribute to a safer planet.”
“We are proud to collaborate with GROUNDTRUTH, as this partnership exemplifies our shared mission to mobilize the global community of Torchbearers who actively explore and protect our ocean,” said Lisa Nicklin, Vice President of Growth and Marketing for PADI Worldwide “Together, we’ve revolutionized the way that divers can carry around their essentials while elevating their commitment to protecting the place they love. It’s truly a product line designed by divers, for divers.
The UNDA range will be available for pre-order through www.groundtruth.global from the 3rd of February 2025 with PADI members being given the first opportunity to buy via their channels. Join us in this pioneering initiative to explore, protect, and preserve our oceans for future generations.
For more information about the GROUNDTRUTH x PADI collaboration, click here.
About GROUNDTRUTH®
GROUNDTRUTH sparks a new generation of travel gear that enables and accelerates positive change, making a transformative impact to industries, processes and people. As a green technology business and lifestyle brand, at the heart of GROUNDTRUTH is the exploration and development of new materials crafted from the world’s pollution and plastic waste. Their patent-pending GT-OCO-CO2® hardware range, created from recycled plastic and captured CO2 Emissions, is a world first.
Utilising their origins as investigative documentary filmmakers, sisters and founders Georgia, Sophia and Nina Scott, have hand-built GROUNDTRUTH’s unique Bluesign® certified supply chain ecosystem with partners who share the brand’s ethos for people and our planet. Their mission and products are created to support and empower individuals who are making a difference, both in their communities and around the world.
About PADI®
PADI® (Professional Association of Diving Instructors®) is the largest purpose-driven diving organization with a global network of 6,600 dive centers and resorts, 128,000 professional members and more than 29 million certified divers to date. Committed to our blue planet, PADI makes the wonder of the underwater world accessible to all, empowering people around the world to experience, explore and take meaningful action, as Ocean TorchbearersTM, to protect the world beneath the surface. For over 50 years, PADI is undeniably The Way the World Learns to Dive®, setting the standard for the highest quality dive training, underwater safety and conservation initiatives while evolving the sport of diving into a passionate lifestyle. For divers by divers, PADI is obsessed with transforming lives and, with its global foundation, PADI AWARETM, creating positive ocean change. Seek Adventure. Save the Ocean.SM
Sharks dwell off the UK coastline, but did you know there is one that glows in the dark? Join Lloyd Rees-Jones at this year’s GO Diving Show in March when he takes to the UK Stage to showcase a very different side of our marine life when viewed in a different light (no pun intended!).
Lloyd Rees-Jones is a HSE Part 4 Media Diver, PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer, underwater videographer and seasoned volunteer with Neptunes Army of Rubbish Cleaners (NARC). For almost 20 years he has been completely captivated by three shore diving locations in Pembrokeshire, West Wales, and every year he discovers something new that fills him with excitement for the season ahead and keeps him going back year after year.
Ultraviolet night diving in Pembrokeshire
Lloyd’s talk on the UK Stage will be about marine fluorescence and the nocturnal activities of our favourite coastal species, and will give a glimpse on how ultraviolet night diving has the potential to rekindle our passion for night diving – and also the hidden benefits it can bring to our UK diving adventures.
Go Diving Show 2025 takes place at the NAEC Stoneleigh Park, Coventry, on the 1st -2nd March.
-
Gear Reviews2 months agoGear Review: SurfEars 4
-
Marine Life & Conservation3 months agoPaul Watson Released as Denmark Blocks Japan’s Extradition Bid
-
News1 week agoHumpback Mother and Calf Win Underwater Photographer of the Year 2025
-
News2 weeks agoGo Diving Show 2025 Exhibitor Showcase
-
News2 months ago2-for-1 tickets now available for GO Diving Show
-
Blogs3 months agoJeff Goodman Launches Underwater Moviemaker Course with NovoScuba
-
News3 months agoDive into Adventure: Limited Space Available for January Socorro Liveaboard Trip with Oyster Diving
-
News3 weeks agoFilming 360 in The Bahamas