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Global Wave Conference

Santa Cruz, California – 2018

2018 | 5th Iteration

The Global Wave Conference brings together the best international minds from the surfing, conservation and innovation communities to tackle the world’s most challenging ocean issues.

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 conference united experts and leaders from more than 14 different countries with over 70 speakers, arriving from over 100 different organizations to form an audience of over 300 surfers, scientists, and activists. Attendees left the conference with a stronger, more solidified connection among the surfing and environmental communities after sharing their challenges, successes and lessons learned in the field of conservation.

 

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

CHRIS MALLOY, FILMMAKER

GREG LONG, BIG WAVE CHAMP

GUY KAWASAKI, SOCIAL MEDIA GURU

LIZ CLARK, PATAGONIA AMBASSADOR

RODRIGO FARIAS MORENO, FILMMAKER & PARLEY ACTIVIST

DR. SERGE DEDINA, WILDCOAST & MAYOR

DR. SYLVIA EARLE, MARINE BIOLOGIST

DR. GARY GRIGGS, UCSC EARTH SCIENCES

GREG MACGILLIVRAY, IMAX FILMMAKER

JULIE PACKARD, MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM

DR. M. SANJAYAN, CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL

SACHI CUNNINGHAM, FILMMAKER

SHAUN TOMSON, WORLD SURFING CHAMPION

DR. WALLACE J. NICHOLS, BLUE MIND

AGENDA

Land to sea connection

PROTECTED AREAS

Climate change + Innovation

CONFERENCE ORGANIZERS

The Complete

resource guide

The Global Wave Conference Resource Guide contains all of the presentations from the three conference days as well as videos from each session. 

GOALS

Unite the surf, conservation and technology/innovation communities, and mainstream surfing into the marine conservation conversation.



Raise awareness and share best practices from across the world to address ocean plastics, water quality, coastal development, and climate change / sea level rise.



Create new working connections between diverse geographies and communities

DELIVERABLES

Declaration by leading surf brands to reduce plastic packaging waste

Release of 5 Gyres Institute’s BAN List 2.0

New partnership to support World Surfing Reserves

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 to be established in Chile, Malibu and Point Conception, CA

Activist toolkit for surfers and scientists launched by Patagonia

New International Association of Surf Academics formed

New carbon offset programs announced

STOKE sustainability certification for the conference achieved

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