The Blue Earth Summit 2023: A Recap
Here’s a roundup of all the talks and workshops that inspired us from the Blue Earth Summit 2023. Our Editor and Guest Writer, Molly, attended the summit and brings you - the subscribers and readers of DOTS - the key takeaways. As surfers and ocean lovers, she explains why you should give a damn…
Over a three day period, the Blue Earth Summit descended on Bristol for a programme of talks, workshops, panel discussions and meetings. The summit attracted some big name speakers and attendees, including Dragon’s Den investor Deborah Meaden, Kirsten Neuschäfer (the first woman to sail the round-the-world Golden Globe ‘voyage for madmen’), historian, author, presenter and film-maker, Professor David Olusoga OBE, and professional snowboarder and film director, Elias Elhardt. The chats ranged from uplifting to frankly harrowing: from the benefits of blue spaces to the destruction of our planet.
I came away feeling three main things: we need to engage more people in the fight to save our planet, we need better access for people from all backgrounds to get outdoors and we need to get political.
Save the Sea: Protecting 30% by 2030 was the first talk on my agenda, and it got off to a pretty depressing start. To summarise, we’re not protecting enough of our oceans and the bits we are protecting aren’t getting the help fast enough. Alyx Elliot, Campaigns Director for Oceana UK cited bottom trawling and the granting of new oil and gas licenses as clear indicators that the government isn't willing to priortitise the environment over big money industries.
But it’s not all doom and gloom, CEO of Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), Giles Bristow mentioned how their following and support had grown massively this year. This appears to be a sign that not only are people sick of ‘literally swimming in shit,’ but that they’re mobilising to do something about it. Sewage pollution and water quality, he believes, will be an election issue. In another talk, From Activism to Action: Cleaning Britain’s Waterways, Charles Watson, founder of River Action UK, cited that sewage pollution was in the top five election issues for 50% of the electorate. Let’s hope that this gives campaigners and organisations like SAS and River Action UK the opportunity to force real, tangible change from our politicians.
David Olusoga, a Bristol-based historian and writer, gave this year’s key-note speech. His lecture focused on nature-connectedness, how badly connected we are in Britain to nature and on inequality of access to land. Not only did he highlight land ownership inequality, but also exclusion and the ways in which people from ethnic minorities have felt and continue to feel unwelcome in our countryside.
The matter of access to outdoor spaces and activities was echoed in a panel discussion titled Blueprint for Change: What are the barriers to blue spaces and how can we achieve truly inclusive water environments. Sara Ahmed Qureshi, Surf Coordinator at Open Minds Active, talked about her first experience of surfing and how she became instantly addicted, but needed modest clothing in order to pursue the sport. She went home and sewed her own wetsuit skirt which she brought with her to show the audience at Blue Earth.
In the same panel, Frazer (Frazzle) Riley, founder of Queer Surf Club, talked about his journey into surfing and the reasons why it felt important to him to set up a surf club for LGBTQ+ people (and allies), and the ways in which he had felt excluded from the ocean in the past. This panel discussion highlighted some really positive changes happening with access to blue spaces, and it is definitely worth giving these people and organisations a follow on Instagram to see if you can help spread this access even further.
After two days of talks and workshops, day three saw the summit move to Bristol’s man made surf spot, The Wave, for cold water surfs and swims. The day kicked off with a dip sponsored by dryrobe and hosted by Rise Fierce founder, Sophie Hellyer.
An overarching theme of the talks and workshops I attended was that connection to nature leads to a desire to protect it. Gate-keeping outdoor spaces is good for nobody - the more people that have a close relationship with the outdoors, the more allies there will be in the fight to protect the planet.
That being said, the Summit felt slightly like an echochamber; everyone I met there cared deeply about the planet already and I left feeling none the wiser about ways to broaden engagement and widen the conversation to include people who currently express no interest in protecting the natural world.
But for now: vote, advocate, be an ally and fight for access to nature.
Molly Blair,
Editor and Guest Writer
Molly Blair
Molly is a journalist focusing on gardening, nature connection, travel and the ocean. She’s also a committee member at Bristol Girls Surf Club and loves getting out of the city for cold water swims and surfs.