The Reef-World Foundation – the international coordinator of the UN Environment Programme’s Green Fins initiative – is pleased to announce its two Sustainable Diving events at ADEX Singapore (12-14 April 2024) are back by popular demand. Additionally, the charity will present the coveted Green Fins Award to the Green Fins Member with the lowest environmental impact.
The Sustainable Diving events aim to break down the barriers for positioning the environment at the heart of the diving industry to protect the very asset upon which our industry depends. These two free events cater to a wide range of stakeholders within the diving community, including dive professionals, operators, liveaboards, resorts, travel providers, training organisations, manufacturers, photographers, media representatives and many more.
They are designed to revolutionise the way the industry operates, providing attendees with valuable connections and firsthand insights into sustainability trends within the sector. Reef-World has delivered these events at all in-person ADEX shows in Singapore since 2017, during which all participants have gained valuable knowledge that they could immediately apply in their business, and this year promises the same.
This year’s events will focus on taking action for coral bleaching recovery for a blue economy. The world’s coral reefs are in grave danger as marine scientists warn of a potential fourth global mass coral bleaching event unfolding this year. The delicate ecosystems are facing unprecedented threats due to climate change and human activities. The events aim to share crucial actions that individuals and businesses can take to protect and build resilient reefs.
The Sustainable Diving Think Tank is a private workshop open to staff, dive guides, instructors, operations managers and business owners (resorts, dive centres, liveaboard, manufacturers, training agencies, NGOs). In a collaborative effort, proactive dive industry leaders will come together to exchange valuable insights, brainstorm innovative solutions and chart out strategic pathways towards embracing ocean-conscious practices and fostering sustainable business models. The Think Tank will take place from 12:30–2:00 PM on Friday, 12 April 2024 at the Image / Film / Book Festival Stage. This workshop is chaired by The Reef-World Foundation and the UN Environment Programme, hosted by UW360.
In a collaborative effort, participants will come together to exchange valuable insights, brainstorm innovative solutions, and chart out strategic pathways towards embracing ocean-conscious practices and fostering sustainable business models. This interactive session is a great opportunity for proactive individuals from the dive industry and sustainability sector to join forces and drive positive change with passion and purpose.
Discussions will build on key areas identified during previous events: driving change among businesses to fundamentally change the way the industry works; troubleshooting, solution finding, networking and collaborating; identifying what online support the industry uses to support its sustainability journey and what tools it needs and giving insights into how companies across the dive industry can find ways of increasing visibility of and “selling” sustainability.
Places for the popular Think Tank workshop are limited – please book a place in advance on Eventbrite.
The Sustainable Diving Dialogue is a public Q&A which will take place from 12.30-1.30 PM on Sunday, 14 April 2024 on the Underwater360 Main Stage at ADEX. Attendees will hear from a panel of industry leaders in sustainability representing examples of sustainable business models from dive centres, liveaboards, manufacturers, media, training agencies and manufacturers. The Dialogue will be chaired by the UN Environment, organised by Reef-World and hosted by UW360.
Chloe Harvey, Executive Director at The Reef-World Foundation, said: “We have seen significant improvements in the way the marine tourism industry operates as a result of these events at ADEX over the years. It’s a great way for business leaders, divers, and holidaymakers to network, connect and join forces to overcome some of the hurdles they meet when trying to align their businesses with sustainability. It’s a pleasure to come together with UNEP, and work with the UW360 team, to deliver these events to the ADEX community once again.”
