Surfers for Climate youth leadership summit held in May 2024 in Thirroul. Photo: Surfers for Climate.
Surfers in the Illawarra and across the nation have banded together to call for urgent action on climate change.
After the most recent National Climate Risk Assessment (NCRA), surfers say we must act now if we want to protect our marine environment and coastal way of life.
Surfers for Climate say risks of particular concern to them are the potential for half a metre – or more – of sea level rise by 2100, coastal erosion, flooding and marine heatwaves.
Georgia Watson is an Illawarra member of Surfers for Climate with a background in science.
She’s at the beach every day or so to get in the water or organise a beach clean-up.
Georgia said for anyone who kept a regular eye on their local beach the effects of climate change were already tangible.
“We are seeing more marine heatwaves, with warmer waters coming further south and bringing different species of fish further south with them,” she said.
“People think of the ocean as this beautiful pristine place but if you head down after one of the many storms we’ve had lately every time there is a pile of rubbish left behind.
“Whether it’s changing temperatures or plastic pollution it’s important we take responsibility for human impacts on the ocean.”
Georgia said the ocean had already borne much of the brunt of climate change.
It has absorbed more than 90 per cent of the additional heat trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere by man-made greenhouse gas emissions.
As a result it’s also wearing many of the consequences.
The NCRA forecasts up to 95 days of marine heatwaves at 2 degrees Celsius of warming and 179 days of marine heatwaves at 3 degrees Celsius of warming.
Many residents of the Illawarra have already come face-to-face with the effects of climate change, whether through one of the many floods over the past five years or through coastal erosion affecting properties that front lakes or beaches.
“The Illawarra is our home; people love being close to the ocean and the mountains,” she said.
“People don’t want to leave, they have built their lives here. We want this place to grow and thrive.
“Our precious coastline is so beautiful, we need to protect it.”
Josh Kirkman is CEO of Surfers for Climate.
He said the impact of rising sea temperatures had come to a devastating head in South Australia.
He wants to see stronger climate policies to cut emissions rapidly, accelerate the rollout of renewable energy and to halt the approval of all new coal and gas projects.
“As we speak, coastal communities are suffering the dire consequences of the algal bloom that is also wreaking havoc on marine life,” he said.
“Protecting the climate isn’t just about protecting waves — it’s about protecting families, entire communities and our unique way of life.
“Every step towards clean energy is a step towards saving our surf.
“Surfers know the ocean better than most — and we see the changes firsthand. That’s why we’re leading the call for action that protects our beaches and our breaks for generations to come.”
