Blancpain | Ocean Commitment
Through its Blancpain Ocean Commitment initiative, the watchmaking firm has been contributing for several years to the development of concrete and tangible progress in the protection of the underwater world. Three projects – as ambitious as they are essential for the preservation of these vast expanses of water – have now been added to the list.
Blancpain and the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), the world’s largest dive training organisation, are joining forces with the aim to fundamentally increase the number of marine protected areas (MPAs) around the globe over the coming decade.
The organisations unveiled their collaborative partnership at the 9th Annual World Ocean Summit, the flagship event of the Economist Impact’s World Ocean Initiative, attended by the world’s top thought leaders from business, science, governmental and non-profit sectors – to tackle the greatest issues facing our blue planet.
Together, Blancpain and PADI will work with local communities across the globe to expedite the establishment of MPAs. At the heart of the multi-year, multi-million-dollar initiative is the flagship citizen science program, Adopt the Blue in which 6,600 registered PADI dive centers and resorts will be activated to develop the largest network of marine protected areas on the planet, enabling millions of PADI recreational divers to proactively engage in marine conservation at every opportunity.
Another keystone of the partnership is the formation of the Blancpain/PADI Community Grant, which funds critical conservation efforts in local communities. These grants will drive both ocean preservation as well as indigenous community support, serving as a force for good for both humanity and ocean.
The successful implementation of marine protected areas is critical to the health of the world’s largest and most important ecosystem and has been proven to restore biodiversity, build resilience to climate change and re-establish vulnerable species’ populations.
The Brand has decided to join forces with the Australian Biopixel Oceans Foundation and the multimedia production company Biopixel, specialising in ocean research and exploration.
Blancpain supports Biopixel’s activities in two ways: scientific research to learn more about certain species and impact conservation decisions; and production of a series of films focusing on personalities who dedicate their lives to protecting and saving the Great Barrier Reef. Through science, innovative technology and sustainable practices of projects including coral restoration, habitat management, animal rehabilitation and megafauna research, this multi-disciplinary project stems from Biopixel’s close collaboration with Blancpain, Australian authorities and universities, as well as local communities such as the traditional owners who have held deep cultural ties with the Great Barrier Reef for centuries.
In parallel to the foundation’s research activities, Biopixel produces captivating footage in high definition (8K) enabling the public to discover the beauty of marine ecosystems and understand the importance of protecting them. Each episode will be built around spectacular underwater footage telling the story of scientific and ground-breaking research. The series is set to be launched in the last quarter of 2022.
The aim of the collaboration between Blancpain and the Biopixel Group is to contribute to the health and survival of the Great Barrier Reef.
The partnership between Blancpain and the Sulubaaï Environmental Foundation is part of the Blancpain Ocean Commitment, which brings together all the Brand’s actions in support of the oceans. The programme has already led to concrete results, notably by extending the surface of marine protected areas (MPAs) around the world by more than four million square kilometres. This success is notably due to the Pristine Seas expeditions of which Blancpain was a founding partner. Through the Sea Academy project, Blancpain and the Sulubaaï Foundation wish to contribute to the creation of a model of marine protected areas on a human scale, the management and conservation of which is directly undertaken by local communities. The model has the advantage of fostering the development of sustainable management with a positive and direct impact on both the environment and these communities.
The Philippines has one of the largest areas of coral reef in the world. Located within the Coral Triangle, these islands lie within an extremely rich reef zone that is home to 80% of the world’s coral species. These “rainforests” of the sea are teeming with life and provide vital services such as food and income to the human populations surrounding them. Unfortunately, this region is heavily impacted by human activity and global warming. It is therefore imperative to protect it.