The international ocean NGO, Blue Marine Foundation has launched Wavemakers – a groundbreaking new programme to bring together some of the world’s most inspiring (yet largely unsung) leaders in ocean conservation under a shared mission to achieve the protection of 30% of the global ocean by the year 2030.  

The inaugural cohort of ten Wavemakers – hailing from countries including Chile, Mexico, and Greece – were gathered in Edinburgh earlier this year for an intensive programme of skills-building, storytelling, and community networking.

The programme aims to connect leaders in their field across this global network of likeminded and pioneering conservationists to fill in skills and resource gaps, while acting to propel their projects forward in their ambition to reach those global protection goals.

Made possible through a partnership with the lifestyle brand Rituals, the programme has been designed “from the ground up” to respond to what local and regional conservation leaders actually need.

“We asked all of our Wavemakers to tell us what they were hoping to get out of the programme before we’d really decided what it was,” explained Hannah Le Brocq, Development Lead at Blue Marine Foundation. “We wanted it to be co-designed by them, so we’re not just creating things we think they need, but things they actually need.”

“When you’re surrounded by inspiring people, it gives you hope. They’re dealing with hurricanes, budget cuts and people leaving their projects, yet they remain ambitious and continue to achieve so much,” she added.

Sessions across the two-day gathering in Scotland this March ranged from impact communication – helping conservationists articulate and document the results of their often resource-stretched work – to a storytelling workshop exploring how each Wavemaker can bring their personal connection to the ocean to wider audiences. An interactive game simulating the governance challenges of marine protected areas gave participants a chance to problem-solve together, drawing on their diverse expertise in science, government, and community organising.

Shoneé Howell is a marine biologist based at the Coastal Zone Management Unit in Barbados where she works on marine conservation, coastal development, monitoring programmes, and policy. Raised in the Caribbean, Shoneé is passionate about ocean governance and the emerging, sustainable, blue economy across the region.

“The Wavemakers initiative has given me the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone, meet new friends, given me new access to new networks, and develop new skills,” she said of the programme. “But most of all – the biggest thing I am getting from the launch of Wavemakers – is hope. Knowing that there are other people out there, like me, working to restore degraded ecosystems, encouraging others to care about the ocean and ocean conservation, and recognising that I am not alone in the fight.”

The choice to bring the first collection of Wavemakers to Edinburgh was deliberate. Blue Marine has been working closely with Edinburgh Ocean Leaders, an established programme that brings together senior figures in ocean conservation. Looking ahead, selected Wavemakers will have the opportunity to be paired with Edinburgh Ocean Leaders members as mentors – offering  access to experienced peers facing similar challenges.

“A lot of the time in ocean conservation, individuals are doing five different people’s jobs,” said Le Brocq. “They don’t have a lot of training, they don’t have a lot of time. It really matters to create a space where people can come together, feel part of a community, and share similar struggles and experiences.

While the programme will continue for the next 18 months, with the cohort working together to identify shared challenges and agree concrete actions, we hope the Wavemakers community will continue for years to come. 

For Le Brocq, the ambition is clear: ” How can celebrate what they’re achieving, share it far and wide, and connect them to a global community that helps them achieve their goals?

Follow the Wavemakers stories with Blue Marine and Oceanographic.