{"id":10054,"date":"2016-11-03T23:39:17","date_gmt":"2016-11-04T03:39:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hbs.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/padi-and-climate-change-staying-afloat-or-drowning\/"},"modified":"2016-11-03T23:39:17","modified_gmt":"2016-11-04T03:39:17","slug":"padi-and-climate-change-staying-afloat-or-drowning","status":"publish","type":"hck-submission","link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/padi-and-climate-change-staying-afloat-or-drowning\/","title":{"rendered":"PADI and Climate Change: Staying Afloat or Drowning?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"picture1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The advent of a self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) made the natural wonders of the underwater world accessible to people. Today, scuba diving is one of the world\u2019s fastest growing recreational sports, representing a multi-billion-dollar industry. [1] PADI, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, certifies divers and instructors globally, representing 60% of dive operators across 180 countries. PADI certified divers grew from 2.5 million in 1988 to 17.5 million in 2008. [1] [2]<\/p>\n

Climate change and scuba diving<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"f-img_1816\"<\/a><\/p>\n

It is nearly impossible to decouple the recreational scuba diving industry from the natural underwater environments enjoyed by divers. Any environmental damage or impact to coral reefs and\/or marine life from climate change will have a direct and potentially catastrophic impact on scuba diving. Climate change is linked to rising sea levels, increased incidence of extreme weather events, and higher acid levels in the sea as a result of rising ocean temperatures by 1.3 degrees Fahrenheit. [3] Each of these consequences of climate change are likely to have negative effects on reefs, marine life, and ultimately scuba diving. For example, extreme weather events, such as the 2004 tsunami in Thailand, cause dive operators to lose short-term business and less desirable diving conditions longer-term. [4] Though individual weather events cannot be directly attributed to climate change, scientists predict there will be more such events in the future. Furthermore, man-made environmental threats such as coral breakage and pollution put further strain on coral reefs, making them more vulnerable to effects of climate change. [5] By 2050, some scientists predict that reefs could be completely extinct. [3]<\/p>\n

Not only is scuba diving impacted by climate change, but the industry itself contributes to the problem. Avid scuba divers will travel far distances to \u2018must-see\u2019 dive spots: Australia\u2019s Great Barrier Reef, the Maldives, Fiji, Egypt, to name a few. Given the majority of PADI certified divers are registered in western countries, long-haul flights are required to reach these destinations. Once you factor in carbon emissions generated during these flights, plus the extra luggage weight to carry scuba equipment, on a per-diver basis, diving tourism accounts for an unsustainable level of greenhouse gas emissions before the diving even begins. [2]<\/p>\n

PADI\u2019s role<\/strong><\/p>\n

PADI relies on a growing number of certified divers and dive operators to maintain a successful business. The concerns raised by climate change pose a threat to future demand for scuba diving if the quality of dive sites is compromised. PADI has recognized and attempted to address these concerns, but there are definitely additional opportunities to improve the long-term prospects of scuba diving in light of climate change. PADI has incorporated environmental awareness into its educational materials used for various certifications, but stops short of educating divers on climate change impacts. [2] PADI also founded Project AWARE, a non-profit organization bringing together volunteer divers to help protect coral reefs and marine habitats. [6] These initiatives are consistent with research that has found operators are much more focused mitigating on shorter-term man-made environmental concerns rather than attacking impending climate change. [4]<\/p>\n

Project AWARE<\/em><\/p>\n

\"capture\"<\/p>\n

Going forward, PADI should find ways to incorporate climate change risks and mitigants to round out its mandatory certification educational materials. Furthermore, PADI should find additional ways to assert influence and control over the individual dive operators to ensure they and their divers are adhering to the lowest environmental impact practices. Finally, PADI has not addressed the potential challenges that could arise if carbon taxes are imposed by certain governments or globally; such a tax could deter divers from taking long-haul flights to reach attractive dive sites. Though there is not an easy solution to this potential issue, PADI should begin to think about alternatives such as creating additional artificial reefs that are more accessible to divers from western countries.<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

The future of scuba diving is at risk if PADI and associated dive operators do not begin to address the impacts of climate change specifically. It might be too late to reverse the damage that has already been done in the past several decades, but there is still time to preserve marine ecosystems and prepare for the impacts of climate change on dive sites and dive tourism as a broader industry.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[Word count: 696]<\/p>\n

Sources:<\/u><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Ghazali Musa and Kay Dimmock \u201cScuba Diving Tourism: Introduction to Special Issue,\u201d Tourism in Marine Environments: Special Issue<\/em>, vol. 8, no. 1-2, 2012, pp. 1-3.<\/li>\n
  2. Brian Garrod and Stefan G\u00f6ssling, New Frontiers in Marine Tourism: Diving Experiences, Sustainability, Management<\/em> (Routledge, 2007), pp. 115-132.<\/li>\n
  3. Rebecca M. Henderson, Sophus A. Reinert, Polina Dekhtyar and Amram Migdal, \u201cClimate Change in 2016: Implications for Business,\u201d HBS N2-317-032 (Boston: 性视界 Business School Publishing, 2016), pp. 3-5.<\/li>\n
  4. Kevin C. Hillmer-Pegram, \u201cUnderstanding the resilience of dive tourism to complex change,\u201d Tourism Geographies: An International Journal of Tourism Space, Place and Environment<\/em>, 2014.<\/li>\n
  5. Andrew L. Jones, Michael R. Phillips, and M. Phillips, eds., Disappearing Destinations: Climate Change and Future Challenges for Coastal Tourism<\/em> (CAB International, 2009), p. 148.<\/li>\n
  6. Project AWARE homepage, http:\/\/www.projectaware.org\/<\/a>, accessed November 2016.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Image sources:<\/u><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Fisheye Underwater Productions (professional photos taken during a dive in El Nido, Philippines)<\/li>\n
    2. Project AWARE homepage, http:\/\/www.projectaware.org\/<\/a>, accessed November 2016.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

       <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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