{"id":9369,"date":"2016-11-03T21:04:38","date_gmt":"2016-11-04T01:04:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hbs.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/shocka-brah-how-climate-change-is-impacting-the-world-surf-league\/"},"modified":"2016-11-03T21:04:38","modified_gmt":"2016-11-04T01:04:38","slug":"shocka-brah-how-climate-change-is-impacting-the-world-surf-league","status":"publish","type":"hck-submission","link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/shocka-brah-how-climate-change-is-impacting-the-world-surf-league\/","title":{"rendered":"Shocka Brah! How Climate Change Is Impacting the World Surf League"},"content":{"rendered":"

Long before today\u2019s groms (young surfers) ever launched out of their first in-and-out barrel (riding inside the curl of a wave and then surfing out successfully) surfers had a deep passion for keeping our oceans pristine. Indeed, as a member of my high school surf team we joined with a coalition of southern California surfers to successfully block the building of a toll road which would have destroyed the waves at our local surf break. However, the threats against oceans and surfers continue to grow, driven by (1) rising sea levels, (2) ocean acidification, and (3) increasingly destructive coastal storms. The World Surf League (WSL), the top professional surfing organization, must leverage its leadership position within the surf community to mitigate the impacts of these risks.<\/p>\n

\"Exhibit
Exhibit A<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Despite public perception of surfers (exhibit A), surfers have a long history of defending our oceans, led by organizations such as Surfrider and Surfers Against Sewage. These organizations oft quote NASA, which shows that sea levels are currently rising about 0.15 inches per year and are projected to rise 6.6 feet by 2100[1]<\/a>,[2]<\/a><\/sup>. Rising sea levels have a profound effect on surf breaks, specifically \u201cbeach breaks\u201d in which an approaching wave is formed and caused to break by a sand bar (Exhibit B). When water levels rise, approaching waves hit sand bars at a different time, changing the size and shape of the wave. With key WSL tour stops at beach breaks (including Trestles in California and Jeffrey\u2019s Bay in South Africa) this presents great risk for the WSL. Further, two of the tour\u2019s most famous stops \u2013 Tavarua in Fiji and Teahupoo in Tahiti \u2013 are at significant risk of having their local islands submerged by 2050[3]<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
\"waves\"
Exhibit B<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The second issue WSL must advocate to reduce is ocean acidification, or the rising level of CO2<\/sub> in the world\u2019s oceans. Over the past ~100 years the pH levels of our oceans have dropped by 30%, and are projected to drop by another 150% by 2100[4]<\/a>. This has a detrimental effect on calcifying species such as coral, specifically in their ability to produce calcium carbonate shells which could ultimately lead to shrinking coral reefs. For surfers, coral reefs play a crucial role in the production of some of the best waves in the world, including WSL tour stop Pipeline\u00a0on the North Shore of Hawaii (see Exhibit C). Coral reefs cause approaching waves to form and break more quickly, as they provide more resistance to the approaching wave than does a sand bar, leading to unrivaled \u201cbarrels\u201d, or hollow waves. If these coral reefs shrink due to ocean acidification so will the famed waves that they have created for centuries.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
\"pipeline\"
Exhibit C<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The final issue which the WSL must combat is the increasingly destructive nature of coastal storms. Recent research from Kent Emanuel of MIT shows that tropical storms are likely to become more frequent and destructive in the coming years, contrary to prior belief[5]<\/a>. This presents a significant risk for surf breaks all over the world, as these storms can fundamentally change sand bar layouts and\u00a0impact beach breaks. Further, additional risk lies in human response to these storms. If humans elect to build retaining walls or other protective measures near shorelines the nearby breaks will be negatively impacted.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

The WSL\u2019s position as the premier professional surf circuit affords it a great platform to lead this discussion, and indeed their partnership with Columbia University to launch WSL PURE (Progressive Understanding and Respect for the Environment) shows their forward-thinking approach. However, they should take additional action. First, they should make clear to all local regions where events are held that the communities must commit to sustainable behaviors or the WSL may move the local event to another break. Second, they must integrate more sustainability education into their interactions with surfers throughout tour events, e.g., publicly evaluating each event for its sustainability at the trophy ceremony. Finally, they must work with sponsors to ensure that companies advertising with WSL are adhering to sustainable practices or they will risk replacement. The WSL cannot solve these global issues alone, but by taking a more substantive stance to save our oceans they will serve as a beacon for other aquatic and extreme sports, and ultimately for ocean-goers in general.<\/p>\n

Word Count: 786 words<\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> \u201cSea Level,\u201d NASA website, http:\/\/climate.nasa.gov\/vital-signs\/sea-level\/, accessed August 2016<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a> \u201cUnderstanding Sea Level: Empirical Projections,\u201d NASA website, https:\/\/sealevel.nasa.gov\/understanding-sea-level\/projections\/empirical-projections, accessed August 2016<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a> Oliver Milman, \u201cPacific Nations Beg for Help for Islanders Forced to Flee,\u201d Climate Central, The Guardian, October 17, 2015, http:\/\/www.climatecentral.org\/news\/pacific-nations-beg-for-climate-help-19558, accessed August 2016<\/p>\n

[4]<\/a> \u201cWhat is Ocean Acidification\u201d, National Ocean and Atmospheric Association, http:\/\/www.pmel.noaa.gov\/co2\/story\/What+is+Ocean+Acidification%3F, accessed November 2016<\/p>\n

[5]<\/a> \u201cHurricanes Likely to Get Stronger & More Frequent: Study\u201d, Climate Central citing PNAS, http:\/\/www.climatecentral.org\/news\/study-projects-more-frequent-and-stronger-hurricanes-worldwide-16204, accessed November 2016<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rising sea levels, acidifying oceans, and increasing tropical storms put the World Surf League’s business at risk – and it needs to do more to save our waves<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2630,"featured_media":9370,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","categories":[],"class_list":["post-9369","hck-submission","type-hck-submission","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"connected_submission_link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/assignment\/climate-change-challenge-2016\/","yoast_head":"\nShocka Brah! 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