Annual Report 2023
Download the 2023 financial reportCoastal development and climate change.
In 2023, Surfrider Foundation stepped up its commitment to the energy transition, particularly around marine renewable energies, underlining its support for the fight against climate change.
Surfrider committed to the Energy Transition
Against a backdrop of intense debate on marine renewable energies, Surfrider has taken an official stance in favour of the transition to low-carbon energies, placing particular emphasis on the importance of energy sobriety in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The association recognises that marine renewable energies represent an effective means of mitigating climate change.
However, it stresses that the implementation of these green solutions must be carefully studied beforehand to ensure that they have as little impact as possible on the ocean and the biodiversity it harbours.
This year was marked by the launch of the public consultation “La mer en débat” in November, a major event on the environmental agenda.
Surfrider set up a group of specially trained volunteers to take an active part in this consultation. The association has also been asked to share its expertise and opinions in the form of a “cahier d’acteur”, in which it will formulate its recommendations and actively contribute to the consultation.
The association has also undertaken an in-depth study of the dossiers presented by the project owners.
Read the article : Marine renewable energy: a solution provided by the Ocean (yet again!)
A pioneering project to study carbon sequestration in marine ecosystems
Surfrider Foundation has embarked on an ambitious blue carbon project exploring the potential of marine and coastal ecosystems to store carbon.
The project, carried out in collaboration with scientists and partly funded by 1% for the Planet, aims to investigate how blue carbon ecosystems can make a significant contribution to the fight against climate change.
The preliminary results of this study, focused on the Bay of Txingudi (Hendaye), have revealed a promising potential as a carbon sink and open up important prospects for understanding the role of these coastal ecosystems in carbon sequestration.
The campaign conducted around this project has produced conclusive results, laying the foundations for the drafting of a scientific report.
This report will aim to share the findings and implications of the study with the scientific community and the general public, highlighting the importance of blue carbon in global strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and conserve marine ecosystems.
Read the article : Les écosystèmes du carbone bleu : un levier pour atténuer le changement climatique?
An exhibition to raise awareness of the urgency of coastal erosion
The “At the Limit” exhibition, set up by Surfrider in the last half of 2023, is an initiative aimed at alerting and raising public awareness of the issues surrounding coastal erosion.
This immersive and educational exhibition has been designed to highlight the growing challenges of coastal erosion, a phenomenon accentuated by climate change and human activity.
Through a series of photographs, “At the Limit” invites visitors to explore the impacts of coastal erosion on ecosystems, local communities and infrastructures.
The exhibition tackles themes such as rising sea levels, loss of biodiversity and socio-economic implications, offering an in-depth insight into the challenges facing our coasts.
The aim of “At the Limit” is to raise awareness and inspire collective action to preserve our coastlines.
By presenting concrete cases of coastal erosion, “À la Limite” is an invitation to recognise the urgency of protecting our coasts and to act for a future where coasts are safe and preserved for future generations.
