Coasts and coastlines change every year because of natural phenomena such as erosion or coastal flooding. The impact and consequences of these phenomena are worsened by climate change, rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and ocean warming, which are the indirect result of human activity.

The increasingly frequent phenomenon of coastalisation also affects coastal development, because of the direct impact of human activity on the coast. Through its actions, Surfrider Foundation Europe encourages local authorities, companies, and citizens to join their efforts towards fostering development projects that preserve local coasts and heritage and that are adapted to the challenges of tomorrow. 

 

EU member states alone are responsible for 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. In response, since its creation in 1990, Surfrider has created awareness and education programmes to encourage citizens to reduce their individual carbon footprints and to highlight the issues related to ocean acidification.

•   Participating in the implementation of the European Union climate and energy package.

•   Providing scientific data and expertise on the effects of climate change on the ocean and coasts in order to better understand them and proposing models to facilitate decision-making. 

•   Spreading information by broadcasting this knowledge and raising the awareness of the general public and decision-makers on the challenges and the impact of climate change through advocacy programmes. The goal is to change behaviours and reduce the global impact of production and consumption on the environment.