The Public Awareness Award
This award recognises the individual or group that has done the most this year to advance marine conservation objectives, including public literacy about marine conservation issues, through campaigning and advocacy, the mainstream media, art forms or educational programmes.
Nominees for this award must have this year initiated or significantly advanced activities with a demonstrable impact on ocean management or the public understanding or public visibility of an important ocean issue (or issues).
The finalists are:
- Hugo Tagholm – Surfers Against Sewage
- Sea Change Project – My Octopus Teacher
- Oceanic Global – UN World Oceans Day and Covid-19 Plastic Guidelines
Hugo Tagholm – Surfers Against Sewage
Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) has excelled in delivering public engagement and action on water quality issues this year, addressing the issue of sewage and agricultural pollution. This has been done via the Safer Seas Service (SSS, a unique real-time water quality app and platform for political advocacy), the #EndSewagePollution petition and other innovative campaigns. This has engaged tens of thousands of ocean activists, reached millions in the media and connects the public to the Environment Bill. The Sewage (Inland Waters) Bill has been drafted by SAS and Senior Conservation MP and Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee, Philip Dunne. The Bill will place a duty on water companies to ensure untreated sewage is no longer discharged into England’s inland waters, among other requirements. Through SAS, numerous MPs have pledged to support the bill or its objectives.
Sea Change Project – My Octopus Teacher
The Oscar Award-winning My Octopus Teacher (MOT) was produced by South African documentary filmmaker, Craig Foster, and directed by Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed. MOT premiered on Netflix on 7 September 2020 as a Global Original, becoming available to an audience of 400 million. The documentary went on to triumph in the 2021 Oscars, scooping the Best Documentary award. The team behind MOT believe that our disconnect with nature is the root of environmental collapse. MOT therefore encourages an emotional connection with nature: "We are part of this world and not visitors.” MOT and their mission of ‘emotional ecology’ has proven to be a viral hit, with incredible international media coverage and public response. MOT has also received thousands of emails from all ages saying how MOT has changed their lives. It has made people interested in a whole new ecosystem - kelp forests. Craig Foster also co-founded the Sea Change Project, dedicated himself to learning the secrets of the Great African Seaforest – the inshore kelp habitat at the South-West tip of Africa and where the film was shot. The Sea Change Project supports numerous public awareness and education initiatives that encourage ‘emotional ecology’, citizen science and art.
Oceanic Global – UN World Oceans Day and Covid-19 Plastic Guidelines
Oceanic Global is the official non-profit production partner to the UN World Oceans Day 2020 virtual event. Oceanic Global creates educational experiences, consults on sustainable operations and engages local communities to generate measurable impact. Projects include major ocean art exhibits across the globe; regional volunteer-based hubs that drive localised impact; industry-specific solutions for businesses; corporate and educational partnerships that promote sustainability; beach clean-ups and large-scale events.
Return to the finalist page here.