Political Advocacy
Surfrider Europe leads advocacy actions in order to strongly advocates for a better adaptation of the legal framework in accordance with the protection and preservation of oceans.
Surfrider Foundation Europe’s political advocacy
In addition to its actions aiming to raise awareness among citizens and change their behaviour, Surfrider Europe also leads advocacy actions. The NGO strongly advocates for a better adaptation of the legal framework in accordance with the protection and preservation of oceans. Its objectives in doing so is to strengthen environmental policies, but also to transition from an economic model to an ecological one, focused on humanity, nature and climate.
Surfrider Europe is in permanent contact with local, national, European and international institutions. Throughout these dialogues, many different topics are addressed, such as water quality, preservation of the coastal zones, prevention of pollution and aquatic waste, consequences of climate change…
Sunscreens: impact on the ocean and health
Whether they have chemical or mineral filters, we know that sunscreens have an impact on ecosystems, including corals. More research is needed to understand the full effects on the environment and our health. Faced with the increase in the number of sunscreens sold in Europe and the many questions arising from their use, Surfrider Foundation has decided to address these issues.
Learn moreEurocean’s Youth
Surfrider Foundation Europe mobilizes the Youth on the future of the European maritime world
Learn moreHealthy Waters
Water quality, an environmental and health issue
Learn moreOffshore drilling
For more than 10 years, Surfrider Europe has been fighting against offshore drilling by mobilizing on local, national and European levels.
Learn moreBreak the plastic wave
To stop plastic pollution of the Ocean, change is needed now. Citizens, businesses, public institutions and governments; every level of society must all work together to transform the way we produce and consume to fight plastic pollution and preserve Ocean health.
Learn moreOcean Pavilion
At the end of August, the leaders of the seven most powerful economic countries in the world will gather in Biarritz for a G7 Summit against inequalities. On this occasion, Surfrider Foundation Europe will mobilize from 20 to 23 August to advocate for ocean protection as an integral part of international negotiations.
Learn moreBan the bag
Plastic bags are a plague to the oceans and environment. Along with Surfrider, learn good practices to fight against this pollution. Let’s take action and mobilize our communities to come together and say “No to plastic bags”.
Learn moreReset your habits
Surfrider is engaged in the fight against plastic bottles, the “serial polluter”. Plastic bottles are in the top 10 of items of waste collected on beaches every year during Ocean Initiatives. It’s time to change, let’s reset our habits and forget single use plastic bottles!
Learn moreShipping
Shipping represents 90% of global haulage. Though shipping is seen as the least polluting means of transportation, numerous ecological issues remain.
Learn moreCarried out actions
Concretely, this advocacy work means that the NGO actively takes part in consultation processes, NGO alliances, meetings with representatives and open discussions with economic stakeholders. Outside these alliances, Surfrider Europe was able to push towards the adoption of several directives, notably concerning oil platforms and plastic bags.
Surfrider Europe’s legal watch mainly consists in supervising the proper application of existing rules, advocating to ensure the adoption of bills related to pollutions’ prevention and reduction at source, but also adjusting existing rules in order to allow sustainable alternatives to grow.
Surfrider Europe is one of the few NGOs that can provide a real expertise on maritime transportation. For instance, together with the IMO (International Maritime Organization), Surfrider drafted a roadmap about CO2 emissions limitation.
Indeed, maritime transportation, namely because of containers losses, plays a key part in the ecological transition and maritime pollution.
Relais campagne
An advocacy in support of Surfrider’s campaigns
Surfrider’s advocacy work, along with its several campaigns has led to notable successes in favour of ecological transition and oceans’ preservation :
2015
In 2015, on the occasion of COP 21, with its Ocean and Climate Platform, Surfrider Europe advocated for the integration of oceans’ stakes in UN’s international negotiations about climate change, which resulted in their inscription in the preamble of the Paris Agreement.
2018
In 2018, Surfrider Europe, as a member of the Rethink Plastic alliance, contributed to the adoption of the European directive about single use plastic. The organisation called on the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council to incorporate ambitious measures about plastic pollution prevention such as bioplastics prohibition, reduction of single use containers and promotion of reusable alternatives.
2020
In 2020, the organisation will seize the opportunity provided by the Bathing water quality directive to dive in and require that competent institutions strengthen criteria and controls in order to improve water quality.
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