DAN Europe has announced a jam-packed itinerary for the UK leg of its Sustainable Tour, which aims to raise awareness of ocean acidification and its links to CO2 emissions.
DAN Europe Ambassadors Manu Bustelo and Alana Alvarez travelled 25,000km across 17 European countries last year on the Sustainable Tour, and now they are bringing their 100 percent electric Hyundai Kona – which is recharged only with renewable energy – to the UK and Ireland to meet with stakeholders and the entire diving community to, quite literally, drive the change we all need.
What is ocean acidification?
Alana and Manu explained: “Climate change is not the only consequence of excess CO2 emissions. Marine ecosystems are also severely affected, and not only by rising temperatures. The ocean has the capacity to absorb CO2 from the environment, but when excess CO2 dissolves in seawater, it causes an acidity increase – this is known as Ocean Acidification.
“This phenomenon, coupled with other human factors, is impacting many ocean species, especially organisms like oysters and corals. We must drastically reduce our CO2 emissions if we want to maintain a healthy ocean and a planet fit for our survival.”
From July to September, Manu and Alana will be travelling the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland, visiting some 50 dive centres and other interested parties. The programme, which is supported by the likes of PADI, Fourth Element, Paralenz and Bluefin SUPs, includes:
- Conferences: “The link between Climate Change and Ocean Acidification”
- Special activities with prizes: “DAN Europe by the sea” Instagram contest
- Meetings with national and global Ocean Acidification Networks to explore how the diving community can assist in monitoring this major marine threat.
