Global Wave Conference 2020

As the fight to address the fallout of climate change intensifies, the 6th Biannual Global Wave Conference aims to highlight growing threats to waves and surfing habitats around the world, encourage and facilitate global coastal environmental and sustainability initiatives and increase leadership from the surfing community on the protection of waves, oceans, beaches and marine ecosystems. The international ocean conservation event is being held in Australia for the first time in what's set to be a landmark year for surfing, one which will see the sport make its debut on the Olympic Games program.

Hosted by the Gold Coast World Surfing Reserve Inc., the conference will bring leading environmental and social scientists, world surfing greats, conservationists, surfing industry stakeholders and the sustainability and eco-surfing conscientious from countries including Chile, Scotland, South Africa, the US, Brazil and New Zealand to the Gold Coast to explore future solutions for surf sustainability, recycling of surfing products and removal of plastics. The conference program will also investigate ways of making our oceans safer, healthier and cleaner for future generations.

Speakers include:
- 13-year-old Aussie ocean conservationist Shalise Leesfield
- Surf science researcher Ed Atkin
- Inflatable surf reef pioneer Troy Bottegal
- Brothers and former pro surfers Tom and Nick Carroll
- Fijian conservationist, businesswoman and competitive surfer Hannah Bennett
- Surfrider Foundation Australia chair Susie Crick
- Gecko environmental campaigner Lois Levy
- Sea Shepherd activist and shark defender Jonathan Clark
- Hugo Tagholm (Surfers Against Sewage)
- Surfeconomics lecturer and researcher Frederique Penot-Carey
- LandCare ambassador Sophie Taylor-Price, Bob Hawke's granddaughter
- Marine biologist and shark researcher Holly Richards
- Lawyer Jesse Reiblich, an expert on legal protection of surf breaks, climate change policymaking and water transfers
- Renowned marine scientist Karl Goodsell
- Australian Olympic surfing coach Bede Durbidge
- Surfboard shaper and Firewire founder turned sustainable housing trailblazer Nev Hyman
- Master surfboard craftsman Richard Harvey
- Artificial reef pioneer Simon Mortensen

The three-day conference anchors a week-long program of surf-related events on the southern Gold Coast.

Pictures: B1gr1g Photographics