I was initially drawn to the field of marine conservation, like many marine scientists of my generation, by the captivating documentaries of David Attenborough and popular movies like “Finding Nemo”, which showcase the mesmerising beauty beneath the waves.

How do you connect with the ocean?

One January evening in 2022, after a dusty eight-hour drive from Windhoek, I arrived at the end of the road in Lüderitz – the distinctive Namibian town where the ocean meets the desert.

If you were to walk through my childhood home, you wouldn’t question why I ended up becoming a marine biologist.

Pitcairn: the tuff island

“The sea is the most important thing, it’s part of my life, it’s everything... it is a vital cycle in our area and part of our identity”, says Federico* a fisher in Lira, Galicia, the northwest corner of Spain where the Atlantic’s wrath is formidable, the air pure, and forested mountains dotted with terracotta-roofed pueblos (towns) and Romanesque churches dip into the sea.

Nestled against the North Sea, the beachfront of Aberdeen, Scotland, was once known primarily for its windswept, industrial stretches, but has undergone a remarkable transformation since 2020.

The climate and nature crisis affects the lives and prospects of young people worldwide.

We have found ourselves increasingly distanced from the wild embrace of the sea; bound by concrete, fettered by wealth, and hindered by our fears and inhibitions.

Yesterday in La Paz, México, I had the immense fortune of witnessing a humpback whale dance in front of me, its massive tail peeking out repeatedly as it waved, seemingly greeting anyone passing by.

Seventeen-year-old Maël Baillif and teenagers from across New Caledonia teamed up last year to tell government decision-makers why they feel it’s important to protect the area’s majestic marine environment.