DR SARA ANDREOTTI PRESENTS HER SHARKSAFE BARRIER AT UNOC25 IN NICE
& BEFF IN MONACO.
As a preface to his “Ocean” documentary, Sir David Attenborough made a profound statement: “After living for nearly 100 years on this planet, I now understand the most important place on earth is not on land, but at sea.” His voyage of natural discovery on earth, spanning his entire adult life, brought him to an aha moment: the firm conviction that if we save the sea, we save our world. Another fervent believer in the importance of the ocean to our planet’s health is marine biologist Dr Sara Andreotti, who, for the past few years, has been guiding us on a deep dive into shark conservation. We are privileged to see through her eyes the crucial role her beloved Great White Sharks play in the health of the ocean.
Sara and her Stellenbosch University teams have been perfecting and refining her invention – the SharkSafe Barrier – developed to create a more harmonious co-existence between humans and sharks (“the shepherds of the sea”). Her unique barrier structures are now in place around Réunion and in the Bahamas, and have garnered much admiration around the world. Recently, she was invited to present the SharkSafe Barrier Project – a scalable, nature-inspired innovation that protects both people and fragile marine life – at UNOC25 in Nice, and the BEFF (Blue Economy and Finance Forum) in Monaco. She shares her experiences and insights with us here:
UNOC25, BEFF And The Power Of Collective Action For Our Oceans.
I have just returned from Nice and Monaco, where I had the honour and opportunity of being invited to the United Nations Ocean Conference 2025 (UNOC25), as well as the Blue Economy and Finance Forum in Monaco (BEFF).
We would think that these United Nation events are a common occurrence, but UNOC25 is only the third time in history where representatives from all over world came together to discuss how to accelerate global commitments to protect and sustainably use the ocean, seas, and marine resources, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG14).
Both events were in fact a pivotal moment in the global ocean agenda, and what emerged, more strongly than ever, is that protecting our Oceans is no longer a choice, but a necessity for the survival of the human species. Marine biologists, climate scientists, oceanographers, conservationists and pretty much anyone who ever put their head below the ocean surface, know that: without a healthy ocean, there can be no healthy planet.
It was inspirational to hear the same message echoed by government leaders, investment funds, banks, insurance companies, and shipping industry representatives; all of whom committed to putting their money, influence and effort into action together, urgently and at scale, to safeguard our ocean for future generations.
