Georgie Pearce

I am an environmental scientist and journalist, a writer and content director of all things ocean. I consult in ocean conservation from here in Cape Town, linking in locally and globally to creative campaigns with a real difference. My focus is on taking a critical but positive approach to ocean storytelling and solution-seeking. I work to communicate an honest interest and understanding to ocean organisations, campaign audiences, learning channels and media platforms. As a writer, facilitator and connector, I really believe that our greatest blue future lies in education and collaboration, in reframing our attitudes towards the abundance, resilience and sustainability of our oceans - and using ocean literacy as a vital tool. These themes lie at the heart of any successes and systematic changes we aim for and every policy needed to run full cycle, at a transformative scale. Here in South Africa, we face huge ocean stressors and challenges, and daunting MPA targets; our sharks and rays are in a rapid, soon irreversible decline and I’m involved in doing everything that I can to safeguard these species and habitats especially. But now, more than ever, I’m also committed to ensuring that this Ocean Decade Campaign in turn both recognises and makes a powerful difference to our nation’s oceans and communities. From where I stand and what I represent, I’d be honoured to contribute to its global success; but at the same time, reciprocally, it is crucial that UNESCO make their efforts meaningful and impactful for all of South Africa’s citizens, scientists and organisations too. We need to hear from you, and to be connected by you. We need our amazing changemakers to be recognised and given a platform and a profile, to help us to reach our full conservation potential. We need a Brave New Ocean of our own (two actually - they meet right here in the Cape), and the world needs them too. Personally, I need you to make use of passionate, connected people like me here to ensure that the crucial benefits of a mightily ambitious and coordinated campaign reach us all. No nation left behind. I contributed to the Ocean Decade campaign pitch last year as part of the SA team invited to tender. So I am engaged, knowledgeable and committed - and yet finding it impossible to (re)connect to anyone at IOC-UNESCO to be actively involved going forward; I’m a talented but wasted resource, so please make it easier for me to be part of the Ocean Decade! Please, and thank you. Georgie Pearce