A Deep Conversation

This is a shot of marine biologist/ pioneer ocean explorer sylvia earle (she’s 84 years old) taken by another trailblazer in marine conservation, underwater photographer david doubilet. As the seas hit record temperatures and the need to protect it grows increasingly urgent, noelle loh gets the duo – both rolex testimonees (the brand’s speak for ambassadors) – to tell us what you don’t already know about the state of today’s life aquatic.

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THE TOPIC OF CONSERVATION ONLY STARTED GAINING TRACTION IN THE PAST ONE OR TWO DECADES. DO YOU THINK IT IS TOO LATE?

Sylvia Earle (SE): “Climate scientists say the next 10 years will make or break the future of humanity. I’ve been saying that for 30 years. Every 10 years, I say it’s just getting harder. It’s true that the next 10 years will shape the next 10,000 years, but we’re losing. However, there’s still time and we still have half the coral reefs. We still have maybe 10 per cent of the sharks, tuna, and swordfish and we can see that protection works. There are more turtles and whales in the ocean today than when I was a child because we acted and stopped killing them for the most part... So it’s like a race: Can we learn fast enough to keep track and keep pace with the destructive trend? We’re at this pivotal point and I’m not alone in saying this… This is the moment and we can be pivotal in history. We couldn’t know before what we now know and will never again have a chance as good as the present to move in the right direction, towards making peace with nature and finding a place for ourselves within the natural world that keeps us alive.”

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR FOR OUR OCEANS TODAY?