Green Bubbles is the EU-funded project dedicated to sustainable SCUBA diving. We tend to think of sustainability as an environmental concept, only. However, a business that is not economically sustainable may hardly be able to invest in correct environmental practices even when willing to. And in a crisis period, frictions and competition may turn into conficts that are socially unsustainable. In short, the three components of sustainability are all interlinked.
Recreational SCUBA diving has become a mass leisure activity engaging millions of divers worldwide. The diving industry generates large direct and indirect revenues for coastal communities and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Other benefits linked to diving include the promotion of ocean stewardship, contribution to scientific research, fostering social inclusion and personal development. Yet, diving has also negative impacts, due to damage or disturbance of habitats and organisms, and to conflicts with local communities for the access to/use of the same resources, equity issues, or cultural clashes. These aspects clearly relate to the three pillars of sustainability, covering environmental, economic and social dimensions and can only be addressed by a systemic approach.
The central objective of Green Bubbles is to maximise the benefits associated with diving while minimising its negative impacts, thus achieving the environmental, economic and social sustainability of the system.
Check out the Green Bubbles summary here.