As we reported in August, the world’s largest purpose-driven diving organization and SeaLegacy, the international conservation and production organization, joined forces to launch the new ‘30x30’ initiative.
30x30 aims to protect 30 percent of the world’s oceans by 2030 – by creating a global network of marine protected areas, the initiative aims to safeguard the health and biodiversity of the world’s oceans and to help to combat the effects of climate change.
At the current time, just 2.7 percent of the ocean – which covers 70 percent of the world’s surface – lies within a highly protected zone. So the 30x30 initiative is calling on governments and world leaders to urgently increase the level of protection for marine environments.
SeaLegacy was founded by conservationist and photographer Cristina Mittermeier and her partner, photographer Paul Nicklen.
The partnership with PADI gives the 30x30 initiative a lot of reach – PADI has a global community of 6,600 dive centers and resorts and 128,000 professional members.
“In our efforts to support the protection of 30% of the ocean by 2030 we must build a public narrative that frames the ocean as a solution and as an opportunity,” says Mittermeier. “We partnered with PADI because it has a vast audience of ocean-loving individuals who are already a natural group of supporters for this ideal.
“We felt that it would be beneficial to build alignment with our own audience to greatly expand the constituency that supports this lofty goal globally.”
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To help promote this vital 30x30 initiative, Digital Camera World has partnered with PADI for an exclusive competition: the chance to win a PADI digital photography course worth $145/£118!
The course has two components: to start with, you’ll learn the fundamentals of underwater photography via e-learning.
Then you’ll undertake two dives at a PADI dive shop, where you’ll get hands-on experience taking photos underwater (as a prerequisite for this, you will need to be a Certified diver/Junior OW Diver (or have a qualifying certification).
Niall is the editor of Digital Camera Magazine, and has been shooting on interchangeable lens cameras for over 20 years, and on various point-and-shoot models for years before that.
Working alongside professional photographers for many years as a jobbing journalist gave Niall the curiosity to also start working on the other side of the lens. These days his favored shooting subjects include wildlife, travel and street photography, and he also enjoys dabbling with studio still life.
On the site you will see him writing photographer profiles, asking questions for Q&As and interviews, reporting on the latest and most noteworthy photography competitions, and sharing his knowledge on website building.
