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If there’s any scientific focus right now that feels like a constant uphill battle, it's climate change. But for dive instructor and social scientist Dr. Yolanda Lee Waters, she saw an opportunity to investigate how we can inspire climate action with the deep connection that people already have with the Great Barrier Reef. Since completing her PhD, she is now focused on communicating her research with the tourism industry, government stakeholders, and the public. This led her to found her own non-profit Divers for Climate, as a way to alleviate her own climate anxiety, and collaborate with other divers and ocean-lovers to push for collective action on climate change. A leading voice on climate action in the Great Barrier Reef, Yolanda shares her stories, lessons, and aspirations with this work on local, national, and global levels.

Cover Photo by the Undertow Media

Connect with Yolanda:

https://yolandaleewaters.wixsite.com/yolanda-lee-waters

https://www.diversforclimate.com/
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Episode Highlights:

6:47 “We have just witnessed the 5th mass bleaching event on the GBR in 8 years…how are you feeling?” 

23:14 Yolanda’s journey to the reef, scuba diving, and her PhD work

37:14 The creation of Yolanda’s own climate action group: Divers for Climate

49:36 “Do you think there was a huge contrast between what youve started to created with divers for climate versus whats going on on the global policy level?”

57:05: “Whats it like being a woman, being young, being not white…when you go into those places where you feel like an imposter? How does that affect you?”

1:08:30 Sharing experiences out on the reef!

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Links and Resources:

Outlook Report: https://outlookreport.gbrmpa.gov.au/

Reef Snapshot: https://elibrary.gbrmpa.gov.au/jspui/handle/11017/4043

Guardian article: https://amp.theguardian.com/environment/2024/mar/23/great-barrier-reef-coral-bleaching-tourism-impact

Climate action groups: https://www.cana.net.au/  

Girls that Scuba video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LT_-r7SFe3Y

The Undertow Media: https://www.theundertow.com.au/

Black in Marine Science: https://www.blackinmarinescience.org/

Support the show (patreon.com/bigfightbluesoulpodcast)