Internationally renowned Environmental Organisations will be heading to the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy (WPNSA) on May 26th this month to partake in a ground-breaking environmentally based conference.  The emphasis will be placed on ‘thinking globally – acting locally’ with the combined aim of championing clean and sustainable seas and oceans.

The delegates will have access to speakers from the Plastiki Expedition (a boat constructed completely from plastic bottles completing a global voyage), the Green Blue (joint Royal Yachting Association and British Marine Federation environmental programme), the 2012 Sailing Venue, Race for Change (inspiring positive action on climate change), the Blue Marine Foundation (UK charity created to fix the largest solvable problem on the planet – the crisis in the oceans) and Gocycle (Karbon Kinetic’s electric two wheeler).

The conference has also attracted industry experts on sustainability.  Jonathon Porritt, Director of Forum for the Future, leaders in advising businesses on sustainability, highlights the importance of this upcoming event.

‘Our knowledge of what’s going on in our seas and oceans is still superficial and woefully incomplete.  But we already know more than enough to understand how poorly we’re doing in managing our marine environment – all around the world.  It is so important not only that we share that knowledge, but that we encourage each other to act on the basis of that knowledge – more effectively and much more urgently.  That is what this conference at the 2012 sailing venue is all about’.

The WPNSA already has a proven track record of environmental commitment being the first sailing venue to have been awarded the British Standard for Sustainable Event Management (BS 8901) and is a winner of the much coveted Sport Industry Award for Environmental Concern in Sport.

John Tweed, Chief Executive of the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, is a strong advocate of marine stewardship through working with SSE Energy.

‘During the development phase and now throughout events the Academy has put environmental best practice at the forefront of all activity as an international venue setting quality green examples.  We have photovoltaic cells which harness solar power generating 20% of the WPNSA’s energy and we have already saved over 100 tonnes of carbon dioxide.’

Activity will run from 10:00 – 16:00 with a mix of interactive presentations, networking breaks as well as lunch, full conference programme attached.