sea change
They didn’t know it when they arrived, but it would be on Heron Island – a small coral cay on the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef – that Belinda Baggs and Johnny Abegg would become the co-founders of Surfers for Climate: a new “searoots” movement that aims to turn the tide on climate action.
The longtime friends were two of 50 Australian leaders, representing the arts, philanthropy, business and sport sectors, brought together by non-profit groups Groundswell and the Climate Council. All were invited on the basis that they shared a deep passion for the environment, and a drive to leave our planet in a better condition for the next generation.
The pair weren’t on the island to surf but to visit the University of Queensland’s research station: a world-class facility where the Great Barrier Reef is both lab and classroom.
