From Surfonomics to Insurance: Valuing and Protecting Surf Ecosystems

Surf ecosystems — the land-to-sea interface that creates the conditions for breaking, rideable waves, along with the flora, fauna, and human communities that depend on them — generate substantial economic and cultural value for coastal communities, yet remain largely unrecognised as natural assets in coastal policy and planning. This webinar introduces Surfonomics, a methodology that quantifies the economic value derived from surfing in coastal communities, and illustrates how reframing a surf break as a natural asset can support coastal conservation. Drawing on the Save The Waves Coalition’s work around the world, Nik Strong-Cvetich and Diego Sancho-Gallegos trace the evolution from economic valuation of surf breaks to climate vulnerability assessments and the design of financial tools that can sustain surf-dependent economies under a changing climate. The featured case study is Oriente Salvaje World Surfing Reserve in El Salvador, where the Save The Waves Coalition and partners are developing a parametric insurance pilot to protect surf ecosystems and the coastal communities that depend on them — the first of its kind.

Time: 12:00 PM ET / 9:00 AM PT / 4:00 PM UTC

What to Expect

• Introduction to Surfonomics methodology for valuing surf ecosystems
• Evolution from economic valuation to climate vulnerability assessment and financial tools
• Case study: Oriente Salvaje World Surfing Reserve, El Salvador
• First parametric insurance pilot designed to protect surf ecosystems
• Practical framing for natural resource valuation in coastal conservation

Cost: Free