Rolex has today released the documentary: Perpetual Planet: Heroes of the Oceans on its web platform: www.rolex.org. It brings together legendary oceanographer and Rolex Testimonee Sylvia Earle with a cast of pioneering marine scientists, to tell the story of work being undertaken across the planet to protect the oceans’ fragile ecosystems.
Rolex commissioned this documentary as part of its Perpetual Planet initiative to support those devising solutions to the Earth’s environmental challenges. The initiative derives from Rolex’s legacy as a company that has traditionally fostered exploration for the sake of discovery. However, today’s explorers are increasingly concerned about the balance of the Earth’s ecosystems. Through its partnerships and programmes, Rolex is championing these explorers and their dedication to the conservation of the environment.
It is in this spirit that Sylvia Earle, founder of Mission Blue – a partner in Perpetual Planet – narrates the documentary. It features the work of six marine scientists, five of whom are Rolex Award Laureates; Angélique Pouponneau, who is a Mission Blue champion for the Seychelles; and Ghislain Bardout, co-founder and Director of the Under The Pole expeditions.
Throughout the hour-long documentary, the viewer is immersed in a spectacular underwater world, discovering the challenges our oceans face today and the solutions that can be taken to make a real change. Almost a third of ocean life has been destroyed due to climate change and human activity.
For Sylvia Earle, there is hope: “Each of us can make a difference in inspiring others. With passion, curiosity and hope, anyone can change everything. We can create a Perpetual Planet for generations to come.”
The BBC Studios’ Science Unit-produced film for Rolex, which is being broadcast on National Geographic channels, is available to watch on rolex.org from today, World Oceans Day.
ABOUT THE HEROES
Sylvia Earle has been involved with Rolex through exploration since 1970. President and Co-Chairman of Mission Blue, oceanographer, explorer, author of more than 225 publications and lecturer, she has a lifetime of experience as a field research scientist, government official and director for corporate and non-profit organizations.
Emma Camp, 2019 Rolex Awards Associate Laureate, reveals how she has developed coral nurseries on the Great Barrier Reef and offers hope for other vulnerable reefs around the world.
In Antarctica, Michel André, 2002 Rolex Awards Laureate, is deploying pioneering new technology to listen to the ocean’s acoustic environment and help protect this pristine ocean from the threat of noise pollution.
In Peru, Kerstin Forsberg, 2016 Rolex Awards Laureate, protects endangered manta rays by improving ocean literacy through education, developing ecotourism, and raising awareness and empowering the next generation to take control.
Brad Norman, 2006 Rolex Awards Laureate, uses sophisticated electronic tagging to protect whale sharks in his native Australia and beyond.
In the depths of the Chilean fjords of Patagonia, Vreni Häussermann, 2016 Rolex Awards Laureate, has been using mini submersibles to find previously unknown coral species and protect them.
Angélique Pouponneau represents a Mission Blue Hope Spot in the Seychelles. With the help of local communities, Mission Blue creates marine-protected ‘Hope Spots’ in areas of the oceans considered vital to the preservation of species or places where communities rely on a healthy marine environment for their livelihoods.
Ghislain Bardout is co-founder and leader of the Under The Pole expeditions, which Rolex supports. Bardout developed a special capsule that enables scientists to stay underwater for 72 hours at a time, gathering vital data to protect the oceans.
For nearly a century, Rolex has supported pioneering explorers pushing back the boundaries of human endeavour. The company has moved from championing exploration for the sake of discovery to protecting the planet, committing for the long term to support individuals and organizations using science to understand and devise solutions to today’s environmental challenges. This engagement was reinforced with the launch of the Perpetual Planet Initiative in 2019.