In February 2023, Dr. Sylvia Earle and Ocean Geographic will set sail on a groundbreaking mission to tackle climate change. This impressive voyage will see a limited number of 110 chosen participants gather together to formulate 23 resolutions to inspire transformative changes for global net-zero emissions by 2035.
The chosen representatives have been hand picked and PADI diver, Andrew Charlton has been selected as the youth representative for Indonesia. There is no other Indonesian individual on board, so if you want to support the ongoing health and vibrance of the coral reefs in Indonesia – now is your chance!
Andrew has been chosen among other high level conservationists, high-profile personalities, and ocean luminaries to raise public and government awareness of the splendor and importance of the Antarctic.
“This will be a climate expedition like no other. One that can have a real impact on the future of our relationship with life on Earth,” says Dr. Earle.
Meet Andrew Charlton
Andrew Charlton is the third generation of a family from Manado, North Sulawesi in Indonesia, with a history in environmental conservation and marine protection. Andrew’s grandfather was pivotal in the creation of the Bunaken Marine Park (MPA), and an inductee of the International Scuba Divers Hall of Fame in 2018. Andrew’s mother, Angelique Batuna, is well known for following in her father’s footsteps and was not only an integral part of the Bunaken National Park management team but also pioneered the fight against illegal mining on Bangka Island which was driven through to the High Court in Jakarta. Following in the family tradition of marine conservation, Andrew is honored to be selected but he also needs funding to take his place on the expedition.
Why Get Involved and Donate?
This is Indonesia’s chance to be involved in a global expedition. If you are a diver that enjoys diving in Indonesia, this is an opportunity to support what you are passionate about. Upon his return from the Antarctic, Andrew plans to make presentations to schools and to the Indonesian government to echo the importance of climate change awareness – not just for North Sulawesi, but for the country as a whole.
A Personal Message From Andrew:
Hi! I’m Andrew Charlton. The ocean has always been a massive part of my life. At 10 I was already scuba diving and shortly after coral became a huge passion of mine. In 2017, at 12 years old, I helped start a coral nursery & restoration project which led to work with other restoration projects which then inspired me to give public presentations about coral. Because of these experiences, I’ve been selected to be the Indonesian Youth Representative for the Antarctic Climate Expedition in 2023. Together with world leaders in climate science, research and advocacy, I will be sailing with Dr. Sylvia Earle for 10 days in February of 2023, working to develop 23 resolutions aimed at stimulating global net-zero carbon emissions by 2035 as well as conducting research and collecting data in the Antarctic.
Most Indonesians are uninformed about – or uninterested in – climate change and its massive world impact. With the knowledge and experience gained from this expedition, I will return to my home province of North Sulawesi, Indonesia and spread awareness in our local language discussing how the warming climate is impacting Indonesia and specific action steps to take to reduce this harmful trend. Already I’ve spoken with and received invitations from the Mayor of Manado, the North Sulawesi State Senate and schools. Nationally, I am working together with Indonesian influencers (Hamish Daud & Kaka Slank) and I’ve met with the Tourism Minister. One school on Bali is receptive to my plan and others will follow.
Any contributions you make will go directly to sending me to Antarctica and bringing real change to Indonesia and the world, so please consider donating and becoming a part of Indonesia’s climate revolution!
Letter of Recommendation
Below is a letter of recommendation from Dr. Paul Muir, whom I worked with this Summer on a coral survey in North Sulawesi:
To whom it may concern:
Dear Sir/Madam,
I had the pleasure of working with Andrew Charlton for three weeks earlier this year on a project looking at the status of coral reefs of North Sulawesi and rare Acropora coral species. With one other researcher, we surveyed 22 sites using SCUBA, with Andrew playing an integral part in the work, recording the abundance of the main hard coral genera. Andrew excelled at the fieldwork, coral identification and data collection, to the point where I kept thinking of him as a graduate student. As part of the work, we also presented our preliminary findings to a number of different audiences, including the Indonesian minister for tourism. Here, Andrew also showed excellent communication skills and maturity beyond his years, engaging with the different audiences and ‘getting the message across’.
I have worked in university and museum research for over thirty years, published in high profile journals such as Science and Proceedings of the Royal Society and supervised several graduate and post-graduate students. Andrew is definitely post-graduate student material, despite the fact that he does not yet have a degree! I could not recommend him highly enough for your university.
Yours Sincerely, Dr. PAUL MUIR
If you would like to support Andrew and for Indonesia to have a presence at the 2023 Climate Change Expedition, donate on the link below.
