Report on Snorkelling in Scotland as a Tool for Sustainable Development

Introduction: Fostering Connection with Marine Environments

The Scottish Wildlife Trust is actively promoting snorkelling along the Scottish coast through the development of dedicated trails and guides. This initiative aims to increase public engagement with local marine ecosystems, framing snorkelling not merely as a recreational activity but as a vital tool for advancing several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The activity is accessible year-round, with sea temperatures ranging from approximately 9°C in May to 12-15°C in late summer. The use of wetsuits is recommended for safety and comfort.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 14: Life Below Water

Direct engagement with marine life is fundamental to fostering a conservationist mindset. Snorkelling in Scotland offers a direct, immersive experience of rich underwater habitats, which is critical for raising awareness about the need to protect them, in line with SDG 14.

• Biodiversity Observation: Participants can observe complex ecosystems such as kelp forests, which serve as crucial habitats.
• Key Species Encountered: Encounters with diverse marine fauna are common, including:
  1. Small fish and sand eels
  2. Beadlet and dahlia anemones
  3. Starfish and brittle stars
  4. Larger marine life such as seals, dolphins, and sea eagles
• Educational Value: Observing these ecosystems firsthand highlights their fragility and the pressures they face, encouraging public support for marine conservation and the sustainable use of marine resources.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

The practice of snorkelling, particularly in the cool waters of Scotland, contributes significantly to physical and mental health, aligning with the objectives of SDG 3.

• Physical Health: Snorkelling is an accessible form of physical exercise that requires minimal training.
• Mental Health: Research indicates that cold water immersion can have positive physiological and emotional benefits, including the reduction of stress and anxiety.
• Social Connection: The activity is inherently social, as participants are advised to snorkel with a partner, fostering community and shared experiences.

SDG 8, 11, and 12: Sustainable Tourism and Communities

Snorkelling in Scotland presents a model for sustainable tourism that supports local communities and promotes responsible consumption, directly addressing goals related to Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8), Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11), and Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12).

• Low-Impact Tourism: Unlike many popular international destinations experiencing over-tourism, Scotland’s coastal areas offer a less crowded, sustainable alternative for nature-based recreation.
• Accessibility and Inclusivity: As a low-cost activity, snorkelling reduces economic barriers to nature engagement, promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth at a local level.
• Community and Cultural Heritage: The activity strengthens the connection between individuals and the cultural history of Scotland’s coastal communities, fostering an appreciation for the long-standing relationship between people and the sea. This supports the development of resilient and sustainable communities.

Conclusion: An Integrated Approach to Sustainability

The promotion of snorkelling in Scotland, as championed by the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s “Sea the Connection” project, demonstrates a holistic approach to sustainability. By making local marine environments accessible, the initiative simultaneously promotes environmental stewardship (SDG 14), enhances public health (SDG 3), and supports a model of sustainable, community-focused tourism (SDG 8, 11, 12). This activity serves as a powerful reminder that connecting with and protecting local nature is a critical and attainable step toward achieving global sustainability targets.

SDGs Addressed in the Article

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
• SDG 14: Life Below Water
• SDG 15: Life on Land

Specific SDG Targets Identified

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.
  
  Explanation: The article highlights the health benefits of snorkeling, stating it’s “an amazing thing to do for yourself for health reasons – mental and physical.” It also references research suggesting “cold water immersion can have physiological and emotional benefits” and the narrator’s personal experience that “the coolness takes away all my worries.”

SDG 4: Quality Education

• Target 4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including, among others, through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and of culture’s contribution to sustainable development.
  
  Explanation: The narrator’s work for the Scottish Wildlife Trust involves “developing snorkel trails” and “creating guides,” which are educational tools. The project “Sea the connection” aims to “reduce barriers some people face when connecting with the sea,” promoting education and appreciation for the marine environment. This work helps people understand that “the sea is an extraordinary place where nature is in decline,” fostering a mindset for its protection.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

• Target 8.9: By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products.
  
  Explanation: The article discusses the rise in snorkeling’s popularity in Scotland since the pandemic and contrasts it with the “overcrowding caused by tourism” in other European countries. This highlights the importance of managing local tourism sustainably as it grows, ensuring it benefits coastal communities without degrading the natural environment.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• Target 11.4: Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage.
  
  Explanation: The article connects snorkeling to cultural heritage by mentioning that “you might be snorkelling below a castle or through sea caves or a harbour.” This activity provides a way to “gain an understanding of the connection between people and the sea over time,” thus safeguarding and promoting appreciation for Scotland’s coastal cultural history.

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

• Target 12.b: Develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products.
  
  Explanation: The article notes that snorkeling in Scotland has “increased a lot in popularity.” The narrator’s awareness of “overcrowding” as a challenge elsewhere implies a need to monitor the impacts of this growing local tourism to ensure it remains sustainable and does not strain “our natural places.”

SDG 14: Life Below Water

• Target 14.2: By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans.
  
  Explanation: The article is centered on appreciating and protecting marine ecosystems. It describes “beautiful, golden fronds of kelp undulating with the waves, which are home to an incredible amount of small fish, colourful beadlet and dahlia anemones, starfish and brittle stars.” It explicitly states that snorkeling can remind people that “nature is in decline” and “inspires more people to protect it.”
• Target 14.5: By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information.
  
  Explanation: The work of the Scottish Wildlife Trust in “developing snorkel trails” is a form of managing marine areas for conservation and public access. These trails guide people’s interactions with the marine environment, which is a method of conserving these specific coastal locations.

SDG 15: Life on Land

• Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.
  
  Explanation: Although the primary focus is marine, the article mentions a moment when “some sea eagles flew low over our heads.” This highlights the interconnectedness of marine and terrestrial ecosystems and shows that the health of the coastal waters supports a wider range of biodiversity, including terrestrial species like sea eagles.

Implied Indicators for Measuring Progress

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• Qualitative reports from individuals on improved mental and physical health after participating in cold water activities like snorkeling. The quote “the coolness takes away all my worries” serves as an example of such a report.

SDG 4: Quality Education

• Number of snorkel trails and guides developed and distributed by organizations like the Scottish Wildlife Trust.
• Number of people participating in educational projects like “Sea the connection.”

SDG 8 & 12: Sustainable Tourism

• Data on the number of people participating in snorkeling and other local marine tourism activities to track growth.
• Monitoring of visitor density at popular coastal sites to prevent the “overcrowding” mentioned in the article.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• Number of designated snorkel trails or tourism initiatives that are explicitly linked to and promote local cultural heritage sites (e.g., castles, historic harbors).

SDG 14: Life Below Water

• Surveys of the presence, diversity, and abundance of key species (kelp, fish, anemones, starfish, seals, dolphins) within the snorkel trail areas as an indicator of ecosystem health.
• The total area of coastline covered by managed conservation and recreation initiatives like the snorkel trails.

SDG 15: Life on Land

• Records of sightings of interconnected species like “sea eagles” in coastal areas, which can serve as a qualitative indicator of the health of the broader coastal habitat.

SDG Analysis Summary

Source: theguardian.com