Oceans cover 71% of the Earth’s surface.
They feed us, protect us, and absorb more than 90% of the excess heat generated by global warming.
They are an invaluable source of economic, social and cultural wealth – 3 billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihoods.
The ocean influences weather and climate by storing solar radiation, distributing heat and moisture around the globe, and driving weather systems.
Despite the fundamental role that the marine and coastal environment plays in our lives, it has always been treated as an unlimited resource, without ever considering the consequences of its exploitation.
Feeding this unsustainable cycle has become the routine, something so normal that we keep repeating it without asking any questions, despite the many alarm bells we are experiencing.
The world’s industrial activities are damaging the oceans: waters are warming and becoming more acidic, threatening marine life. These phenomena, along with unregulated fishing that is considered illegal under international law, are causing significant biodiversity loss, affecting both the ecosystem and the economic and food security of many coastal communities that depend on fishing.
Coral reefs are an example of the damage being done to the oceans.
Abnormal environmental conditions lead to the famous bleaching phenomenon, once rare but now increasingly common. Coral reefs not only help maintain the marine ecosystem, but also provides protection against coastal erosion, storms and sea level rise.
Similarly, on the sea surface, mangrove forests play a similar role to coral reefs in protecting coastlines from ocean storms, which have also intensified in recent decades.
Again, the human impact is evident: entire forests are cleared to make way for resorts or aquaculture ponds.
If we don’t reduce our environmental impact and help mitigate the effects of climate change, we will face serious consequences that will be impossible to reverse.
In order to promote the recovery of marine ecosystems and to begin a substantial change in our collective behavior, we should recognize the vital role that the ocean plays in our lives.
That is the reason why in 2022 I have started this long-term project: Symbiosis.
I have carefully chosen this title to underline the symbiotic relationship between the human being and the marine environment, reminding that without one can’t exist the other.
The images you see in this exhibition were taken in Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Australia, all places where the connection between people and the marine environment is deeply rooted.
Giving voice to the feelings of those who live in the oceans and have seen their lives drastically changed is at the heart of this work. I have met those who refuse to give up and continue to seek new solutions to restore the ecosystem they live with.
Small fishermen, indigenous communities are vulnerable and fragile figures who are paying the highest price of climate change at this moment in history.
To me, their powerful stories are a symbol of resilience. The courageous choices of people who continue to live in harmony with nature despite the many difficulties they face.
I hope that the viewer can develop an empathetic relationship with the subjects, allowing their stories to reach deep inside them and offer a different perspective on the climate crisis we are experiencing.
We must not forget that we are connected to the nature around us.
By sharing these personal stories and showing the beauty we may one day lose, I hope to raise awareness by making people realize the need to face this challenge together.
A path to be taken as human beings, part of the same planet, without political or geographical boundaries.
Giacomo d’Orlando is an Italian documentary photographer and one of the founders of the collective Ronin, who divides his time between Southeast Asia and Italy. Committed to exploring the relationship between the human being and the environment, his work explores how the increasing pressures of climate change and human impact are reshaping the planet, and how today’s society is responding to the new challenges that will shape our future. He also focuses on scientific and technological research and environmental conservation to raise awareness of the priority of restoring and preserving our ecosystems for future generations.