Today round the world sailor and oceanographer Conrad Humphreys launched the Blue Climate and Oceans Project in conjunction with the National Marine Aquarium.

The Blue Project is a new initiative aimed at inspiring individuals and corporations to implement lifestyle changes needed to slow down and reverse the effects of global climate change.

Through his ocean racing campaigns Conrad wants to encourage people to have more involvement with the ocean.

Conrad Humphreys revealed: “I’ve been extremely privileged to take part in some of the greatest sailing competitions and to witness first hand the incredible beauty of our oceans. It is something that as a child I felt compelled to explore and later study. If through the adventure and excitement of ocean racing we can share a little bit of this world, and help make people more conscious of the need to care, it will be fantastic.”

Conrad and his team will use their latest sailing campaign, in the Extreme 40 European Series as the first Blue Project that will carry the Be Blue? Be Cool slogan. This will lead into Conrad’s next new round the world race to be announced later this year.

The plan is to turn the Discovery Theatre in the National Marine Aquarium into a major audio and visual experience that will enable schools, the public and the media to interact with Conrad’s adventures. The Discovery Theatre will become the home to future Blue Climate and Oceans Projects.

Lady Pippa Blake, the wife of the late environmentalist and renowned ocean sailor, Sir Peter Blake has become Patron of the Blue? Project, and said: “Peter had a real love of the natural world. He was fascinated by the wildlife during his ocean voyages. He believed that if we can only help more people experience the wonders of the world then they will develop respect and care for our natural resources and take responsibility for limiting the negative effects our daily lives have on them.

“I hope that the Blue Project can encourage people to take active steps, however small, to reduce their impact on the climate and the oceans. There has always been a tremendous link between human adventure, the climate and the oceans and if the Blue Project can engage with people’s spirit of adventure to change their behaviour and become more Blue it will achieve a great deal.”

National Marine Aquarium Director Kelvin Boot added: “We humans have treated and continue to treat the oceans in two quite contradictory ways. We see the ocean as a great carpet – we can lift up the corner and sweep away our rubbish – out of sight, out of mind. Or we see it as an endless treasure chest we can take what we want and it will, as if by magic, self-replenish and never run out. We now know that both assumptions are dangerously wrong.”