As part of its long commitment to protecting our planet’s ocean, Rolex has released a documentary that tells the story of the work being undertaken across the planet to protect the oceans’ fragile ecosystems.

Titled Perpetual Planet: Heroes of the Oceans, the documentary produced with BBC Studios’ Science Unit, brings together legendary oceanographer, founder of Mission Blue and Rolex Testimonee Sylvia Earle with a cast of pioneering marine scientists to discover the challenges our oceans face today and the solutions that can be taken to make a real change.

The hour-long documentary immerses viewers in spectacular underwater worlds, where almost a third of ocean life has been destroyed due to climate change and human activity. Earle narrates the documentary which features the work of six marine scientists, five of whom are Rolex Award Laureates.

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 conservation of the environment.

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.

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 organisations. 

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 by 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 for72 hours at a time, gathering vital data to protect the oceans.

Watch Perpetual Planet: Heroes of the Oceans on www.rolex.org now.

(Source: Rolex)