GCA welcomes GROHE Team Ocean Rowing 850 kilometers for Water Awareness to Floating Office Rotterdam
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otterdam, the Netherlands, 11th July 2024 – The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) welcomed the GROHE Team Ocean to GCA’s Floating Office in Rotterdam’s Rijnhaven today. This event was the culmination of the team’s 850 kilometer journey rowing on the Rhine River over 10 days from Basel, Switzerland to Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
The GROHE Team Ocean, composed of adventurers Wilco van Rooijen, Bela Evers, Sara Eenhoorn, and Joost Schutte, embarked on this challenging rowing expedition to draw attention to increasing water scarcity and the necessity of behavioural change.
GROHE Team Ocean in Rotterdam. From left: GROHE Nederlands General Manager Christian Götter; GROHE Team Ocean’s Wilco van Rooijen, Sara Eenhoorn, Bela Evers, and Joost Schutte; GCA Partnerships and External Affairs Officer Adam Bagyi
The Rhine Expedition was a journey of nearly 850 kilometers, from river’s source in the Swiss mountains via the Rhône to the Rhine and ultimately to the North Sea. During this expedition, the team faced numerous challenges on Europe’s busiest river, which connects major ports with treacherous and dangerous currents, depth variations, and numerous locks. The team also faced the challenge of living on a maximum of 6 liters of water per person per day. For comparison, in the Netherlands, the average amount of water consumed per person per day is 129 liters.
GROHE Team Ocean at the start of their 850-kilometer rowing expedition in Basel, Switzerland (Photo credit: Team Ocean)
In addition to navigating Europe’s busiest river, Team Ocean faced the challenge of living on a maximum of 6 liters of water per person per day (Photo credit: Team Ocean)
#Aquawareness
Water is the foundation of all life on Earth. Without water, there would be no plants, no animals, and of course, no humans. Although our planet is covered by about 70% water, only 2.5% of it is freshwater, and a large portion of that freshwater is trapped in glaciers and polar regions. This means that only a small portion of water is actually available for human use.
Moreover, the water we urgently need is scarce and often heavily polluted in many parts of the world. Climate change and population growth exacerbate these problems further. It is therefore of utmost importance that we recognize water as a resource that deserves protection and do everything we can to conserve and protect it.
A prime example of the importance of water is the Rhine. The Rhine is one of the longest and most important rivers in Europe. It is not only a significant waterway but also a valuable ecosystem. Economically, the Rhine plays a crucial role in freight transport and trade as one of the busiest waterways in the world.
For the citizens of Rotterdam, the Rhine also plays a central role in the life of the city and its inhabitants. However, the Rhine is also susceptible to environmental pollution and ecological challenges, demonstrating the need for international cooperation.
Notes to Editors
Global Center on Adaptation
The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is an international organization that promotes adaptation to the impacts of climate change. It works to climate-proof development by instigating policy reforms and influencing investments made by international financial institutions and the private sector. The goal is to bring climate adaptation to the forefront of the global fight against climate change and ensure that it remains prominent.
Founded in 2018, GCA embodies innovation in its approach to climate adaptation as well as in its physical presence. It operates from the largest floating office in the world, in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. GCA has a worldwide network of regional offices in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire; Dhaka, Bangladesh; and Beijing, China. The Center will open a new office in Nairobi, Kenya in 2025.
