“Her passion and sheer joy for her career pour through every page.”
I always come away from Lichfield Radio Earthy Stuff interviews buzzing, but chatting with Emily Cunningham MBE was something extra special.
Emily is a marine biologist, award-winning ocean conservationist and author, and despite her coastal career, she actually grew up right here in landlocked Staffordshire! These days she calls Cornwall home, but her work has taken her much further afield, from the icy waters of Antarctica to the turtle beaches of Ascension Island. In 2025 she was awarded an MBE for services to marine conservation and coastal communities. Quite the CV!
I was expecting to talk about the ocean, the climate and the science (and we did!), but the thing I loved most was getting to know Emily herself. She was so refreshingly honest about her life, her journey and what it really feels like to do the job she does. Our conversation reminds you that the people fighting for our planet are real people too, with all the hope, doubt, joy and grit that comes with it.
Now Emily has poured all of that into her brand new book, Our Ocean to Save, which is out on 29 October.
When writing this book, Emily considered every detail, from the sustainability of the book itself right through to the person reading it.
Inside, she takes you on a journey through some of her experiences, sharing joyous moments alongside heartbreaking ones, all told through the eyes of someone who feels so strongly about our ocean. She has a front row seat to some of the most devastating effects the climate crisis is having on our planet, and she doesn’t shy away from that. Some of it is startling. But her passion and sheer joy for her career pour through every page.
The book invites you to interact with it, to take your time and go on a bit of a journey. To find what resonates most with you and perhaps turn that into a way to give something back.
There are so many useful tips and ideas for what can be done wherever you live, and you don’t even need to leave the house to do something meaningful for the sea. Whether your front door looks out on the waves or you’re as far inland as you can possibly get (hello, Staffordshire!), there is something here for you. It’s packed with encouragement, and it’s a book that makes you feel like you really can make a difference, starting right now.
To find out more about Emily and her work, visit emilycunningham.co.uk
You can also catch my full conversation with her on the Earthy Stuff show page on Lichfield Radio, and, soon, on video over on the LET’S ECHO YouTube channel.
