#OceanOptimism: Balancing the Narrative About the Future of the Ocean

Abstract

The ocean is facing multiple pressures from human activities, including the effects of climate change. Science has a prominent role in identifying problems and communicating these to society. However, scientists are also increasingly taking an active role in developing solutions, including strategies for adapting to and mitigating climate change, increasing food security, and reducing pollution. Transmitting these solutions to society changes our narrative about the ocean and motivates actions. The United Nations triple initiatives for this decade—the Sustainable Development Goals, the Decade on Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, and the Decade of Ecosystem Restoration—provide the momentum for this change in narrative and focus. Here, we reflect on the search for solutions and the need for better ways of communicating science in a positive way. We synthesize insights from a summer school held during the COVID-19 pandemic and present some examples of successes and failures and the lessons learned from these.

‘Out of sight, out of mind’ - towards a greater acknowledgment of submerged prehistoric resources in Australian science-policy as part of a common heritage

“…The UN Ocean Decade 2021-2030 has the aim of developing the "science we want for the ocean we need" (Borja et al, 2022), which we argue for Australia can be better achieved by being inclusive of underwater prehistoric heritage. Numerous studies demonstrate that cultural knowledge and practices can be integrated with science and policy to create successful management strategies appropriate for both natural and cultural resources (see also Kikili et al, 2017).…”

“…There is also an increasing number of global initiatives to which many countries are signatories that aim to create more sustainable oceans for the coming decades (Borja et al, 2022). For example, the United Nations (UN) Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 17 , the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021Development -2030 (hereafter Ocean Decade), and the Global Sustainable Development Goal #14, Life Below Water 19 are all aimed at sustainable use of ocean resources.…”

The evolution of ocean literacy: A new framework for the United Nations Ocean Decade and beyond

“…In line with previous studies, we suggest that communications create a balance between constructive hope, responsibility, and wellbeing (e.g., human progress and bright spots in the marine environment; Cvitanovic and Hobday, 2018) and with elements of constructive doubt (e.g., the reality of the threat facing the marine and coastal environments and the need for more action), to mobilise for the ocean (Aruta and Guinto, 2022;Marlon et al, 2019). There has been growing support for approaches which move away from a communication echo chamber of 'ocean calamities' and instead embraces realistic, solution driven ocean optimism (Borja et al, 2022).…”

Ocean literacy for an Ocean constitution

“…To successfully achieve this, we must create agency and foster stewardship without paralysing people with fear or apathy. Embracing a realistic ocean optimism approach (Borja et al 2022) to communicating, education and empowering must be part of global strategies to realize the multiple goals of international goals and commitments, and to respond to the growing emergency facing our oceans, coasts and seas. Part of this will entail creating and funding programmes of work that operate across disciplinary, sectoral and policy boundaries; building capacity to support such interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary teams; and critically evaluating and challenging the status quo.…”