Blue Smart

Ocean Literacy

Humankind has always been connected with the sea and dependent on the sea, but after decades of pollution, habitat destruction, overfishing, and climate change and ocean acidification recently, ocean health is in great danger.

People are mostly unaware of the role the sea has in their lives (oxygen, medicine, food etc.) and of the impact of their everyday decisions on the ocean health.

In order to sustainably manage and use marine resources, a need occurs to give people the information about the interconnection between humans and the ocean thus helping them in making more responsible decisions which affect marine environment.

Ocean Literacy means understanding ocean's influence on you and your influence on the ocean. It consists of 7 principles and 44 concepts:

  1. The Earth has one big ocean with many features.
  2. The ocean and life in the ocean shape the features of Earth.
  3. The ocean is a major influence on weather and climate.
  4. The ocean made the Earth habitable.
  5. The ocean supports a great diversity of life and ecosystems.
  6. The ocean and humans are inextricably interconnected.
  7. The ocean is largely unexplored.

These principles explain the effect of the ocean on the Earth and humans through different topics from all scientific areas. Ocean Literacy aims at society at large including educational systems, decision makers, policies and economy and it represents one of the basic steps in achieving sustainable use of marine resources. Only by knowing and understanding the sea, we can understand the consequences of our actions on marine ecosystems.

European Commission recognized the potential of Ocean Literacy and enhances it in Europe to make its citizens more ocean literate. It helps the citizens to recognize and accept the need for sustainable use of marine resources and achieve sustainable Blue Growth.

The UN proposed a Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development from 2021-2030 which will improve public awareness on urgent need for new scientific research and use of existing scientific knowledge to understand cumulative impacts affecting our oceans.

During the UN Ocean Conference held from 5-9 June in New York, a document Call for Action was affirmed by all UN parties. In this document, the paragraph 13.e) points out the promotion of Ocean Literacy making it one of the ways to reach sustainable use of marine resources.

In order to achieve a part of the United Nations Agenda 2030 of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development, it is necessary to inform and educate people, and Ocean Literacy can make significant contribution.

More info at: http://oceanliteracy.wp2.coexploration.org/