The Marine CoLAB: Taking a CoLABorative, Values Based Approach to Connect People to the Ocean

Sue Ranger,Natalie Hart,Sian Williams,Jessica Loring,Anna Birney,Rosanna Chambers,Louisa Hooper,Corina Angheloiu

doi:10.3389/fmars.2019.00619

Abstract

With growing complex and systemic challenges facing the ocean, there is an urgent need to increase the scale and effectiveness of approaches to marine conservation, including protecting and recognising the value of all of its services. Stronger multi-sector networks of organisations are needed, sharing knowledge and working in unison to create a common narrative for the ocean and the solutions to its protection. In an innovative experiment, the Marine CoLABoration (CoLAB) brings together nine non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to explore collaboratively how to communicate more effectively. The CoLAB hypothesises that communicating the full value of the ocean in all its rich diversity connects with people’s deeply held, personal values and leads to more impactful ocean conservation. Through horizon scanning with the wider sector, the CoLAB determines experiment themes to test this hypothesis. These are based predominantly in the UK and include #OneLess, Agents of Change and We are Ocean. The CoLAB’s work demonstrates that by effectively building and promoting an understanding of the full value of the ocean, it is possible to trigger a wider range of human values to catalyse engagement with marine conservation issues. A joined up, interdisciplinary approach to communicating why the ocean matters, engaging a wide range of actors will be crucial in effecting long term, systemic change for the ocean. The need for greater UK ocean literacy has also been highlighted across the CoLAB and its experiments and presents an opportunity for further work.

Highlights

The global ocean provides much of what makes life possible – it produces approximately half of the oxygen on the planet; is pivotal to climate regulation; feeds billions; provides a multitude of livelihoods; and provides many less tangible benefits to human wellbeing (Völker and Kistemann, 2011; Béné et al, 2015; Gattuso et al, 2015)
Research suggests that there is a significant gap between what scientists and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are saying and public perceptions about ocean conservation issues (Jefferson et al, 2014; Potts et al, 2016; Lindland and Volmert, 2017)
There has been an increase in public and political awareness around issues such as plastic pollution (Vince and Hardesty, 2018), more work is needed to further global ocean literacy (Cava et al, 2005; Schoedinger et al, 2010; Guest et al, 2015)

Summary

Introduction

The global ocean provides much of what makes life possible – it produces approximately half of the oxygen on the planet; is pivotal to climate regulation; feeds billions; provides a multitude of livelihoods; and provides many less tangible benefits to human wellbeing (Völker and Kistemann, 2011; Béné et al, 2015; Gattuso et al, 2015). Our Ocean Has Value levels are decreasing, all of which threatens marine life already stressed by pervasive pollution, habitat loss and overexploitation (Hoegh-Guldberg et al, 2007; Domingues et al, 2008; Falkowski et al, 2011; Church et al, 2013; Trathan et al, 2015; Vince and Hardesty, 2017). There has been an increase in public and political awareness around issues such as plastic pollution (Vince and Hardesty, 2018), more work is needed to further global ocean literacy (Cava et al, 2005; Schoedinger et al, 2010; Guest et al, 2015). Research suggests that in order for people to endorse initiatives to safeguard the ocean, interventions need to resonate with people and reflect their values (Gelcich et al, 2014; Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, 2018)

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Results

Discussion

Conclusion