Table Of ContentKey Challenges in Geography
EUROGEO Book Series
Kostis C. Koutsopoulos
Jan H. Stel Editors
Ocean Literacy:
Understanding
the Ocean
Key Challenges in Geography
EUROGEO Book Series
SeriesEditors
KostisC.Koutsopoulos,EuropeanAssociationofGeographers,NationalTechnical
UniversityofAthens,Pikermi,Greece
RafaeldeMiguelGonzález,UniversityofZaragoza&EUROGEO,Zaragoza,
Spain
DanielaSchmeinck,InstitutDidaktikdesSachunterrichts,UniversityofCologne,
Köln,Nordrhein-Westfalen,Germany
This book series addresses relevant topics in the wide field of geography, which
connects the physical, human and technological sciences to enhance teaching,
research,anddecisionmaking.Geographyprovidesanswerstohowaspectsofthese
sciencesareinterconnectedandareformingspatialpatternsandprocessesthathave
impactonglobal,regionalandlocalissuesandthusaffectpresentandfuturegener-
ations.Moreover,bydealingwithplaces,peopleandcultures,Geographyexplores
internationalissuesrangingfromphysical,urbanandruralenvironmentsandtheir
evolution,toclimate,pollution,developmentandpoliticaleconomy.
Key Challenges in Geography is an initiative of the European Association of
Geographers (EUROGEO), an organization dealing with examining geographical
issues from a European perspective, representing European Geographers working
indifferentprofessionalactivitiesandatalllevelsofeducation.EUROGEO’sgoal
andthecorepartofitsstatutoryactivitiesistomakeEuropeanGeographyaworld-
widereferenceandstandard.Thebookseriesservesasaplatformformembersof
EUROGEOaswellasaffiliatedNationalGeographicalAssociationsinEurope,but
isequallyopentocontributionsfromnon-members.
Thebookseriesaddressestopicsofcontemporaryrelevanceinthewidefieldof
geography. It has a global scope and includes contributions from a wide range of
theoreticalandappliedgeographicaldisciplines.
KeyChallengesinGeographyaimsto:
(cid:129)
presentcollectionsofchaptersontopicsthatreflectthesignificanceofGeography
asadiscipline;
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providedisciplinaryandinterdisciplinarytitlesrelatedtogeographical,environ-
mental, cultural, economic, political, urban and technological research with a
Europeandimension,butnotexclusive;
(cid:129)
deliverthought-provokingcontributionsrelatedtocross-disciplinaryapproaches
andinterconnectedworksthatexplorethecomplexinteractionsamonggeography,
technology,politics,environmentandhumanconditions;
(cid:129)
publishvolumestacklingurgenttopicstogeographersandpolicymakersalike;
(cid:129)
publish comprehensive monographs, edited volumes and textbooks refereed by
European and worldwide experts specialized in the subjects and themes of the
books;
(cid:129)
provide a forum for geographers worldwide to communicate on all aspects of
research and applications of geography, with a European dimension, but not
exclusive.
All books/chapters will undergo a blind review process with a minimum of two
reviewers.
Anauthor/editorquestionnaire,instructionsforauthorsandabookproposalform
canbeobtainedbycontactingthePublisher.
Moreinformationaboutthisseriesathttp://www.springer.com/series/15694
·
Kostis C. Koutsopoulos Jan H. Stel
Editors
Ocean Literacy:
Understanding the Ocean
Editors
KostisC.Koutsopoulos JanH.Stel
EuropeanAssociationofGeographers MaastrichtSustainabilityInstitute
NationalTechnicalUniversityofAthens MaastrichtUniversity
Pikermi,Greece Maastricht,TheNetherlands
Puurs-Sint-Amands,Belgium
ISSN2522-8420 ISSN2522-8439 (electronic)
KeyChallengesinGeography
ISBN978-3-030-70154-3 ISBN978-3-030-70155-0 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-70155-0
©TheEditor(s)(ifapplicable)andTheAuthor(s),underexclusivelicensetoSpringerNature
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Wewouldliketodedicatethisbookto:theyouthoftoday,the
educatorsandleadersoftomorrow
DrawingCredit:ArthurVerlinden
Foreword
Peace is central to the mission of UNESCO, which was born in 1945 after two
devastating world wars. The Preamble to the Constitution of UNESCO states that
“sincewarsbegininthemindsofmen,itisinthemindsofmenthatthedefencesof
peacemustbeconstructed”.Yetpeaceismuchmorethantheendofanarmedconflict.
Defencesofpeaceareeducation,science,culture,communicationandinformation.
Science illuminates the path to addressing the global challenges of humanity such
asclimatechangeorapandemic.Itisthemainfactorinchanginghumanbehaviour.
ThisisreflectedinthevisionofUNESCO’sclimatestrategy,“changingmindsnot
theclimate”.Centraltotheclimatediscussionbutgoingfarbeyondtheclimatenexus
istheocean,theearth’slifesupportsystem.
We have turned the ocean into a massive garbage bin, because either we had
thoughtitwastoobigtosuffer,orsimplybecausewedidnotthinkenough!Inthe
dividedworld,sufferingfrompoverty,hungerandanger,thereisnoplaceforcareand
deepthought.However,weneedtochangetheworld.Weneedtosavetheocean,and
theoceanwillhelpustosaveus.Knowledgeabouttheroleoftheoceanforourlives
andaboutoursociety’simpactontheoceanisthereforethekeytooursurvivalasa
species.AswaseloquentlyexpressedinthealreadyfamousphrasebySylviaEarle,
“farandawaythebiggestthreattotheoceanisignorance”.Toknow,understandthe
oceanandmakesurethatpeopleareemotionallyconnectedtotheoceanisthemain
purposeofoceanliteracy—asaconceptandasamovement.
Thefutureoceanwillbemanagedbasedonscience.Thetoolswillincludemarine
protectedareas,coastalzonemanagement,marinespatialplanning,adaptationand
mitigation of climate change, fisheries and aquaculture management, assessment
of risks, deployment of warning systems and facilitating a new, sustainable ocean
economy.Scientificunderstandingwillmakethispossible.Thatiswhyin2017,the
IntergovernmentalOceanographicCommission(IOC)ofUNESCOproposedtothe
UnitedNationstodedicatetheperiodfrom2021to2030totheUNDecadeofOcean
ScienceforSustainableDevelopment.AproposalthatwasexceptedbytheUN,and
thusbytheworld.
Please expect during these 10 years a breakthrough in ocean observations, data
management, ecosystem understanding, mapping of the ocean bottom, creating an
ocean genetic image, production of more food and renewable energy for people.
vii
viii Foreword
OneoftheChallengesoftheDecadeisnottoleaveanyonebehind,sothatwenot
onlymoveforwardthecuttingedgeofsciencebutalsocreateconditionsforall to
contributeandtobenefit.TheDecadeplanspeaksabout“aninspiringandengaging
ocean”. To incite a behaviour change, there needs to be a step change in society’s
relationshipwiththeocean.Thiscanbeonlyachievedthroughtheelevated“ocean
literacy”ofoursocietyandstartingtodevelopitearlyforpeople,bygivingtheocean
moreweightintheschoolcurricula.
This book is about “Sea Change”, a very significant and pioneering European
projectintheareaofoceanliteracy.Ihopethatthesummaryofknowledgeacquired
and the methodologies developed in the course of the project will be illuminating
thepathtosuccessofoceanliteracyinthefuture,andthatmanynewprojectsinall
partsoftheworldwillmoveforwardascontributionstotheDecade.Ifwesucceed,
wewillopenthedoorforsystematicandwelcomeduseofoceanscienceforsaving
ourocean,forasustainablefuture.IwouldliketoinvitethereaderstojoinIOCon
theroadtowards“theoceanweneedforthefuturewewant”.
Dr.VladimirRyabinin
ExecutiveSecretaryofUNESCO/IOC;
AssistantDirectorGeneralofUNESCO
Preface
This book is a result of the Sea Change project (March 2015–February 2018), the
first of four projects funded by the European Commission under Horizon 2020. It
is part of a stimulation by the European Commission, to introduce ocean literacy
(OL) in the culturally diverse, educational systems of Europe. The four projects
started in 2015. They were supported by the EU Maritime Affairs Directorate, are
inalignmentwiththestatementonTransAtlanticCooperationonOceanResearch,
signedinGalwayinMay2013andarepartoftheEUBlueGrowthprograms.The
threeotherprojectswere:Columbus,ResponSEAbleandAtlanticResearch.Ocean
literacywill,playanimportantroleinthenewHorizonEurope(2020–2027)program
andmostlikelyintheEuropeanGreenDeal.Additionally,oceanliteracyhasbeen
stronglysupportedbyUNESCO’sIntergovernmentalOceanographicCommission,
whichleadstheupcomingUNDecadeofOceanScienceforSustainableDevelop-
ment(2021–2030).AttheEuropeanlevel,oceanliteracynowispartoftheactivities
oftheEuropeanMarineBoardandisadvocatedbymostofitsmembers.
ThemainaimoftheSeaChangeprojectwastoencouragecitizenstotakedirect
andsustainableactiontoprotecthealthyandbiodiverseseas,byincreasingtheirocean
literacy.Whichisdefinedasanunderstandingoftheocean’sinfluenceonaperson
and that person’s impact on the ocean. Sea Change initiated a number of citizen-
focused education initiatives with influential networks like the European Network
ofScienceCentersandMuseums,theEuropeanAssociationofGeographersandthe
EuropeanMarineScienceEducatorsAssociation.Theprojectbuildsoncooperation
with Canada and the USA, which have substantial OL experience. The ocean is a
crucialpartoftheearthsystem,andmakesitahabitableplacetolive.Themarine
environmentisasourceofvitalhumanhealthbenefits,thatiswhytheSeaChanges
sloganstates:OurOcean,OurHealth.
ix
x Preface
WhatIsInThisBook?
Thebookisorganizedintothreesections:(i)General,(ii)Educationand(iii)Appli-
cation.Thefirstsectionprovidesthereaderwithabriefoverviewofthedevelopment
andglobalspreadoftheOLconcept.Inthesecondsection,anumberofinteresting
and highly successful educational activities are addressed, and an OL assessment
structureisdescribed.Thelastsectionfocusesonprojectsthatdeliveravarietyof
educationalinnovations.
GeneralonOceanLiteracy
Thefirstchapter“OceanLiteracy:Background,FutureDrivers‚andOpportunities”
istheleadingchapterandprovidesanoverviewofcurrenttrendsinoceansciences,
relevantforthedevelopmentofoceanliteracy.Thehistoryofoceanographyisbriefly
discussed,anumberofcharacteristicsoftheoceanaregiven,andthenotionofocean
spaceinrelationtoa4Dinterpretationoftheocean,isintroducedinthesectionThe
ocean as the Planet’s life support system. Next the needs to understand, observe,
protect and involve citizens and pupils from primary and secondary schools are
discussed.
Thesecondchapter“OceanLiteracy:FromaRippletoaWave”.Payneprovides
a brief history of ocean literacy, and connects it with insights in ocean science
and geography. Ocean literacy was developed in the USA to incorporate ocean
scienceintoscienceeducation.Lateritdevelopedintoaglobalmovementtoinclude
ocean sciences in many culturally diverse educational systems. She also relates
ocean literacy to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 14, life below water, and
UNESCO’sIntergovernmentalOceanographicCommissions,holisticOLactivities.
Payne addressesanumber ofcriticalchallenges tothelong-termsuccessofocean
literacy,liketheneedforcentralizedcommunication,inclusionofculturalrelevance,
a solid foundation of evaluation and education research, nuances of formal and
non-formaleducationandadequateandconsistentsourcesoffunding.
Thethirdchapter“AFrameworkfortheAssessmentoftheEffectivenessofOcean
Literacy Initiatives” discusses how to evaluate the effectiveness of new tools and
initiativesinoceanliteracy.Molloy,AshleyandMcCrossangiveawonderfuldescrip-
tionoftheapproachesdevelopedwithintheResponSEAbleproject,oneofthefour
projects funded by Horizon 2020 to focus on increasing ocean literacy in Europe.
Theprojectfocusedonkeyoceanhealthissuesthroughkeystoriesoneutrophica-
tion and agriculture, ballast water and invasive alien species, sustainable fisheries
andaquaculture,microplasticsandcosmetics,coastaltourismandmarinerenewable
energy.Theauthorsadvocateasystemapproachbyusingwell-knownmodelslike
DPSIRandDAPSIWR.Thelettersintheseacronymsmean:Drivers(D),activity(A),
Pressures(P),State(S),Impacts(I),Welfare(W)andResponses(R).Thesemodels
