Connected to the oceans: Supporting ocean literacy & public engagement

Improved public understanding of the role of the ocean and the importance of sustainable ocean use (i.e. ‘ocean literacy’) is required to achieve global commitments to sustainable development by 2030 and beyond. Increasing global population growth, urbanisation and socio-economic disparity, amongst other factors, however are significantly reducing opportunities for communities and society to engage and connect directly with ocean environments. Thus, a major challenge in engaging the whole of society in achieving a future ocean that is sustainably used and valued, is to develop means to improve societal connections to the ocean as well as achieve global ocean literacy. Future Seas is an interdisciplinary project working on key sustainability challenges for the ocean to provide foundations for future development and direction that can facilitate positive transformation at local to global scales. As part of Future Seas, this work synthesises knowledge and perspectives from a range of disciplines, including but not exclusive to marine biology, socio-ecology, economics, technology, psychology, human geography, human health and oceanography. We outline the potential for positive change by identifying four drivers that can influence and improve ocean literacy and societal connections to the ocean: i) education, ii) cultural connections, (iii) technological developments, and iv) science–policy interconnections and information pathways. We explore these drivers in depth, to identify how each may play a role in improving understanding and perceptions of ocean sustainability to engender widespread societal support for effective ocean management and conservation at local, regional and global scales. In doing so, we develop a ‘toolbox for ocean literacy’, a practical broad-focus resource for enhancing ocean connections worldwide.