An Inspiring and Engaging Ocean (7 – 8 July 2021)
An inspiring and engaging ocean where society understands and values the ocean.

Klaus Vedfelt / gettyimages
Klaus Vedfelt / gettyimages
The ocean is a place of wonder. It engages and inspires all those with an interest in and connection to the ocean, including current and future generations of scientists, policymakers, government officials, managers and innovators, to realise the Ocean Decade’s vision.
A change in society’s relationship with the ocean is needed to catalyse changes in behaviour and ensure the effectiveness of Ocean Decade solutions. Ocean literacy approaches, formal and informal educational and awareness-raising tools, and measures for ensuring equitable physical access to the ocean can all achieve change. When implemented in concert, they will expand society’s understanding of the ocean’s economic, social and cultural value and illuminate the diverse roles the ocean plays in supporting health, wellbeing and sustainable development. This outcome will showcase the ocean as a place of wonder that inspires the next generation of scientists, policymakers, government officials, managers and innovators.
Sirisak Baokaew / Shutterstock
Ocean science’s latest findings show how our oceans are changing. “From knowledge to action – from action to impact” is an innovative, agile undertaking to bridge the science-policy gap. The Laboratory uses an inter- and transdisciplinary approach to address society’s need for healthy, sustainable oceans. Looking ahead to the positive impacts of diversity and inclusivity, it empowers participants to tap the Decade’s full potential by taking sustainable action. The Laboratory highlights the key roles of co-design and innovation in moving from science to solutions, and ultimately catalyses behavioural change for a healthy, resilient and productive ocean.
The first Ocean Decade Laboratory "An Inspiring and Engaging Ocean" provided the opportunity for a wide-ranging and fruitful global discussion on how to foster game-changing collaborations to achieve the Ocean We Want. Numerous reports and anecdotes helped pave the way to better understand the challenges the Decade faces. In order to protect the ocean, people from all nations and all occupations are called upon to work together for the greater good.
Did you miss "An Inspiring and Engaging Ocean"? Below you can find a documentation of the first Ocean Decade Laboratory which shows highlights from the online sessions and virtual events. It includes photos and videos, as well as live recordings of the participants in the Satellite Activities and also graphic recordings, all shared during the livestream. Please click here to re-watch the entire Core Event and the Wrap-up.
Graphic Recording Innovation Workshop 1
BMBF / Till Lassmann, Visual Faciliators
Graphic Recording Innovation Workshop 2
BMBF / Björn Pertoft, Visual Faciliators
Graphic Recording Innovation Workshop 3
BMBF / Barbara Schneider, Visual Faciliators
Join us for motivating talks and breakout discussions on how to inspire the public by engaging popular culture in ocean sciences and storytelling.
This collaborative design workshop is the first in a series of three to co-develop an Ocean Literacy Research Program for the Decade. In this initial session, we will co-identify what research has been done.
Cease Wyss’s private lesson on ocean botany brings the ocean of British Columbia, Canada, to the curator Anne-Marie Melster, teaching her all about the interconnection of medicinal plants of British Columbia and their impact on ocean health.
Fashion has been blamed for ocean pollution. But fashion can also help save our waters. This session will entail an interesting mix of art, ocean advocacy and nature-based solutions in fashion to save our seas.
Discussing the enabling conditions to establish a coastal strategy for Chile using learning curves from California on the implementation of science-based and participative processes for the design of effective coastal marine policies.
Please join us for a two-part session discussing challenges and opportunities for women in marine technology and science.
The objective of this session is to introduce the world to the ECOP Program. It will provide an overview of how the program began, its achievements and vision.
Meeting ID: 881 2213 8315
Passcode: 701409
The program will use a participatory approach to develop a futures triangle to map the future we want for our Blue Pacific Ocean.
— Monika Jones
- Welcome and introduction to the Ocean Decade:
The journey ahead - What are the outcomes of the Ocean Decade?
- Introduction to the Ocean Decade Laboratories
- Overview of the program
- Video presenting the ocean as a place of wonder and inspiration
— Monika Jones, event moderator
— Julian Barbière,Head of Marine Policy and Regional Coordination Section
of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO
— Martin Visbeck, Head Research Unit „Physical Oceanography”,
GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, Kiel University, Germany
- Are we ready to change?
- How to drive the step change required for sustainable behavior changes
- How to anchor science in policy frameworks for long-lasting changes
- How to create empathy, ensure inclusivity and inspire action throughout the Ocean Decade?
Co-moderation
— Leila Ben Hassen, Founder and CEO of Blue Jay Communication Ltd
Panelists
— Sir Peter Gluckman, President Elect of the International Science Council
and President of the International Network for Government Science Advice
— Emma McKinley, Research Fellow at Cardiff University and Chair of the Marine Social Sciences Network
— Gerald Singh, Assistand Professor at the Memorial University of Newfoundland
and Deputy Research Director at the Nippon Foundation Ocean Nexus Center
— Antony Firth, Co-Chair of the Ocean Decade Heritage Network (ODHN),
Technical Advisor for the Honor Frost Foundation and Director of Fjordr Ltd.
Interview
— Easkey Britton, Marine Biologist, Big Wave Surfer and Author
Q&A with audience
Challenge 10: An Inspiring and Engaging Ocean (video)
- Innovative approaches to scientific communication
- What is the role of changemakers, influencers, innovation and coalition in various sectors,
including food, fashion, sport and art, in changing the narrative and fostering action in the Ocean Decade?
Co-moderation
— Diva Amon, Marine Biologist and Director of SpeSeas
Panelists
— Richard Vevers, Founder and CEO of the Ocean Agency
— Mirella Leis, Founder of the Fish Market
— Katy Croff Bell, Founder and President of the Ocean Discovery League
— Anne-Cécile Turner, Sustainability Director at The Ocean Race
Q&A with audience
- The role of ocean literacy, media, education and citizen science in the Ocean Decade
- Empowering indigenous and local knowledge holders through the Decade
- Supporting early career and young ocean professional communities to create a legacy for the future
via the Ocean Decade
Co-moderation
— Londy Ngcobo, Captain, Ship Navigator, Dredge Master and Maritime Speaker
Panelists
— Nikita Shiel-Rolle,
Founder and CEO of the Young Marine Explorers and the Cat Island Conservation Institute
— Anissa Saudemont, Founder of SparkNews.com
— Jonatha Giddens, Fellow at National Geographic and Chief Scientist DSRP
at the National Geographic Society Exploration Technology Lab
— Xianfeng Zhang, Professor at the Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Q&A with audience
Retrospect V.ECOP Day (short video)
- Wrap-up and next steps
- Virtual Dive
- How to stay engaged in the Ocean Decade
— Vladimir Ryabinin,
Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO
— Maya Gabeira, 2x World Record holder and Oceana Ambassador
— Erika Woolsey, Co-Founder and CEO of The Hydrous, Visiting Scholar and Lecturer
at Stanford University and National Geographic Explorer
Interactive breakout sessions
— Monika Jones, Event moderation, studio
— Fiona-Elaine Strasser, ECOP Co-Moderation
Welcome
Introduction and goals
Overview of program
Documentation film of Core Event
Results and impressions of innovative workshops
What else happened on the event platform?
Overview of Satellite Activities
Outlook on the Decade Outcome An Inspiring and Engaging Ocean
Outlook on upcoming Lab A Predicted Ocean