Sea Change

Overview:

The overarching goals of the Sea Change project are to bring about a fundamental “Sea

Change” in the way European citizens view their relationship with the sea, by empowering them – as ‘Ocean Literate’ citizens - to take direct and sustainable action towards healthy seas and ocean, healthy communities and ultimately - a healthy planet.

Key objectives of Sea Change are to:

• Compile an in-depth review of the links between Seas and Ocean and Human health based on latest research knowledge outputs.

• Build upon the latest social research on citizen and stakeholder attitudes, perceptions and values to help design and implement successful mobilisation activities focused on education, community, governance actors and directly targeted at citizens.

• Build upon significant work to date, adopting best practice and embedding Ocean Literacy across established strategic initiatives and networks in order to help maximise impact and ensure sustainability.

• Ensure that efforts to sustain an Ocean Literate society in Europe continue beyond the life of Sea Change through codes of good practice, public campaigns and other ongoing community activities.

• Ensure that all activities of Sea Change are carefully monitored and evaluated to ensure maximum sustainability, effectiveness and efficiency.

• Ensure knowledge exchange with transatlantic partners to bring about a global approach to protecting the planet’s shared seas and oceans.

The objectives will be achieved by a closely interlinked programme. Sea Change includes a mobilisation phase engaging with citizens, formal education and policy actors. Crucially the legacy of Sea Change, including continuing knowledge sharing with North America, are embedded within the project.

European Marine Board Role:

EMB is leader of Work Package 1 “Sea Change Fundamentals - Baseline Review” (PM 9)

WP1 will provide the Sea Change fundamentals through the provision of background information on the concept and state of Ocean Literacy, as well as drawing together information on how Ocean Literacy is currently embedded in different sectors of society, such as formal education and current governance. WP1 will provide valuable information that can be used as standalone communications material throughout the project, as well as information to support the mobilisation work packages (education, engagement and governance).

EMB leads the following tasks within Work Package 1 :

Task 1.1: Develop dynamic materials to present the concept of Ocean Literacy and the Sea

Change Initiative.

Task 1.2: Review and synthesise research on the links between the planet's seas and oceans and human health.

Task 1.4c: Review of how Ocean Literacy is embedded and catered for in current governance.

EMB deliverables from the above tasks comprise:

D1.1 Ocean Literacy Animation and Booklet

D1.2 Ocean and Human Health Animation and Fact sheets

D5.1 Review of Ocean Literacy in Governance

EMB will also be involved in tasks in the following Work Packages:

Work Package 2: Social Innovation Participation Processes (PM 0.5)

The objective of WP2 is to co-develop and support selected social innovation participation and consultation processes and protocols to be used over the whole duration of the project, supporting all other WPs.

Work Package 4: Mobilisation: Sea Action - where society and science meet. (PM 1)

The objective of WP4 is to mobilise/engage the wider public and target various subgroups on how the seas and ocean affects our daily lives and on how we citizens also have an impact on the health of the seas and ocean.

Work Package 5: Mobilisation: Marine Governance (PM 5)

WP5 will engage in a dialogue with key actors of the international marine governance system with a particular focus on Europe and the trans-Atlantic context on the link between human health and the health of the seas and ocean in order to improve decision-making and subsequent policy development.

EMB Deliverables:

D5.1 Review of Ocean Literacy in Governance

D5.3 Policy briefs on ocean health – human health delivered to relevant networks.

Work Package 6: Sea Change Legacy (PM 0.5)

The objective of WP6 is to build on the project activities, their outputs and impacts with a view to ensure there is a legacy to Sea Change beyond the project duration and to improve OL of European Citizens so that they can become more active actors of change to help protect the seas and ocean.

Work Package 7: Dissemination and Communication (PM 1)

The objective of WP7 is to ensure effective external communication, dissemination and optimal knowledge transfer of the Sea Change project’s objectives, activities and results through a range of communication and dissemination tools.

Work Package 9: Project Management (PM 0.5)

WP9 deals with the administrative management of the Sea Change project.

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