Bridging Shades of Blue: Co-constructing Knowledge with the International Panel for Ocean Sustainability

Abstract

The efficacy of global environmental assessments in informing and shaping ocean and coastal management is hampered by recognized gaps in global science endeavours. In order to bridge these gaps, and secure inclusive and equitable knowledge co-construction by ocean stakeholders, the International Panel for Ocean Sustainability (IPOS) is emerging. Here we present the outcomes of the “Bridging Shades of Blue Workshop” held in Spain 2023. A diverse group of Ocean knowledge holders, including policymakers, small-scale fishers, marine social scientists and ocean lawyers gathered to reflect on the key features, challenges, strategies, actors to be involved, as well as pathways to balance power for advancing an inclusive and equitable IPOS. As a result, six foundational dimensions of IPOS’s institutional identity were proposed as IPOS ID cards: 1) Diversifying Ocean Knowledge Systems, 2) Widening the Range of Methods for Ocean Knowledge Production, 3) Informing Decision-making, 4) Engaging at the Interfaces of Knowledge with Decision-making, 5) Communicating, Learning, and Sharing Knowledge, 6) Measuring Progress and Evaluating Success. We conclude by emphasizing IPOS’s potential role as a beacon for inclusive, equitable, and sustainable ocean governance.

Keywords:

• Ocean sustainability
• global environmental assessment
• participatory mapping
• IPOS
• science-policy-society interface

Acknowledgments

We also acknowledge the co-sponsoring of the workshop by the Marine and Environmental Biogeosciences-SGR project, The Oceanography Society, and the Ocean Sustainability Foundation) hosted by the “CNRS Foundation”. We thank James Durno for the graphic facilitation, and Richard D. Norris, Nikki Harasta, Kilaparti Ramakrishna, Brian O’Riordan and Andrei Polejack for their constructive contributions during our workshop.

Additional information

Funding

We also acknowledge the co-sponsoring the ICTA-UAB “María de Maeztu” Programme for Units of Excellence of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (CEX2019-000940-M). We also acknowledge the co-sponsoring the ERC Consolidator project TRADITION, which is funded by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No 817911. This work was also funded by EarlyFoods (Evolution and impact of early food production systems, 2021 SGR 00527). The Seascape Assessment was funded through the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (MARE/2022/VLVP/0025) and the CNRS Foundation.