A Global Tool for Understanding People–Ocean Connections and Mobilising Ocean Action
What shapes people’s connection to the ocean and their willingness to take action?
A newly published peer-reviewed paper in Ocean and Society introduces the Ocean & Society Survey (OSS), a global tool designed to answer two key questions: 1) How do people around the world connect with and value the ocean? And 2) What influences peoples’ interests and concerns about the ocean, and their willingness and capacity to take action for the ocean?
The OSS is the culmination of 18 months of collaboration by an international and multisectoral team of researchers and partners. To date, the survey has been administered to nationally representative samples in 12 countries (Canada, USA, Brazil, UK, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Bulgaria, Ireland, Finland, Cyprus, France).
The OSS peer-reviewed paper published in Ocean and Society was developed by a group of twenty experts from the Ocean and Society initiative, led by the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition, which included members of the Communications INC team.
Why We Need the OSS
The threats facing the ocean are driven by human activity, and only people can solve them. The mission of strategic communication and ocean literacy is to place people at the centre of solutions for ocean health by fostering a society that understands, values, and acts for the ocean.
Achieving a healthy ocean requires more than science and policy; it demands a deep shift in public perception and behaviour. As highlighted in the Ocean Decade Vision 2030 Challenge 10 White Paper, we must restore society’s relationship with the ocean by building connections, strengthening motivations, and increasing the capacities and opportunities for everyone to take part.
In order to put people at the heart of solutions, understanding people must be at the heart of our approach. Through an informed, collaborative and evidence-based approach, we can inform decisions, inspire action, and build the public will needed to drive systemic change.
The data provided by the OSS, as well as other public perception research and tools, can provide a path for action, equipping communicators with the evidence-base required to design more targeted, impactful interventions and providing a shared measurement of effect.
The OSS for Communicators
The OSS provides a valuable resource for those designing ocean-focused campaigns, strategies, and policies. The data can be used to provide baseline metrics, develop audience insights for campaign development, and to yield statistics for headlines and advocacy engagement. Data from participating countries is available on request providing actionable data for communicators, campaigners, educators, and decision-makers.
The Advancing Strategic Ocean Communication project co-hosted a webinar with the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition to introduce the survey. The webinar explored the co-design process, key insights, and how communicators can use OSS data in their work.
At a time when the ocean faces urgent and overlapping threats, the OSS is a valuable tool to support the design of campaigns for more effective, long-lasting ocean action.