npj Ocean Sustainability (Dec 2023)
Five social science intervention areas for ocean sustainability initiatives
- Stefan Partelow,
- Achim Schlüter,
- Natalie C. Ban,
- Simon Batterbury,
- Maarten Bavinck,
- Nathan J. Bennett,
- Raimund Bleischwitz,
- Jessica Blythe,
- Tanja Bogusz,
- Annette Breckwoldt,
- Joshua E. Cinner,
- Marion Glaser,
- Hugh Govan,
- Rebecca Gruby,
- Vanessa Hatje,
- Anna-Katharina Hornidge,
- Grete K. Hovelsrud,
- John N. Kittinger,
- Lotta Clara Kluger,
- Sophia Kochalski,
- Alexander Mawyer,
- Emma McKinley,
- Julia Olsen,
- Jeremy Pittman,
- Maraja Riechers,
- Marie-Catherine Riekhof,
- Kathleen Schwerdtner Manez,
- Rebecca J. Shellock,
- Rapti Siriwardane-de Zoysa,
- Nathalie A. Steins,
- Kristof Van Assche,
- Sebastian Villasante
Affiliations
- Stefan Partelow
- Center for Life Ethics, University of Bonn
- Achim Schlüter
- Social Sciences Department, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research
- Natalie C. Ban
- School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria
- Simon Batterbury
- School of Geography, Earth & Atmospheric Sciiences, and Melbourne Climate Futures, University of Melbourne
- Maarten Bavinck
- Department of Human Geography, Planning and International Development Studies, University of Amsterdam
- Nathan J. Bennett
- Global Science, WWF
- Raimund Bleischwitz
- Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT)
- Jessica Blythe
- Environmental Sustainability Research Centre, Brock University
- Tanja Bogusz
- Center for Sustainable Society Research/Hamburg University
- Annette Breckwoldt
- Office for Knowledge Exchange (OKE) & Department of Social Sciences, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT)
- Joshua E. Cinner
- College of Arts, Society, and Education. James Cook University
- Marion Glaser
- Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT)
- Hugh Govan
- School of Law and Social Sciences (SoLaSS), University of the South Pacific (USP)
- Rebecca Gruby
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, University of Miami
- Vanessa Hatje
- Centro Interdisciplinar de Energia e Ambiente, Universidade Federal da Bahia
- Anna-Katharina Hornidge
- German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS)
- Grete K. Hovelsrud
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Nord University
- John N. Kittinger
- Arizona State University, School of Ocean Futures & Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability
- Lotta Clara Kluger
- Center for Ocean and Society, Kiel University
- Sophia Kochalski
- CRETUS, Department of Applied Economics, University of Santiago de Compostela
- Alexander Mawyer
- Center for Pacific Islands Studies, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
- Emma McKinley
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Cardiff University
- Julia Olsen
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Nord University
- Jeremy Pittman
- School of Planning, University of Waterloo
- Maraja Riechers
- Fisheries and Society Group, Thünen Institute of Baltic Sea Fisheries
- Marie-Catherine Riekhof
- Center for Ocean and Society, Kiel University
- Kathleen Schwerdtner Manez
- Sustainability Science and Applied Geography, Institute of Geography and Geology, University of Greifswald
- Rebecca J. Shellock
- Centre for Marine Socioecology, University of Tasmania
- Rapti Siriwardane-de Zoysa
- Social Sciences Department, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research
- Nathalie A. Steins
- Wageningen Marine Research, Wageningen University & Research
- Kristof Van Assche
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Alberta
- Sebastian Villasante
- EqualSea Lab-CRETUS, Department of Applied Economics, University of Santiago de Compostela
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s44183-023-00032-8
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 2,
no. 1
pp. 1 – 11
Abstract
Abstract Ocean sustainability initiatives – in research, policy, management and development – will be more effective in delivering comprehensive benefits when they proactively engage with, invest in and use social knowledge. We synthesize five intervention areas for social engagement and collaboration with marine social scientists, and in doing so we appeal to all ocean science disciplines and non-academics working in ocean initiatives in industry, government, funding agencies and civil society. The five social intervention areas are: (1) Using ethics to guide decision-making, (2) Improving governance, (3) Aligning human behavior with goals and values, (4) Addressing impacts on people, and (5) Building transdisciplinary partnerships and co-producing sustainability transformation pathways. These focal areas can guide the four phases of most ocean sustainability initiatives (Intention, Design, Implementation, Evaluation) to improve social benefits and avoid harm. Early integration of social knowledge from the five areas during intention setting and design phases offers the deepest potential for delivering benefits. Later stage collaborations can leverage opportunities in existing projects to reflect and learn while improving impact assessments, transparency and reporting for future activities.
