Why ocean literacy is important in the fight against climate change, overfishing and pollution

This is a sponsored article from SustainabilityTracker.com member Marine Stewardship Council.

Our ocean is facing a triple threat of climate change, overfishing and pollution. Ocean literacy ensures that our future leaders and shoppers are equipped with the knowledge to continue the fight to protect our ocean.

The ocean covers more than 70% of the planet’s surface, regulating the climate, and supplying half the oxygen we need to survive.

Our ocean hosts 80% of the world’s biodiversity. Much of this life is essential to sustain people’s livelihoods and ensure food security as millions rely on fish as their primary source of protein.

However, our ocean is also in crisis. It is being threatened by pollution such as abandoned fishing nets, overfishing, and the effects of climate change.

With a growing world population, it is important we protect the future of seafood, for people and the planet.

Driving meaningful action through education

We’ve all heard about the ‘x y z problems facing the ocean’ or ‘the 5 solutions that will save the ocean’ – the urgency is there, and it can be overwhelming, especially for young minds.

By sharing the successes based on real action, we’re able to demonstrate real success stories that inspires and excites young minds to come forward.

This is especially important as we face a Gen Z reckoning where young people will increasingly only put their faith in companies that are acting for a better planet.

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an international non-profit on a mission to end overfishing and ensure we have fish forever. We do this by setting standards for sustainable fishing and assurance within the global seafood supply chain.

But we’re also focusing on building ocean literacy with students, teachers, and parents.

In fact, a key objective of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development is to boost ocean literacy in the formal education sector. The aim is to create a new generation of ocean leaders by 2030.

Ocean literacy is defined as “an understanding of the ocean’s influence on you and your influence on the ocean”.

The 7 principles of ocean literacy:

1. The Earth has one big ocean with many features
2. The ocean and life in the ocean shape the features of Earth
3. The ocean is a major influence on weather and climate
4. The ocean made the Earth habitable
5. The ocean supports a great diversity of life and ecosystems
6. The ocean and humans are inextricably interconnected
7. The ocean is largely unexplored

Being ocean literate means:

• Understanding the importance of the ocean
• Being able to effectively communicate about the ocean
• Acting as a conscious ocean citizen and advocate

In a world where our ocean is in crisis and where ocean misinformation is prevalent, the MSC offers free to use curriculum-aligned learning resources to advance ocean literacy and inspire the next generation to become conscious leaders and consumers.

Discover more by visiting the MSC’s sustainability profile or our website.

This is an article from a SustainabilityTracker.com Member. The views and opinions we express here don’t necessarily reflect our organisation.