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Principles for transformative ocean governance

Amanda T. Lombard*, Jai Clifford-Holmes, Victoria Goodall, Bernadette Snow, Hannah Truter, Patrick Vrancken, Peter J.S. Jones, Kevern Cochrane, Wesley Flannery, Christina Hicks, Lena Gipperth, Edward H. Allison, Daniela Diz, Kimberley Peters, Bolanle Erinosho, Phillip Levin, Paul Holthus, María Nube Szephegyi, Adnan Awad, Harrison GoloElisa Morgera

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

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Abstract

With a focus on oceans, we collaborated across ecological, social and legal disciplines to respond to the United Nations call for transformation in the ‘2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’. We developed a set of 13 principles that strategically and critically connect transformative ocean research to transformative ocean governance (complementing the UN Decade for Ocean Science). We used a rigorous, iterative and transparent consensus-building approach to define the principles, which can interact in supporting, neutral or sometimes conflicting ways. We recommend that the principles could be applied as a comprehensive set and discuss how to learn from their interactions, particularly those that reveal hidden tensions. The principles can bring and keep together partnerships for innovative ocean action. This action must respond to the many calls to reform current ocean-use practices which are based on economic growth models that have perpetuated inequities and fuelled conflict and environmental decline.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1587–1599
Number of pages13
JournalNature Sustainability
Volume6
Early online date7 Sept 2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 31 Dec 2023

Funding

Contributions by A.T.L. and P.V. were funded by the National Research Foundation’s (NRF) South African Research Chair’s Initiative (grant nos. 98574 and 85714, respectively). A.T.L., V.G., B.S. and H.T. also acknowledge the NRF Community of Practice grant in Marine Spatial Planning (grant no. 110612). Contributions by J.C.H., E.M., D.D., B.E. and H.G. were prepared under the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) One Ocean Hub (OOH). The OOH is a collaborative research project for sustainable development funded by UKRI through the GCRF (grant no. NE/S008950/1). GCRF is a key component in delivering the UK AID strategy and puts UK-led research at the heart of efforts to tackle the UN SDGs. P.J. was funded by the European Commission under the Monitoring and Evaluation of Spatially Managed Marine Areas project, as part of the Seventh Framework Programme, grant no. 226661 and received support from United Nations Environment Programme. C.H. received funding from the European Research Council Starting Grant (ERC grant number: 759457). E.H.A. was supported by donors to the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research Trust Fund, through the Resilient Aquatic Food Systems Initiative and by the Nippon Foundation’s Ocean Nexus Programme. All authors were funded to attend the initial TOG conference at Nelson Mandela University by the NRF grant held by P.V. (grant no. 85714).

Keywords

  • decision making
  • marine biology
  • ocean-use practices
  • ocean governance

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  • One Ocean Hub - 2019-24

    Wilson, D. (Principal Investigator)

    1/08/1931/03/24

    Project: Internally funded project

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