An Ocean of Possibilities

Healthy, life-filled oceans are the bedrock of human well-being and the resilience of our societies. Their existence is valuable in itself and of its own right, deserving of respect and protection. Safeguarding and regenerating these marine ecosystems requires the collective wisdom and action of all. Together, through enabling policies, fair incentives, and inclusive governance, we can protect and regenerate the marine ecosystems that sustain life for generations to come.

Justice does not stop where the ocean starts. It requires a space for civil society, youth, local communities, and ocean-dependent people to shape decisions that affect their lives. We must recognise and uphold the rights, knowledge, and leadership of Indigenous peoples, local communities, including island communities, small-scale ocean actors, and all marginalised groups. Benefit-sharing must be concrete, inclusive, and not rhetorical.

Declarations gain power when they build courage and result in action that delivers real-world impact based on the promises made. An emerging new culture of accountability has to hold governments, businesses, and civil society responsible for their commitments and responsibilities. Accountability must be differentiated and fair, and reporting should empower, not burden, those who have the least.

The ocean must be restored, not further transformed. Yet, some socio-economic and political systems do need transformation. Instead of centering exploitation and extraction, these systems must be rooted in care, regeneration and interdependence. Ending the practices destructive to the ocean and nature, and preventing new ones from being developed, is not only vital for ecosystems, it is essential for restoring justice and protecting the lives and livelihoods of people who depend on the ocean most.

Education must be universal, inclusive, and reciprocal, where science meets and respects local and Indigenous knowledge, where teaching flows in all directions across generations. It can help people understand their connection to the ocean and why caring for it matters to our lives and the planet’s health. Capacity should be shared and not only built, recognising that everyone can contribute to the universal quest for knowledge, and has the right to shape the future. 

Ocean action must meet real human needs: food, jobs, identity, spirituality, tradition, sustainability, and dignity. Solutions exist to deliver ecological, social, economic, cultural well-being and health; and more can be thought of. Solutions that respect different worldviews, and honor diverse relationships with the ocean. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, thus we believe in plurality, in listening before designing, and in humility before expertise.

We must allow ourselves to think not only for now but for the coming decades and beyond, and not react to headlines. Much in the ocean remains undiscovered. Systems change can be rapid or slow, but it is necessary and calls on beyond our sole community to others whose actions could also be guided by the principles we defend. We shall refuse to be confined by the limits of today’s systems, language, or expectations. Let’s embrace creativity through art, culture, design, and trust they are a force for ocean regeneration.