Delivering Critical Ocean Literacy Initiatives in the Framework of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development

The United Nations proclaimed the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (Ocean Decade) from 2021 to 2030 with a vision of “the science we need for the Ocean we want” for which the Ocean Decade provides a common framework for diverse stakeholders to generate and use Ocean knowledge to contribute to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As success of the Ocean Decade depends on public understanding of the Ocean, the Ocean Literacy (OL) programme of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (UNESCO-IOC) has designed a comprehensive approach that encompasses research, capacity building, project incubation, networking, resource development and programme coordination and has launched several OL initiatives to connect education policies and practices that enhance understanding and transform knowledge into action. This chapter discusses how OL initiatives led by UNESCO-IOC effectively engage different stakeholders through the use of different approaches, methods, and formats. While there is clear evidence of OL’s profound potential to drive positive action for the Ocean, accurately quantifying its impact and tracing direct links between Ocean awareness and behaviour change remains a complex task that requires further research.