Advancing ocean literacy from awareness to action requires embedding it across education, governance, and communities to enable informed and sustainable ocean decision-making
Oceans, covering over 70 percent of Earth’s surface, are vital to sustaining life and the planet. They provide food, oxygen, and energy; regulate climate; support livelihoods for millions; sustain biodiversity; facilitate maritime trade; and underpin key economic systems. Yet public understanding of their central role in society and its governance remains limited. This gap has driven growing global interest and research in ocean literacy.
Ocean literacy is understanding how the oceans influence humankind and how human activities impact ocean systems. It encompasses not only scientific knowledge but also behavioural change, policy awareness, and civic engagement. Ocean literacy programmes target young people, recognising their role as both current and future decision-makers.
Ocean literacy is understanding how the oceans influence humankind and how human activities impact ocean systems.
However, advancing ocean literacy must go beyond mere awareness-building and require systemic integration into education, governance, and public engagement. While its principles may be universal, they need to be adapted to reflect local realities, shaped by diverse social, cultural, and ecological contexts. This raises the question of how ocean literacy can support better decisions and build shared responsibility for protecting and governing the oceans.
Ocean literacy has gained support through the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–30) and Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water), both of which are recognised as cross-cutting priorities for bridging the gap between ocean science and society. Additionally, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) have also advanced ocean literacy frameworks, toolkits, and partnerships.
Globally, ocean literacy efforts are integrated into the education ecosystem, supported by capacity-building platforms, and adapted to regional contexts. The IOC-led OceanTeacher Global Academy is the main global capacity-building and training platform, operating through 17 regional centres across continents in countries such as Fiji, Ghana, Ecuador, Brazil, Kenya, India, and Colombia, with over 15,000 global users on its platform.
The UNESCO-IOC programme Ocean Literacy With All works to build an inclusive global movement by connecting governments, academia, and civil society, especially through Ocean Literacy Dialogues, a series of open, worldwide participatory events. Similarly, the Blue School Global Network combines ocean learning with the school’s academic syllabus as a ‘blue curriculum’ to encourage active citizenship through community-linked projects. There are currently 18 official Blue School Networks in 17 countries and the European Union. The network itself has 1,261 schools, 8,400 students, and 2,240 teachers, demonstrating range and impact.
The International Ocean Institute’s IOI Ocean Academy provides training in ocean governance and literacy as part of the UN Ocean Decade. Collaborations between UNESCO-IOC and the Prada Group, such as Sea Beyond, bring together science, culture, and outreach to engage students and professionals. The partnership also runs Kindergarten of the Lagoon for children aged 4–6 and organised the first-ever Ocean Literacy World Conference in Venice in June 2024. Their Blue Thread network also connects different stakeholders working towards ocean sustainability. Another initiative, the Ocean Literacy Across Languages, supports Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOP) by making ocean knowledge more accessible across languages and empowering them to become new ocean leaders. The Ocean Literacy for All Toolkit helps integrate ocean literacy into education and policy, while initiatives such as Young Blue Minds and Save the Wave turn awareness into action.
Ocean-related themes should be integrated across school and university syllabi beyond science, across disciplines such as economics, governance, and sustainability studies.
Regional initiatives highlight why ocean literacy must reflect local realities. The IOC Sub-Commission for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions (IOCARIBE) Ocean Literacy Programme, focused on Latin America and the Caribbean, links ocean learning to sectors such as fisheries, tourism, and indigenous participation. Similarly, networks such as the European Blue Schools Network and the All-Atlantic Blue Schools Network encourage shared, cross-country collaboration. Moreover, the European Ocean Coalition works around three components: i) EU4Ocean platform for organisations and individuals engaged in ocean literacy initiatives; ii) Youth4Ocean for groups aged 16–30; and iii) Network of European Blue Schools for schools, teachers and staff of education services from all subjects. Likewise, the Ocean Literacy Task Team fuses science, traditional knowledge, and communities.
At the national level, approaches vary widely. In India, the Young Environmentalists Programme and UNESCO Green Citizen Project reflect a community-driven, hands-on approach, with indirect support from national programmes such as the Deep Ocean Mission and MISHTI (Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes), which build awareness around marine ecosystems and climate resilience. India has also actively contributed to the UN Ocean Decade in many ways, including through ECOP. Brazil and Portugal have pioneered the integration of ocean literacy into formal education systems, while South Africa and South Korea are developing programmes aligned with global frameworks. Australia’s Blue Minds Youth Ocean Leadership further highlights the growing role of young people in shaping ocean sustainability.
Despite global momentum, ocean literacy faces several challenges due to a fragmented approach. As efforts are spread across education, environment, fisheries, and industry, the scope for coordination is limited, hindering seamless programme implementation. Moreover, complex and technical ocean knowledge may not be easily understood or used in everyday decisions. As a result, awareness does not always lead to real behavioural change, such as reducing pollution or adopting more sustainable habits.
Coastal and indigenous communities hold deep, experience-based knowledge of marine ecosystems, tides, and seasonal cycles.
Access is another major challenge. Marine data, research, and learning resources are often unevenly available, limiting engagement with ocean literacy in many regions. Local and indigenous knowledge, which can offer valuable insights into the management of marine ecosystems, is also often overlooked. At the same time, ocean literacy efforts tend to focus on coastal areas and urban regions, which may leave out inland populations whose everyday choices and waste disposal could still have a significant impact on the oceans.
These challenges show that ocean literacy cannot be limited to sharing information or creating awareness; it must be built into everyday lived experiences. These issues are accentuated in the Global South, where developmental priorities take precedence. Moreover, although coastal communities in emerging economies depend heavily on the oceans for their livelihoods, they are often excluded from decision-making and formal knowledge systems, underscoring the need for more inclusive, locally relevant approaches to ocean literacy.
Ocean-related themes should be integrated across school and university syllabi beyond science, across disciplines such as economics, governance, and sustainability studies. Models such as the Blue Schools Global Network demonstrate how experiential, project-based learning can connect classrooms with coastal realities. In India, this approach could be adapted through the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), which publishes school textbooks, develops national curricula, and assists central and state governments and state education boards on education policies. This can help link local coastal ecosystems, such as mangroves in the Sundarbans or coral systems in Lakshadweep, with classroom learning. Aligning these efforts with the National Education Policy 2020, targeted capacity-building initiatives for both teachers and students at school and higher education levels can also help raise parental awareness of career alternatives in ocean-related fields, facilitating future employment opportunities. Such alignment requires cross-ministerial and institutional commitment to close structural gaps and prevent fragmented implementation.
Ocean literacy must go beyond formal institutions through bottom-up approaches, public campaigns in regional languages, maritime heritage preservation, and community-led initiatives. Global programmes such as Sea Beyond have shown how storytelling and media can scale awareness. India must adopt this approach in its coastal missions, such as the World Bank’s US$ 212.64 million Strengthening Coastal Resilience and the Economy (SHORE) Project in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka that empowers local communities. Ocean literacy efforts could also be bolstered through tourism; for example, the Lighthouse Festival in Andhra Pradesh, which involves fisher communities, women, and young people.
Coastal and indigenous communities hold deep, experience-based knowledge of marine ecosystems, tides, and seasonal cycles. Ocean literacy values these insights alongside scientific data, helping communities and policymakers make informed decisions. For example, Pacific indigenous communities combine traditional knowledge of fish behaviour with scientific monitoring to ensure sustainable management of marine protected areas. In India, generational lived experiences of fishers across its vast coastline can similarly be integrated into coastal zone management and conservation programmes, recognising them as knowledge holders and active contributors to sustainable ocean governance.
Digital tools, citizen science platforms, and open-access marine data can make ocean knowledge accessible and enable participatory governance. Platforms such as eOceans help individuals record marine species sightings, track pollution, and contribute real-time data that inform conservation and policy decisions. Capacity-building platforms such as the OceanTeacher Global Academy also illustrate how technical literacy can be scaled across regions. India’s Ocean Eyes mobile app lets users log marine biodiversity observations, feeding into a national database, the Indian Ocean Biodiversity Information System (IndOBIS), making data collection inclusive and engaging. However, its effectiveness is yet to be fully ascertained. The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services’ initiative also aims to equip fishermen with sensors and satellite data to support ocean research. Ocean literacy must be embedded within broader development frameworks and master plans to strengthen climate action, disaster risk reduction, and blue economy strategies, aiding decision-making.
Digital tools, citizen science platforms, and open-access marine data can make ocean knowledge accessible and enable participatory governance.
Ocean literacy must go beyond ideas to practice, helping communities better understand the ocean, influence policies, and turn knowledge into action. Continuing to engage young people from an early age will be critical, as they will eventually play a key role in building a more sustainable future for the oceans. For India, this also presents an opportunity to improve the management of its oceans and maritime sector while contributing a stronger, more inclusive voice to global discussions on ocean literacy from the Global South.
Anusha Kesarkar Gavankar is a Senior Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation.
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Dr. Anusha Kesarkar-Gavankar is Senior Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation. Her research spans the maritime economy, with a focus on sustainability, infrastructure, port-led development, ...
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