ONE OCEAN HUB

Issue 6/2024

ONE OCEAN HUB

TURNING THE TIDE

Customary tenure rights and social development should be at the heart of small-scale fisheries governance”: A reflection on the 2nd Small-Scale Fisheries Summit

How can academic researchers, UN agencies and civil society support small-scale fishers’ customary tenure rights, human rights and social development needs? This was the key question at the much anticipated event for the global small-scale fisheries sector, the 2^nd Small-Scale Fisheries Summit, which took place in Rome from 5-7 July 2024. Hub Deputy Director, Philile Mbatha, was invited to present at the Summit, which marked ten years since the FAO Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security (SSF Guidelines) were adopted.

By Philile Mbatha

UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development calls for including children in ocean governance and considering impacts of deep-seabed mining on future generations

Children should be involved in decisions concerning ocean governance to safeguard not only their rights, but also those of future generations. This recommendation has been put forward in the 2024 report on the right to development of children and future generations (para 47) just published by the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to development, Surya Deva. The statement relies on a One Ocean Hub submission prepared by Hub Director Elisa Morgera (University of Strathclyde, UK), Mia Strand (Nelson Mandela University, South Africa & Ocean Nexus, US) and Alana Malinde S.N. Lancaster (University of the West Indies, Barbados).

By Elisa Morgera

Information on climate change and human rights must include marine ecosystems

Access to information is necessary to support the resilience and adaptive capacities of people in vulnerable situations to respond to the adverse impacts of climate change; and for all to contribute to holistic, effective and inclusive decisions to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Such information must include climate change sources and effects, including on biodiversity and ecosystem services, weather and natural disaster patterns, as well as on impacts on human health, mobility, labour, social, economic and cultural rights, and the right to a healthy environment, in terrestrial, freshwater and marine contexts.

By Elisa Morgera

MAKING WAVES

2025 UN Ocean Conference: Recommending human rights-based action to conserve and sustainably use the ocean

The ocean is fundamental for the well-being and survival of the people and planet. It is, therefore, vitally important for the 2025 UN Ocean Conference to identify and implement urgent action to conserve and ensure sustainable use of the ocean, and support the implementation of SDG 14 (Life under water) through a human rights-based approach. The One Ocean Hub has submitted inputs in response to the Global Online Stakeholder Consultation on Ocean Action Panels for the 2025 UN Ocean Conference. The submission was prepared by Senia Febrica (University of Strathclyde, UK) with Nina Rivers (University of Strathclyde, UK), Stuart Jeffrey (Glasgow School of Art, UK), and Holly Niner and Giulia La Bianca (University of Plymouth, UK).

By Senia Febrica

Piloting future visions for Ghana’s ocean, coast and coastal communities

How to co-develop transformative future visions for Ghana’s ocean and coast in response to the threats of climate change, plastics pollution and overfishing? This blog post unpacks the findings from a report on a pilot process that collaboratively developed a transformative future vision for Ghana’s ocean and coast (Ghana is one of One Ocean Hub’s partner countries) with Hub researchers, coastal communities, civil society and government from Ghana.

By Nina Rivers and Bernadette Snow

Discussing the Human Rights Obligations of States at the Ocean-Climate Nexus

The international obligations of States to address climate change in ocean decision-making have implications for inter-generational climate justice and a wide range of ocean-dependent human rights. Hub researchers have been involved in two online dialogues to reflect on the relevance of the Advisory Opinion of the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea vis-à-vis the anticipated advisory opinions of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and International Court of Justice.

By By Alana Malinde S. N. Lancaster, Elisa Morgera, Mitchell Lennan & Senia Febrica

Contributing to UNEP course for multilateral environmental negotiators

Research findings on transformative ocean governance, and their relevance for biodiversity, climate and broader environmental science-policy interfaces, have helped develop the capacities of present and future international negotiators. Hub Director Elisa Morgera was invited to contribute to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) annual Course on Multilateral Environmental Agreement (MEA) Negotiations (Helsinki, 27 May – 6 June 2024), organised by the University of Eastern Finland (UEF).

By Elisa Morgera

New learning resources on the One Ocean Learn platform

Two new resources have been added to our One Ocean Learn platform: a new Learning Pathway ‘Understanding the Blue Economy’ on the objectives, ambiguities and challenges of the blue economy; and a new art exhibition ‘Island Abstractions ‘ on the vulnerability of island nations and their unique connections to the ocean.

By Milica Prokic

Building Momentum Towards More Coordinated Action Against Environmental Crimes

How can we develop an inclusive global strategy against transnational organised crime to prevent environmental damage and protect human rights? One Ocean Hub researcher, Alana Malinde S.N. Lancaster (The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, Barbados) explored these questions, as a Keynote Speaker at the First Strategic Expert Dialogue focusing on ‘Priorities for Multilateral Action Against Environmental Crime’ held on 18 July 2024.

By Alana Malinde S.N. Lancaster

Just published: Updating environmental decision making to take human rights into account

Any decisions that may negatively impact on marine biodiversity should observe precaution and fully assess and prevent foreseeable harm to biodiversity and dependent dimensions of human wellbeing that are protected as human rights. In a new commentary published in npj Ocean Sustainability, an interdisciplinary group of Hub researchers in ecosystem services, environmental governance, and deep-sea ecology at the University of Plymouth (Holly J. Niner, Kerry L. Howell and Siân E. Rees) and in law at Strathclyde University (Elisa Morgera and Andrea Longo), underscore that international developments on the human right to a healthy environment should prompt a rethink of how any environmental decisions that hold the potential to impact biodiversity are made.

Just published: Paper on climate change risk to Namibia’s diverse fisheries sectors

What are the key risks from climate change to Namibia’s various fisheries sectors and how could fisheries adapt to climate change? A brand-new One Ocean Hub paper has just been published, titled “Climate risk assessment of the fisheries in Namibia.” It is the outcome of a close collaboration between a twenty-one strong team of Hub researchers in Namibia, South Africa and the UK.

By Georg H. Engelhard

EARLY-CAREER RESEARCHERS

International recognition for arts-based research towards equitable ocean

Hub early-career researcher, Mia Strand (Nippon Fellow Ocean-Nexus Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Nelson Mandela University, South Africa/ University of Strathclyde, UK), is one of the 23 National Champions for the 2024 Frontiers Planet Prize. Mia’s research centres around arts-based knowledge co-production for more equitable ocean governance processes. Her research has focused on inclusive knowledge co-production processes, marine cultural heritage, and children’s human rights to a healthy ocean through re-imagined ocean literacies.

Exploring Interdisciplinary Connections: A Journey with the Scottish Graduate School for Arts & Humanities 2024 EARTH Scholarships

Research on the challenges faced by small-scale fisherwomen in Dube, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, was enriched by exchanges on ethics, politics, histories, political ecologies and human rights in Scotland. In April 2024, Hub researcher Aphiwe Moshani (University of Cape Town, South Africa) had the opportunity to participate in the British Council Scotland and the Scottish Graduate School for Arts & Humanities (SGSAH) EARTH Scholarships programme, joining a diverse cohort of 23 Scottish-based and international PhD scholars. This unique programme focusing on environmental arts and humanities provided a platform for interdisciplinary collaboration that deeply resonated with Aphiwe’s work as an early career researcher (ECR) with One Ocean Hub.

By Aphiwe Moshani

Spotlight on early-career researcher Kelly Hoareau

Q: What are the aspects of working in a collaborative environment such as the One Ocean Hub that you value the most?

A: The authentic and inclusive engagement with diverse groups of stakeholders and researchers across multiple countries. The challenges of today require innovative approaches, but these are difficult to envision. I think the Hub was given an opportunity to try something different and uncertain. This has allowed for an amazing opportunity for us to see how dynamic groups of people from different backgrounds and with different views can work together on complex ocean governance challenges to surface really innovative new ways of tackling these challenges that have local and global impacts. I think the inclusive approach of the Hub leadership and coordination team has allowed people to engage, contribute and learn, regardless of their capacity challenges, time constraints, and dynamic personal and professional circumstances.

Just published: The need to address knowledge hierarchies in ocean biodiversity governance and research

Quantified Western scientific knowledge is often treated as the most “rational” and “objective” form of knowledge, which contributes to marginalise non-Western, traditional, locally-situated, or Indigenous knowledge systems. One Ocean Hub early-career researchers have shed a light on this imbalance at the science-policy interface and on how it has led to the exclusion of certain communities from global governance processes, perpetuating inequitable and exclusive ocean practices.

By Holly Niner, David Wilson, Mia Strand and Kelly Hoareau

Podcast episode 6 | Part 2: The Island Stories: Colonial pasts and policies of the present

A new episode (E6 – Part 2) of the One Ocean Hub podcast series is now available online, where Hub researcher Alana Malinde Lancaster (University of West Indies, Barbados) and Hub early-career researcher Lysa Wini (University of Strathclyde, UK) delve deeper into the discussion on the Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Alana and Lysa discussed how islands, each with their own peculiarities, are connected through many similarities and the waters of our one ocean. They also discussed Lysa’s research with her own community in the Solomons Islands, and Alana’s ongoing work with the Inter-American Court of Human Rights on the ocean-climate nexus.

By Milica Prokic

PUBLICATIONS

Climate risk assessment of the fisheries in Namibia: Publication authored by Engelhard GH, Bova C, Gusha N, Harrod OJ, Kanyimba A, Khan U, Nghipangelwa S, Olwage E, Pinnegar JK, Potts W, Rivers N, Shakalela E, Snow B, Tshiningayamwe S, Unengu U, Veii A, Warikandwa TV, Wilhelm MR, Hyder K (2024) in Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries.

Read publication here >>

The novel notification information system for marine genetic resources under the BBNJ Agreement: Publication authored by Humphries, F., Jaspars, M., Lavelle, J. & Kachelriess, D. (Springer, forthcoming 2024) in Decoding governance marine genetic resource governance under the BBNJ Agreement.

Read publication here >>

Benefit sharing under the BBNJ Agreement in Practice: Publication authored by Lavelle, J. & Wynberg, R. (Springer, forthcoming 2024) in Decoding marine genetic resource governance under the BBNJ. Agreement.

Read publication here >>

Advancing the Southern African Marine Biodiversity Reference Image Collection: Publication authored by Adams L, Sink K, Shibe S, Rylands S, Sethebe K, Atkinson L, Franken M.L, Forgus, JJ, Nefdt L, Bernard A, Palmer R and Currie1 J. (2024)

Pending publication…

Reflections on the past, present, and potential futures of knowledge hierarchies in ocean biodiversity governance research: Publication authored by Niner, H.J.,Wilson, D., Hoareau, K., Strand, M., Whittingham, J., McGarry, D., Erinosho, B., Ibrahim,S., Tshiningayamwe, S., Febrica, S., Lancaster, A.M.S.N., Milica, P. (2024) in Frontiers in Marine Science 11

Read publication here >>

Connecting ecosystem services research and human rights to revamp the application of the precautionary principle: Publication authored by Niner, H.J., Morgera, E., Longo, A. et al. (2024) in npj Ocean Sustainability 3, 35

Read publication here >>

Pilot Project Report: Ghana Future Visions: Publication authored by Rivers, N., Snow,B., Strand, M., and Fernandes, M. (2024). in Pilot Project Report: Ghana Future Visions.

Read publication here >>

UPCOMING EVENTS

Child/Youth-Friendly Climate Justice: Progress and Opportunities Conference (Cork, 30 September – 1 October 2024)
Climate (In)justice: How Climate Change Affects Children’s Access to Justice (Brussels, 10-11 October 2024)
Masterclass Global Actors for Peace: “The Challenges of Climate Change” (Lille, 20 September 2024)
Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (21 October – 1 November 2024)

SEE EVENT DETAILS HERE >>

Resources

The ITLOS Advisory Opinion on Climate Change and the Law of the Sea: Impacts on Youth Climate Justice, International Law, and Human Rights

“World’s Youth for Climate Justice and One Ocean Hub hosted a webinar on 17 July to discuss ITLOS’ climate emergency opinion and its implications for youth climate justice, international law, and human rights, particularly in light of anticipated advisory opinions from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and International Court of Justice.”

Watch the event recording here >>

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One Ocean Hub is an independent programme for collaborative research for development, funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF). GCRF is a key component in delivering the UK AID strategy and puts UK-led research and the heart of efforts to tackle the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.