Webinar Ocean Literacy 1 | Unlocking Ocean Knowledge: Collaborative Pathways to Ocean Literacy

This webinar is the first one in a series of three Blue-Cloud 2026 Training Academy webinars on Ocean Literacy.

Ocean literacy is vital for sustainable ocean governance and tackling challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. It equips citizens, policymakers, and marine stakeholders with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions about the ocean.

As we enter the second half of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030), initiatives such as Blue-Cloud 2026 — which links ocean data with computing infrastructures — and the Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOP) Ocean Literacy Task Team —which mobilizes young professionals in ocean education and networking —play key roles in fostering ocean literacy.

Despite the abundance of ocean data, much remains inaccessible and scattered across various platforms. To unlock its full value, improving observation and modeling is crucial, but so is enhancing knowledge sharing and presenting data in engaging ways. Combining education with economic incentives can sustain interest and participation.

A critical goal is to ensure marine data is not only accessible but also clearly understood and effectively used to support ocean-related policies. Ocean data reveals the ocean’s ecological, economic, and social contributions beyond just extractive value. Engaging policymakers, especially at local levels in developing countries, and involving educators through citizen science can promote responsible ocean stewardship.

This webinar will count with representatives from Blue-Cloud 2026 and ECOP Programme Ocean Literacy Task Team. The first will demonstrate how it is advancing marine science in Europe, through its Hackathon European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) and other key initiatives such as the EU Green Deal and Digital Twin of the Ocean. The latter will present global examples and use-cases of how to improve ocean literacy across different stakeholder groups.

Who should attend?

• Ocean professionals (scientists, data managers, educators).
• Policymakers and civil society stakeholders.
• Students and early career researchers.
• NGOs and international organizations.
• General public interested in ocean issues.

Why should you attend?

• Showcase innovative approaches to ocean literacy from leading EU and global initiatives.
• Highlight the synergies between open ocean data, digital tools, and education.
• Foster collaboration between science, policy, and society through shared ocean knowledge.

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Agenda

Friday 12 December 2025; 15.00-16:30 CET.

*About Ocean Literacy

Ocean literacy is defined as an understanding of the ocean’s influence on you, and your influence on the ocean. Ocean literacy is a way not only to increase the awareness of the public about the ocean, but it is as an approach to encourage all citizens and stakeholders to have a more responsible and informed behaviour towards the ocean and its resources (Source: UNESCO).

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