GES4SEAS MOOCs

While the GES4SEAS project is in its phase of disseminating its results, we will post some of the achievements here as well. We hope, you will find this material useful as well. GES4SEAS starts with some training sessions for a new software that is being developed.

Curious? Here's the […]

Over the past months and years, we have published 6️⃣ MOOCs about different topics that the GES4SEAS project is working on. It was a great experience and we hope you enjoyed them! Also we have leanred a lot during that time.

If you want to review some of them, you can always go back and look […]

With this #oceanpositive message we close our #GES4SEAS MOOC series thanking you all for having followed us during these weeks!
#OceanOptimism

These #OceanLiteracy initiatives involving young generations &
growing evidence of the positive impact of ocean‑related policies
give us #OceanOptimism to keep advancing science and sharing knowledge across all sectors
from society and research to industry and policy

The Network of European Blue Schools is promoting the inclusion of the ocean in school curricula, enabling schools to obtain the European Blue School Certification. To date, more than 500 schools have already been certified […]

[Original post on fediscience.org]

#OceanLiteracy is the way forward to increase knowledge and turn that knowledge into action
Happily, national and international #OceanLiteracy initiatives have grown around the world such as @UNOceanDecade, @NOAAeducation, @IocUNESCO, @eurogoos, @EMSEAM […]

Jacques Ives Cousteau once said that
“We only protect what we love,
we only love what we understand, and
we only understand what we are taught.”
#GES4SEAS #MOOC #oceanoptimism

We are ending this #GES4SEAS #MOOC
During one month, you have seen that:
- We have the #policies,
- We have the #science,
- We need the #society, ...
- We need you to change the narrative about the #ocean in communication!
We need #OceanOptimism

and (4) Ocean-based solutions for #climatechange mitigation and adaptation
#MarineEcology #Research
Here, a roadmap for the European Union on nature-based solutions
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1462901121000897

(3) There are more and more solutions for #marinelitter
#MarineEcology #Research
See some examples here
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X21000609

(2) Ecosystem #restoration, with the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration and the approval of the European Nature Restoration Regulation, intending to achieve good condition (30% by 2030, 60% by 2040, 90% by 2050)
#MarineEcology #Research
See this […]

(1) Sustainable food from the ocean, with many examples of better management of #fishstocks, limits to #aquaculture in inadequate locations, etc.
#MarineEcology #Research
Look at some examples
https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/fee.2002

Hence, we need to balance our narrative about the future of the ocean.
A few years ago, we published a paper prioritizing topics for a positive action from media, scientists and society.
#GES4SEAS #MOOC #oceanoptimism
#MarineEcology #Research
Find it here […]

We will repost and comment your examples, which can serve to others to take action!
Help us to expand the good news about the #ocean and promote a change of narrative
#GES4SEAS needs you!
Comment here, provide your examples, repost and come to the last 2 days of the #MOOC
#MarineEcology #Research

After the examples shown past 3 weeks, show yours with success #restoring, #recovering or achieving good sea health
They can be based on good #management practices, societal engagement or any other measure allowing good news
#GES4SEAS #MOOC #oceanoptimism
#MarineEcology #Research […]

In Europe, this is translated into the Nature Restoration Regulation,
The target is recover 20% of the sea by 2030, and all ecosystems by 2050.
See you next week, with more hope for the #ocean
#GES4SEAS #MOOC #oceanoptimism […]

UN Decade on Restoration Ecosystem restoration generates tangible benefits for food and water security, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and can prevent conflict and migration triggered by environmental degradation.

At the same time, we have the UN Decade on Ecosystems Restoration 2021-2030,
This is to prevent, halt and reverse loss of nature and #biodiversity #GenerationRestoration
#GES4SEAS #MOOC #oceanoptimism
https://www.decadeonrestoration.org/

There are plenty of actions to study the ocean, including mapping the #seabed, #eDNA expeditions, satellite observations, #bluecarbon studies, etc.
#GES4SEAS #MOOC #oceanoptimism
https://oceandecade.org/decade-actions/

Ocean Decade – The Science We Need For The Ocean We Want The Ocean Decade is a 10-year framework initiative to identify, generate and use critical ocean knowledge to manage the ocean sustainably.

All the examples we have seen up to now are supported by good science.
We have the UN Decade of the Oceans 2021-2030 "The science we need for the ocean we want" to do this good science
@UNOceanDecade
#GES4SEAS #MOOC #oceanoptimism
https://oceandecade.org/

this screenshot, from the Protected Planet, shows the current situation of MPAs, you can navigate there

You can discover the #MPAs in the world, and their status, using this link of Protected Planet, where 16,805 MPAs are presented
https://www.protectedplanet.net/en/thematic-areas/marine-protected-areas
#GES4SEAS #MOOC #oceanoptimism
#MarineEcology #Research

this graph, from the Marine Protected Atlas, shows the growth in marine protected areas coverage, globally

...in recent years the increase in the marine areas protected is impressive, and we have near 3 times the surface protected 10 years ago
#GES4SEAS #MOOC #oceanoptimism
#MarineEcology #Research

this table, from the Marine Protection Atlas, shows the status of the marine protection areas in the world

Implemented and designated Marine Protected Areas #MPAs occupy >23 M km2 and there are >10 M km2 proposed.
We are still far from the objective of 30% but….
#GES4SEAS #MOOC #oceanoptimism
#MarineEcology #Research

Home The Marine Protection Atlas (MPAtlas.org) was created by the Marine Conservation Institute to more effectively communicate levels of marine protection worldwide.

More hope for #ocean
The Marine Protection Atlas measures progress toward protecting 30% of the #ocean in fully and highly protected areas by 2030.
As of today, 9.6% of the ocean is protected and 3.2% is highly protected.
#GES4SEAS #MOOC #oceanoptimism
#MarineEcology #Research
https://mpatlas.org/

these graphs, from Duarte et al in Nature, in 2020, show the recovery projections for assessed fish stocks

These authors consider that rebuilding marine life by 2050 is an achievable challenge for science and society
This requires action to reduce #pressures and #climatechange, safeguarding places of remaining abundance, and recovering depleted populations and […]

[Original post on fediscience.org]

these graphs from Duarte et al, in Nature in 2020, show the status of fish stocks, marine mammals populations and some recovery trends

Also, Duarte et al show the recovery trends of marine populations,
For example, assessed fish stocks and marine mammals, with clear recovery
They show many examples of hope, if management is adequately undertaken
#GES4SEAS #MOOC #oceanoptimism #MarineEcology #Research

this graph from Duarte et al, in Nature in 2020, shows the global increase in marine protected areas and the restoration projects on coral reefs, mangroves, seagrasses, etc.

These authors show the global growth of restoration interventions,
These have been done in #MPAs Marine Protected Areas, #coral and oyster reefs, #saltmarshes, #mangroves, kelps and #seagrasses
There is a clear increase of recovery in recent years
#GES4SEAS […]

[Original post on fediscience.org]

We follow with our previous comment on rebuilding sea life
Duarte et al (in Nature, in 2020) think that sustainably use of the #ocean requires this rebuilding
Recovery of #habitats and ecosystems following past #conservation interventions
#GES4SEAS #MOOC #oceanoptimism #MarineEcology #Research […]

Rebuilding marine life - Nature Analyses of the recovery of marine populations, habitats and ecosystems following past conservation interventions indicate that substantial recovery of the abundance, structure and function of marine life could be achieved by 2050 if major pressures, including climate change, are mitigated.

So, rebuilding marine life is possible
#Recovery rates across studies suggest that substantial recovery of the #abundance, structure and #function of marine life could be achieved by 2050, if major pressures, including #climatechange, are mitigated
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2146-7

infographics showing some of the most important pressures at sea. After removing some of them, ecosystems can recover, as seagrass

The most important reasons for this reversal in seagrass abundance are, #management measures, including habitat #restoration, seagrass transplant, #eutrophication reduction, among several others
Hence, it can be done!

graph showing the seagrass reversal in Europe in recent decades

Since then, loss rates slowed down for most species and fast-growing species recovered in some locations
This resulted in a net rate of change in #seagrass area, experiencing a reversal in the 2000s, in Europe