The importance of ocean literacy in the Global South as a tool for conflict transformation towards sustainability

• Grant number: 24/08367-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: March 01, 2025
• End date: February 28, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Ronaldo Adriano Christofoletti
• Grantee: Gabriela Jeremias Pereira Teixeira
• Host Institution: Instituto do Mar (IMar). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Baixada Santista. Santos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 19/24416-8 - Ocean sustainability pathways for achieving conflict transformation (OCEANS PACT), AP.R

Abstract

The world is experiencing a climate and biodiversity crisis, where it is essential to build paths of transformation, highlighting the importance of joint and transformative action from all sectors of society to achieve sustainable development, as established by the 2030 Agenda and the UN's Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030). In this proposal, we will investigate the role of ocean literacy in the Global South as a tool for conflict transformation towards sustainability. The project will be based on data from the Global South Ocean Literacy Network, led by Brazil and involving over 30 countries from the Global South (Central and South America, Africa, Asia) and with special views for the South Atlantic, comparing data from Brazil, Angola and the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP)/Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries (Namibia/Timor-Leste). This project aligns with the findings of ongoing projects studying on pathways for transforming small scale fishing conflicts in different countries (OceansPact FAPESP Belmont Forum) and on the links between transformation of coastal conflicts and global agendas (FAPESP Biota Transformation). This proposal will expand knowledge beyond small scale fishing and focusing on the role of ocean literacy, as a transformative science that integrates scientific, traditional, and indigenous knowledge, promoting diversity and looking for solutions to current problems through understanding our relationship with the ocean. In this proposal, we aim to understand the priorities, challenges, and potentials for ocean literacy at local, regional and Global South scales, evaluating similarities, peculiarities of each place, and how they align with global planning, identifying pathways to promote ocean literacy in a Global South view. (AU)