Joint statement of the civil society for the Political Declaration of the UN Ocean Conference 2022

Right to Science and an Ethnic and Local Approach to Ocean Literacy

With the aim of contributing to the draft of the political Declaration “Our ocean, our future, our responsibility” at the UN Ocean Conference, the undersigned organizations and individuals request the Heads of State and Government and high-level representatives to include the recognition of the right to benefit from science and its applications (further referred to as 'right to science' for the purposes of this statement), and the acknowledgment of an ethnic and local approach to ocean literacy.

Right to science

Although there has been a greater incorporation of progressive language and ideas in the Declaration during these years of preparation for the Conference, there is one key concept that is still missing: the right to science as the basis for achieving sustainable and equitable use of the oceans (SDG 14).

The right to science is underpinned in article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and article 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Its content has been specified in the General Comment No. 25 on Science and Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR). This is a right closely linked to other rights, such as the right to a healthy environment, water and sanitation, work, freedom of movement, food security and food sovereignty (cross-cutting in other SDGs).

Due to the UN Ocean Conference has been called to support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the draft of the political Declaration of the Conference calls on States to scale up ocean action must be based on science and innovation, a social and human rights approach should be considered, based on which the right to science is fundamental to achieve the sustainable use of the oceans (SDG 14).

The right to science, based on the various types of knowledge, is a pillar for the sustainable use of the oceans to be equitable. That is why access to science and its applications must be linked to the social target of the SDG: provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine biodiversity (target 14.b of the SDG 14 ). The right to science must catalyze access to sustainable and equitable use of the oceans for small-scale artisanal fishers.

In this regard, we claim the paragraphs below to be added in the Declaration:

We recognize that guaranteeing the right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications, “right to science” [Based on Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; Article 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; General Comment No. 25 on Science and Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR)] is a fundamental pillar to achieve access to sustainable and equitable use of the oceans for all.

Add in paragraph 11.b of the Declaration:

As stated in SDG 14, ‘saving our ocean must remain a priority.’ The achievement of target 14.b, about providing access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine biodiversity, must be based on scientific knowledge and science innovations that underpin conservation and sustainable use of the ocean. Meeting the needs of local communities and ensuring sustainable use of marine biodiversity must also be based on up to date scientific knowledge as well as traditional knowledge.

An ethnic and local approach for ocean literacy

Ocean literacy (OL) can be a pivotal transformative and empowering factor to make social changes and to ensure access to sustainable and equitable use of the oceans. For that purpose, the aim of OL is to provide scientific based knowledge and tools that can serve as a basis for an informed environmental participation of communities in the decision-making process, an awareness of the importance to keep an ecological balance in the relationship between communities and the ecosystems, and a positive transformation of local practices, toward a better future.

We strongly believe that communities, especially Indigenous People, Ethnic Communities, as well as small-scale fisher communities, not only shall have access to scientific information, but also, they could share their ancestral and traditional knowledge about the oceans to benefit all of us. Ultimately, those who know the better the ocean are those who have built an interdependent and ancestral relationship with them, and who depend on the seas for their cultural and life survival.

In view of the above, we claim the paragraph below to be added in the Declaration:

Add in paragraph 12.g

Ocean literacy must consider the traditional knowledge of those who have built an interdependent and ancestral relationship with the oceans, and their cultural and life survival relies on their conservation and sustainable use, such us Indigenous Peoples, Ethnic Communities, and artisanal fishing communities.

With due consideration, signed by the below.

List of signatories (this list is being updated daily)

Achinthi Vithanage (United States)

Alejandra Serrano Pavón (Mexico)

Alejandro Villarreal Gomez (Colombia)

Alianza de Derecho Ambiental y Agua (ADA2) (Guatemala)

Alberto Gómez Barreiro (Uruguay)

Amalia María Cano-Castaño (Colombia)

Ana Lucía Maya Aguirre (Colombia)

Asociación Ambiente y Sociedad (Colombia)

Asociación de Conservación Ambiental y Ecoturismo (Colombia)

Aquatic Life Institute (Spain)

Bay Islands Conservation Association (Honduras)

CASA MiNKA (Colombia)

Center for Public Health and Environmental Development (CEPHED) (Nepal)

Cláudio LS Sampaio (Brazil)

Community Legal Education Center (Cambodia)

Community Resource Centre (CRC) (Thailand)

CoopeSoliDar R.L (Costa Rica)

Dadang Trisasongko (Indonesia)

Daniëlla Dam-de Jong (Netherlands)

Dr. Sabaa Ahmad Khan (Canada)

Dr. Juan José Alava, Principal Investigator, Ocean Pollution Research Unit (OPRU). Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, The University of British Columbia (Canada)

Faisury Cardona Guerrero (Colombia)

Felix Nana Kofi Ofori (United Kingdom)

Fundación Coriácea (Colombia)

Green Advocates International (Liberia)

Héctor Herrera (Colombia)

Heidy Hernandez (Colombia)

Instituto de Derecho Ambiental de Honduras (IDAMHO) (Costa Rica)

James Gardner-Hopkins (New Zealand)

Jose Alejandro Machado (Colombia)

Jeanette de Noack (Guatemala)

Juan Rodrigo Walsh (Argentina)

Justice Institute (Guyana)

Karen Hulme (United Kingdom)

Kerry Bannigan - Fashion Impact Find (USA)

Libertad Chavez-Rodriguez (Mexico)

Luis Fernando Sánchez Supelano, Profesor Universidad Nacional de Colombia (Colombia)

Luis Javier Vicente Castilla De La Hoz (Colombia)

Lina Malagón Díaz (United Kingdom)

Ma. Nikka Andrea Oquias (Philippines)

Marcela Celis (Colombia)

Maria Cristina Fossi MED SDSN University of Siena (Italia)

Mauricio Hostim Silva - Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (Brazil)

Melany Velásquez Lozano (Colombia)

Melinda Janki (Guyana)

Melina Soto - Healthy Reefs for Healthy People (Mesoamerican Reef System)

Minerva Rosette Perezvargas (Mexico)

Observatorio para la Gobernanza Marino Costera (Colombia)

Patricia A. Parkinson (Fiji)

Professor Richard Steiner, Oasis Earth (Anchorage Alaska USA)

Reacción Climática (Bolivia)

Rhea Yray-Frossard (Philippines)

Richard K Kamng'oror (Kenya)

Rose-Liza Eisma-Osorio (Philippines)

Saiyeed Jakaria Baksh Imran (Bangladesh)

Sandro Jorge (Mozambique)

Sebastián Rubiano Galvis (Colombia)

Sebastián Smart (Chile)

Sor.Rattanamanee Polkla (Thailand)

Paulo Ilich Bacca (Colombia)

Tania Bula (Colombia)

Tarique Faiyaz (India)

Thaissa Meira (Brazil)

The Ocean Foundation (USA)

Vivienne Solis Rivera (Costa Rica)

Youth Building The Future Global (Mexico)

Université des Antilles (France, Martinique)

Uso Inteligente ASV AC (Mexico)