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Creative Communications

Creative Communications

Making the unseen impacts of climate-ocean change seen and emotionally felt

If not now, when?

We underpin our science and policy work with creative communications projects that offer our members and partners new and needed ways to increase awareness and visibility of ocean acidification as a climate-ocean impact; as well as calling for an ambitious response,

Social-psychological research shows that simply generating knowledge and awareness toward protecting the environment—including the ocean—very rarely produces behavior change. Our projects are designed to appeal to the emotional resonance of OA and climate-ocean issues, which are more likely to engage our constituencies in new behavior.

Time is of the essence. Science is telling us that we’ve reached a point of no return. The OA Alliance has been at the forefront between OA science and policy action. We know urgent action is needed and our current communications efforts are taking us only so far. Projects under this programme are increasing the reach of our messages, complementing our existing science-to-policy communications efforts. 

We are thinking outside of the box, appealing to the one aspect that unites us all: emotions.

“The stronger a person's emotional reaction, the more likely that person will engage in a new behavior”. Kollmuss and Agyeman (2002)

Our objectives include

Clearly communicate ocean acidification and explain it within the context of climate change and its multiple impacts, including ocean warming and oxygen loss.

Clearly communicate that climate-ocean impacts are affecting people globally and locally.

Turn OA knowledge into action by showcasing the many opportunities for mitigation, preparedness, and response happening within our network.

why?

  • Most people do not understand that the ocean is the Earth’s climate regulator and functions as the largest carbon sink and heat absorber.  Most larger ocean NGOs, and most climate-ocean policy makers, do not understand the direct impact of CO2and GHG emissions on our ocean, or the consequences for ecosystems, species and human communities.

  • 70% of all OA knowledge is currently produced in N. America and European countries, demonstrating a huge equity gap when it comes to taking effective action. 

  • The OA Alliance unites a network of government and non-government members who are committed to take climate-ocean action, including tangible ocean acidification projects. We want to provide a platform to showcase their work to inspire understanding, emotional resonance, and change.

  • The correlation between knowledge and behavior change is demonstrably surprisingly low. (source)

  • UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water) is the least funded Sustainable Development Goal, which shows a lack of relevance and urgency.  We must draw attention to SDG target 14.3 “to minimize and reduce the effects of ocean acidification” along with the policy and funding ambition needed to achieve it.

How?

We underpin our science and policy work with creative communications projects that offer our members and partners new and needed ways to increase awareness and visibility of ocean acidification as a climate-ocean impact; as well as calling for an ambitious response,