Periodic Reporting for period 2 - EQUALSEA (Transformative adaptation towards ocean equity)
Reporting period: 2022-11-01 to 2024-04-30
Inequality is one of the key major social challenges of our time, with far-reaching ramifications for human well-being. Our oceans, which produce vital food, enable jobs and economic activities, and provide opportunities to shape cultures and identities of people, face unprecedented cumulative pressures from human activities and climate change due to industrialization of the seas. Although some researchers have explored ocean equity, significant gaps remain. Firstly, interdisciplinary approaches combining ecological and social sciences are fundamental to induce transformative changes towards ocean equality, but lacking. Secondly, there is a clear lack of data on different inequalities at seas for both small-scale and commercial fisheries. Thirdly, more than 4.3 billion people globally rely on fish as their major source of protein, but social, cultural and health factors which explain oceans inequalities remain largely unknown. Consequently, there is an urgent need for an interdisciplinary approach that addresses asymmetric social power relationships and concentration of capital assets and ownership of fishing rights focused on the most vulnerable groups. EQUALSEA will (a) develop a new transformative adaptation framework for ocean inequality, (b) identify multiple critical drivers which induce social tipping points dynamics and transformative changes across space and time, and (c) contribute to monitor progress towards ocean equity for local communities and top international organizations. To do this, I will combine modelling and simulation techniques and cross-case comparison to develop a typology of different inequalities tested in 20 MPAs and implemented for 3 in-depth case studies across Africa, Europe and Latin America. Together, the ontological framework and integration of modelling methods will significantly advance research on ocean inequality, developing the necessary tools to deliver sustainable impacts towards achieving equity for economies and societies.
The IP and the team developed several research tasks since the project started as described as follows:
Task. A global literature review on small-scale fisheries transformations.
During 2023, this task was framed in the PECS Working Group “Ocean Equity for Sustainable Futures”. To do so, an iterative process of consultation between working groups members was established in order to inform and agree on each step of the review. The CADIMA synthesis tool was used to coordinate this collective task and to allow each member to fully participate along the process. Currently, this task is on the data extraction process after screening relevant literature review, calibrating criteria and agreeing on a framework to analyze information. A PhD student (Jose Bakit) of the team is also conducting a global review to document historical transformations of the aquaculture sector.
Task. Data collection in fishing communities to measure ocean equity.
For this task, the team contributed to some activities especially prior to the application of the survey, as follows: a) Development of the Protocol for Data collection and Custody, b) Survey about the perceptions of inequalities, c) Application of the survey in the first MPA in Brazil).
The data collection in 4 MPAs in Brazil and 1 MPA in Cabo Verde (Africa) has been completed; the data collection of 1 MPA in Galicia (Spain, Europe) and 1 MPA n Ghana (Africa) will be conducted in the before February 2024. Once we develop the previous tasks, we will start with the statistical analysis of the data.
New indicators to measure ocean equity
The IP is leading the development of the Ocean Equity Index to measure ocean equity which will be an essential tool for policy makers worldwide. The tool will provide results at global level and also at regional and local levels in the case of Marine Protected Areas. For the first one, the team is collecting official data to construct the OEI which will be expected to be ready by the end of 2024 or early 2025. In addition, the team is also collecting data from the field in 25 MPAs around the world. We have already collected data for 12 MPAs in Brazil, Cabo Verde, Chile, Colombia, Spain and New Zealand; and the rest of the field work will be conducted until mid-2024.
Development of two new Global Databases
Development of a new global database on transformative initiatives towards ocean equity and sustainability. Currently, this pioneering and innovative database has 250 cases, including cases from fisheries, aquaculture, governance, indigenous peoples and art, among others. The PI aims to reach around 500 cases by the end of 2024-early 2025.
Villasante, S.; Roumbedakis, K.; Bennett, N; Pereira, L. Editors (2023) TIDES – Transformative Initiatives Driving Ocean Equity and Sustainability. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.equalsea.eu/tides/
A new global database on visions of the future of the oceans.
In the context of the development of the IPBES Global Transformational Change Report, the IP is currently coordinating Chapter 2 on Sustainable Visions for Planet and People, to be published in December 2024. For this report, and thanks to the ERC Grant, the PI has created the first global database future visions (currently with 400 cases) for the sustainability of the oceans.
Task. A global literature review on small-scale fisheries transformations.
During 2023, this task was framed in the PECS Working Group “Ocean Equity for Sustainable Futures”. To do so, an iterative process of consultation between working groups members was established in order to inform and agree on each step of the review. The CADIMA synthesis tool was used to coordinate this collective task and to allow each member to fully participate along the process. Currently, this task is on the data extraction process after screening relevant literature review, calibrating criteria and agreeing on a framework to analyze information. A PhD student (Jose Bakit) of the team is also conducting a global review to document historical transformations of the aquaculture sector.
Task. Data collection in fishing communities to measure ocean equity.
For this task, the team contributed to some activities especially prior to the application of the survey, as follows: a) Development of the Protocol for Data collection and Custody, b) Survey about the perceptions of inequalities, c) Application of the survey in the first MPA in Brazil).
The data collection in 4 MPAs in Brazil and 1 MPA in Cabo Verde (Africa) has been completed; the data collection of 1 MPA in Galicia (Spain, Europe) and 1 MPA n Ghana (Africa) will be conducted in the before February 2024. Once we develop the previous tasks, we will start with the statistical analysis of the data.
New indicators to measure ocean equity
The IP is leading the development of the Ocean Equity Index to measure ocean equity which will be an essential tool for policy makers worldwide. The tool will provide results at global level and also at regional and local levels in the case of Marine Protected Areas. For the first one, the team is collecting official data to construct the OEI which will be expected to be ready by the end of 2024 or early 2025. In addition, the team is also collecting data from the field in 25 MPAs around the world. We have already collected data for 12 MPAs in Brazil, Cabo Verde, Chile, Colombia, Spain and New Zealand; and the rest of the field work will be conducted until mid-2024.
Development of two new Global Databases
Development of a new global database on transformative initiatives towards ocean equity and sustainability. Currently, this pioneering and innovative database has 250 cases, including cases from fisheries, aquaculture, governance, indigenous peoples and art, among others. The PI aims to reach around 500 cases by the end of 2024-early 2025.
Villasante, S.; Roumbedakis, K.; Bennett, N; Pereira, L. Editors (2023) TIDES – Transformative Initiatives Driving Ocean Equity and Sustainability. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.equalsea.eu/tides/
A new global database on visions of the future of the oceans.
In the context of the development of the IPBES Global Transformational Change Report, the IP is currently coordinating Chapter 2 on Sustainable Visions for Planet and People, to be published in December 2024. For this report, and thanks to the ERC Grant, the PI has created the first global database future visions (currently with 400 cases) for the sustainability of the oceans.
I believe that the development of these two new databases is very innovative and will generate a breakthrough as scientific evidence is being collected from diverse sources of information (e.g. scientific articles, reports, grey literature, etc.) on a) visions of the future of the oceans, and b) case studies about transformative that have shown positive changes in humankind over the last 50 years.
One of the unexpected developments has been the possibility of identifying positive tipping points. This has been possible thanks to the participation as co-author of the PI in the Global Tipping Points Report that has been published in December 2023. The Global Tipping Points Report – the most comprehensive assessment of tipping points ever conducted – says humanity is currently on a disastrous trajectory. Based on an assessment of 26 negative Earth system tipping points, the report concludes “business as usual” is no longer possible – with rapid changes to nature and societies already happening, and more coming. Alternatively, emergency global action can harness positive tipping points and steer us towards a thriving, sustainable future. The report lays out a blueprint for doing this, and says bold, coordinated policies could trigger positive tipping points across multiple sectors including energy, transport, and food. A cascade of positive tipping points would save millions of lives, billions of people from hardship, trillions of dollars in climate-related damage, and begin restoring the natural world upon which we all depend. In line with this, the EQUALSEA project is documenting these positive tipping points under the development of a new global database on transformative initiatives towards ocean equity and sustainability.
The development of the Ocean Equity Index is also a significant advance in the research field well beyond the state of the art. The lack of operational tools that policy makers need to measure ocean equity at multiple levels (national for countries and local for Marine Protected Areas) makes this effort a significant achievement for the scientific community.
One of the unexpected developments has been the possibility of identifying positive tipping points. This has been possible thanks to the participation as co-author of the PI in the Global Tipping Points Report that has been published in December 2023. The Global Tipping Points Report – the most comprehensive assessment of tipping points ever conducted – says humanity is currently on a disastrous trajectory. Based on an assessment of 26 negative Earth system tipping points, the report concludes “business as usual” is no longer possible – with rapid changes to nature and societies already happening, and more coming. Alternatively, emergency global action can harness positive tipping points and steer us towards a thriving, sustainable future. The report lays out a blueprint for doing this, and says bold, coordinated policies could trigger positive tipping points across multiple sectors including energy, transport, and food. A cascade of positive tipping points would save millions of lives, billions of people from hardship, trillions of dollars in climate-related damage, and begin restoring the natural world upon which we all depend. In line with this, the EQUALSEA project is documenting these positive tipping points under the development of a new global database on transformative initiatives towards ocean equity and sustainability.
The development of the Ocean Equity Index is also a significant advance in the research field well beyond the state of the art. The lack of operational tools that policy makers need to measure ocean equity at multiple levels (national for countries and local for Marine Protected Areas) makes this effort a significant achievement for the scientific community.