Proclaimed in 2017 by the United Nations General Assembly, the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) seeks to engage stakeholders in ocean science and knowledge generation to reverse the decline of the state of the Ocean and catalyze new opportunities for sustainable development.
The vision of the Ocean Decade is “the science we need for the ocean we want” and is being coordinated by UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC). Ocean Literacy is an integral part of the Ocean Decade. UNESCO has established the Ocean Literacy With All (OLWA) Programme as part of the Ocean Decade. In 2022, the IOC established the Group of Experts on Ocean Literacy.
NMEA has been active in the Ocean Decade from the very beginning. NMEA participated in international planning meetings and workshops related to Ocean Literacy, the Ocean Decade, and the UN Ocean Conference in Venice, Italy in 2019 and in New York in 2020. In 2022, NMEA sent a delegation to the UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon, Portugal.
In 2021, the NMEA created the Ocean Decade Working Group to better coordinate NMEA’s involvement with the Ocean Decade. This working group includes members from many of NMEA’s committees as well as NMEA board members. Through the UN Ocean Decade, NMEA hopes to revitalize Ocean Literacy in the United States and strengthen our connections with Ocean Literacy groups around the world.
Since 2021, NMEA has received official Ocean Decade Endorsed Action status for our annual conferences in 2021, 2022, and 2023. NMEA also published A Handbook for Increasing Ocean Literacy: Tools for Educators and Ocean Literacy Advocates, which is an Ocean Decade Endorsed Action (2021).
NMEA is an US Ocean Decade Nexus organization, which assists in contributing and disseminating information about the United States efforts during the UN Ocean Decade.
Get Involved
Join the UN Ocean Decade Movement
Become a USA Blue School
Invite a member of the NMEA Ocean Literacy Committee to speak at your conference or organizational event
Become an Ocean Literacy Champion within your NMEA Chapter or organization
Help NMEA build relationships with groups interested in Ocean Literacy such as local science and environmental education groups
Create social media posts that highlight Ocean Literacy in action
Contribute articles on Ocean Literacy to Current: The Journal of Marine Education
Present about Ocean Literacy at local science and environmental education conferences
Advocate for the inclusion for Ocean Literacy in education standards and curriculum
USA Blue Schools
USA Blue Schools is closely aligned with NMEA’s Ocean Decade efforts to revitalize Ocean Literacy. There are a number of ways that NMEA Members can be involved in USA Blue Schools to integrate ocean learning into the curriculum, recognizing the important role formal education plays in fostering an ocean-literate society.
Become a USA Blue School
Serve on NMEA Blue Schools Committee
Promote USA Blue Schools through your chapters
Ocean Decade Links
Current:the Journal of Marine Education article on NMEA’s involvement with the Ocean Decade
Ocean Literacy in the US—The Rise and Fall of the Tide: Ocean Literacy in the United States
UN Decade—The Ocean Decade: The Science We Need for the Ocean We Want