On Board for The Ocean
Helen Walne
A special thing happened aboard a special vessel recently. Cape Town’s notorious southeaster was blasting, and guests leaned into the wind, clinging on to spectacles and sweaters. The inky sea in the dock slapped against the boat’s hull. The night sky was matte. Nature was on full display. It was demanding to be noticed.
And this was exactly why dozens of people had gathered aboard the OceanXplorer: to listen to Mother Nature and find ways to get her noticed.
Photo: Sea Change Project
The OceanXplorer is a remarkable vessel. Part dive centre, part science laboratory, part media hub, part every-child’s-dream (it’s equipped with two bright yellow submersibles and a remote-controlled deep-sea rover), it travels the world researching our oceans and has explored uncharted deep-sea ecosystems. It’s high-tech and high-impact, and that evening’s gathering was high-level.
Policymakers, diplomats, government ministers, ambassadors, industry leaders and non-profit organisations were aboard to attend the local leg of ‘Blue Talks’, a series initiated by the French Embassy and the Institute for Security Studies ahead of the third United Nations Oceans Conference (UNOC3), to be held in Nice, France, from June 9-13. The talks aim to raise awareness about UNOC3 and draw South African stakeholder commitments to be showcased in Nice.
One of Sea Change’s missions is to get higher protection of the world’s kelp forests adopted at UNOC3. Found on one third of the planet’s coastlines, sea forests are intricate ecosystems that form part of Earth’s biodiversity, without which we would not survive.
While our call to action might seem ambitious, we believe it can be realised with a little help from our friends – and the Blue Talks event embodied that spirit of collectivism. No matter their background, each panellist spoke with passion about the need to protect our oceans.
However, finding common ground in policymaking can be a complex process. Stakeholders have differing agendas; some struggle to find each other. It is for this reason that Sea Change Project has partnered with IPOS (International Platform for Ocean Sustainability), an emerging body that aims to gather stakeholders and facilitate agreements that will help governments accelerate and implement ocean policies.
Sea Change in collaboration with IPOS presented the case for the protection of the world’s kelp forests to the G20 in Brazil in August 2024 and the item was included for discussion and approval in the G20 meetings to be held in South Africa in 2025. This presents an opportunity for the most powerful policymakers, scientists, economists and sustainability experts to find common purpose in one major project while driving multi-disciplinary, multi-lateral collaboration with measurable and actionable outputs for the G20.
Our task with IPOS is to tell stories. Stories of kelp forests that sustain not only the lives of a host of incredible creatures – from tiny sea slugs to giant stingrays – but also provide the oxygen we breathe, the food we eat, and the protection we need from increasingly damaging storms. Stories about the ability of kelp forests to draw carbon from the atmosphere, improve water quality, and serve as nurseries for a range of species. Stories about the Great African Seaforest as a source of food and materials for early humans 100,000 years ago – the ancestors who gave rise to all the world’s humans. Stories about the urgent need to place Mother Nature at the centre of all decision-making. Watch our film, Mother Nature in the Boardroom here.
Speaking at the Blue Talks event, IPOS co-lead Tanya Brodie Rudolph underlined the power of collaboration to inform policy, and the need to include communities and civil society in shaping decisions. She also highlighted the urgency that is required to ensure our oceans are safeguarded. ‘The time to act is now. Together we can ensure our ocean policies are not just well intentioned, but well executed. So, let’s build the partnerships that are necessary. We all belong here.’
This sense of belonging is something Sea Change lives and breathes. Just as the octopus belongs in the kelp forest, so do we belong on this planet. And we need to keep telling this story of belonging, so we recognise that not only are we part of nature, we are nature.
As the wind howled outside and the ocean shivered, Sea Change’s Pippa Ehrlich told a story. A story of a film called My Octopus Teacher, and the unexpected response to it. ‘What we eventually realised … comes across in the final line of our film: “What she taught me is to feel that we are part of this place, not a visitor”.’
With footage of the swaying forest and all its magnificent inhabitants glowing on a screen behind her, Pippa spoke with passion – at times almost tearful. The room was silent.
‘We are not aliens here,’ she said. ‘Forgetting we belong is an absolute tragedy because it has caused a fundamental disconnect which allows us to exploit our earth and our ocean in a way that would be utterly impossible if we felt that deep sense that not only are we deeply dependent on all of these systems, but we are part of these life support systems.’
The world’s kelp forests are a bedrock of our planet’s biodiversity. Yet, unlike terrestrial forests, they are still largely ignored and under-represented. Through partnerships and alliances, it is our hope we can change that.
Mother Nature wants us to take notice. She is the land and the oceans, the heavens and the stars. She is also us. And we need our help.