The Coastal Seascapes We Want! – Voices of Women Scientists in Ocean Research

The ocean is our life source, supporting all life on earth and also humanity’s sustenance. On 8 June, the ocean is celebrated by the UN World Oceans Day. The theme for World Oceans Day 2021 is “The ocean: our life and livelihoods”. The year 2021 also marks the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021 to 2030). In this ocean decade, the world is expected to come together to build a new cooperative framework to ensure that global ocean science provides greater benefits for ocean ecosystems and wider society.

However, the current ocean science is very much focused on the advent of scientific disciplines related to physical, geological, and chemical oceanography as well as marine biology. It has yet to give weight to the human dimension, which is crucial to understand the root causes and drivers of ocean issues. Social sciences need also be integrated into ocean studies for a holistic, robust understanding of ocean issues and devising an inclusive approach to ocean conservation. As billions of people depend on the ocean for their livelihoods, understanding the human factor involved and ensuring the sustainability of these livelihoods goes hand in hand with keeping a healthy ocean.

Also, international debates on ocean issues often revolve around the challenges faced at the Economic Exclusive Zones(EEZs), high seas, and increasingly in recent years, deep seas. Such offshore seascapes are of high interest to governments of related littoral states or members of global fishery coalitions for their right of accessibility and the resources they deemed as “common good.” While such international cooperation on ocean issues is commendable, governments, scientists, and non-state actors need to also give more attention to the state of the marine biodiversity and ecosystems in their territorial waters, particularly to the coastal seascapes where marine life is nurtured. Governments, citizens, and the ocean science community need first to focus on matters at their doorstep, i.e., coastal seascapes, and commit to building back healthy coastal ecosystems before debating about, literally, the bigger pool out there.

This webinar will bring together women scientists and ocean activists of different nationalities who base their research in Japan. They will share their passion for the ocean and experiences working on ocean-related research, particularly conserving coastal seascapes, their biodiversity, and related livelihoods.  The webinar also intends to call for diverse expertise and a holistic understanding of the ocean, including greater emphasis on social sciences and focus on coastal seascapes, to address the UN Ocean Decade of Ocean Science’s call for “The Science We Need For The Ocean We Want”.

• Date: Tuesday 8 June 2021
• Time: 16:00-17:30 (JST; UTC+9)
• Duration: 1.5 hours
• Registration: Please register here .
• Event Details: https://ouik.unu.edu/en/events/4194 (This virtual event is in English only).

•  Programme :
  1600-1605: Opening and Introduction
  Facilitator: Ms. Mikiko Nagai, Liaison Coordinator (UNU-IAS OUIK)1605-1620: Introduction of the UN Ocean Decade of Science; Conserving coastal seascapes and livelihoods through the Noto Satoumi Movement in Ishikawa, Japan
  Dr. Evonne Yiu, Research Consultant (UNU-IAS OUIK)

  1620-1630: Reef restoration and coastal construction in Okinawa, Japan
  Dr. Piera Biondi
  
  1630-1640: Case Studies on the Effectiveness of Japan’s Satoumi-type Integrated Coastal Management for Biodiversity Conservation
  Dr. Junko Toyoshima, Researcher, Ocean Policy Research Institute

  1640-1650: Citizen science in coastal seascapes conservation: Experiences of SEGO Initiative in Fujisawa, Japan
  Ms. Alana Bonzi, Co-founder and Director, SEGO Initiative and Adjunct Lecturer, Keio University

  1650-1730:Panel Discussion and Q&A
  “Role of Women in Ocean Sciences and Conserving Coastal Seascapes”
  Moderator: Dr. Yiu
  Panelists: Dr. Boindi, Dr Toyoshima, Ms Bonzi

  1730: Closing