- 1Ocean Decade Heritage Network (ODHN) / University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- 2Ocean Decade Heritage Network (ODHN) / Saxo Institute, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
- 3National Scientific and Technical Research Council, National Institute of Anthropology, Argentina
- 4Florida Public Archaeology Network University of West Florida, USA
- 5Archaeology Department, University of New England, Australia
- 6Department of Maritime Civilizations Tokai University, Japan
- 7Chair in Ocean Cultures and Heritage, Nelson Mandela University, South Africa
- 8Department of Anthropology, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, United States of America
- 9Secretariat of the 2001 Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage, UNESCO, France
As the world faces unprecedented environmental challenges, safeguarding both natural and cultural heritage of the ocean – ocean heritage – has become vital for fostering sustainable ocean stewardship. The Ocean Decade Heritage Network (ODHN) seeks to underscore the essential intersections between ocean heritage and marine science within the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), advocating for heritage-informed governance that supports sustainable ocean policies.
Heritage provides a critical perspective on the complex relationships between humanity and the ocean. From tangible submerged landscapes and shipwrecks to intangible Indigenous maritime traditions, ocean heritage embodies extensive knowledge and practices that reveal the historical and ongoing connections between human societies and marine ecosystems. ODHN’s mission within the UN Ocean Decade aims to bridge disciplines, uniting marine science with heritage fields to promote cross-sectoral collaboration that enhances our understanding of the ocean and its historical narrative. This holistic approach encourages the integration of heritage insights into broader ocean governance and policy frameworks.
The presentation will illustrate how ocean heritage offers unique contributions directly aligned with the Decade’s goals. Integrating cultural heritage into ocean sciences enriches marine policies by embedding them within broader social and cultural contexts, thus fostering inclusive governance that respects the knowledge, values, and contributions of diverse communities. By weaving heritage considerations into ocean governance, ODHN promotes an approach that is both scientifically rigorous and culturally resonant.
ODHN’s interdisciplinary work resonates with the Decade’s emphasis on collaborative solutions and innovative methodologies. Integrating heritage into ocean science supports novel approaches, such as using archaeology to inform ecological studies and provide data for long-term time scales, and incorporating traditional knowledge systems into conservation practices. This cultural perspective is essential to ensuring that the legacy of human-ocean interactions continues to shape sustainable practices, guiding scientific advancements that are attuned to both ecological imperatives and cultural values.
This presentation will highlight ODHN’s progress during the first half of the Decade, illustrating how ongoing initiatives contribute to a comprehensive understanding of ocean health and resilience. It will outline ODHN’s strategy for advancing a unified approach that merges natural and cultural heritage with societal goals and the 2030 Agenda, strengthening conservation efforts across disciplines. Additionally, it will address the challenges and best practices for fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration among heritage specialists, marine scientists, and policymakers, and discuss strategies for expanding engagement in heritage conservation within the Decade and beyond.
By emphasizing the foundational role of heritage in ocean sciences and governance, ODHN advocates for a future where cultural heritage is actively integrated into sustainable ocean stewardship. This approach affirms that ocean heritage is not simply a relic of the past but a dynamic, evolving foundation for resilience, positioning heritage as a vital asset in realizing the ambitious goals of the UN Ocean Decade
How to cite: Rey da Silva, A., Trakadas, A., Elkin, D., Scot-Ireton, D., Viduka, A., Kimura, J., Boswell, R., Collazo-Rivera, I., and Guerin, U.: The Role of Heritage in Ocean Science and Governance under the UN Ocean Decade, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-950, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-950, 2025.
