Marine ecosystem science and the media: Exploring ways to improve news coverage through journalist–scientist working relations

Kolandai-Matchett, Komathi; Armoudian, Maria; Thrush, Simon F.; Hillman, Jenny R.; Schwendenmann, Luitgard; Jakobsson, Julia; Haggitt, T. R.; Blain, Caitlin O.; Lear, Gavin

doi:10.1002/aqc.3708

Cited by 14 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 106 publications

(190 reference statements)

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“…In this context, journalists and scientists must work together in disseminating these messages (Kolandai-Matchett et al, 2021b) (Figure 1). This can be challenging as scientists and journalists use different languages, formats, and levels of required detail and have different time constraints (Elliott et al, 2017;Kolandai-Matchett et al, 2021a).…”

Section: Changing the Narrativementioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the end, however, what is truly needed for transformative change in ocean conservation, and conservation broadly, is a kind of social revolution, e.g., a huge commitment to shouldering the costs of the energy transition, protection, and restoration on a global scale, and major changes in diet. In this, we emphasize that scientists are an integral part of society and that marine scientists have a major role to play, by engaging with society at large, not only in identifying 10 https://www.nrdc.org/30x30-nrdcs-commitment-protect-nature-and-life-earth problems but also in providing and communicating solutions (Kolandai-Matchett et al, 2021a;Kolandai-Matchett et al, 2021b). To do this, ocean conservation professionals need to focus on three steps: (i) take their science and transform it into a narrative that can inspire others to join in the effort; (ii) acknowledge that setbacks and trade-offs will occur, but not to let them become paralyzing; and (iii) retain a focus on the end goal, which is not the problem but the solution.…”

Section: Prospects For the Futurementioning

confidence: 99%

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#OceanOptimism: Balancing the Narrative About the Future of the Ocean

et al. 2022

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The ocean is facing multiple pressures from human activities, including the effects of climate change. Science has a prominent role in identifying problems and communicating these to society. However, scientists are also increasingly taking an active role in developing solutions, including strategies for adapting to and mitigating climate change, increasing food security, and reducing pollution. Transmitting these solutions to society changes our narrative about the ocean and motivates actions. The United Nations triple initiatives for this decade—the Sustainable Development Goals, the Decade on Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, and the Decade of Ecosystem Restoration—provide the momentum for this change in narrative and focus. Here, we reflect on the search for solutions and the need for better ways of communicating science in a positive way. We synthesize insights from a summer school held during the COVID-19 pandemic and present some examples of successes and failures and the lessons learned from these.

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Section: Changing the Narrativementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Prospects For the Futurementioning

confidence: 99%

#OceanOptimism: Balancing the Narrative About the Future of the Ocean

et al. 2022

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“…Campaigns are not limited to one medium or channel, and many leverage multiple media types to reach different audiences or to reinforce messages in different ways. It is important to note, however, that more complex or technologically advanced forms of communication are not necessarily more effective than simpler ones and may actually undermine a campaign's effectiveness as the messages (12).…”

Section: Media and Channelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As research and media coverage of climate change and human health connections with the environment have increased over the last decade or so, marine conservation topics-including ocean and human health-have been largely overlooked (10)(11)(12). Still in the early years of the United Nations' Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (13) and in the absence of an international Ocean Treaty, a unique window of opportunity exists to invite new stakeholders and perspectives into ocean restoration and sustainability by strategically connecting aquatic ecosystems to human health.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Communicating ocean and human health connections: An agenda for research and practice

Reamer

2022

Front. Public Health

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The emergence of ocean and human health (OHH) science as a distinct scholarly discipline has led to increased research outputs from experts in both the natural and social sciences. Formal research on communication strategies, messaging, and campaigns related to OHH science remains limited despite its importance as part of the social processes that can make knowledge actionable. When utilized to communicate visible, local issues for targeting audiences, OHH themes hold the potential to motivate action in pursuit of solutions to environmental challenges, supplementing efforts to address large-scale, abstract, or politicized issues such as ocean acidification or climate change. Probing peer-reviewed literature from relevant areas of study, this review article outlines and reveals associations between society and the quality of coastal and marine ecosystems, as well as key themes, concepts, and findings in OHH science and environmental communication. Recommendations for future work concerning effective ocean and human health science communication are provided, creating a platform for innovative scholarship, evidence-based practice, and novel collaboration across disciplines.

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“…• Developing an understanding of the diverse societal attitudes, views and values held toward different components of the ocean and its management. This can provide crucial insights to support policy development, foster improved ocean literacy or marine citizenship, and catalyze behavior change (e.g., Potts et al, 2016); • Supporting assessments of the social acceptability, effectiveness and impacts of conservation interventions, initiatives and policies [e.g., the introduction of a new marine protected area (MPA)] and developing insights into how these perceptions may influence their implementation (e.g., Lotze et al, 2018;Brueckner-Irwin et al, 2019;Rasheed, 2020); • Informing the design of effective and meaningful mechanisms for stakeholder engagement, which can in turn support the legitimacy, equity and inclusivity of marine conservation activities and governance approaches (e.g., Burdon et al, 2019;Bennett et al, 2021); • Fostering public sensitization to marine conservation activities through appropriate communication, awareness raising and engagement initiatives (e.g., Chambers et al, 2019;Kolandai-Matchett et al, 2021). • In a policy context, public perceptions research provides valuable tools to monitor and measure success against a range of policy targets [e.g., Aichi Target 1; Sustainable Development Goal 14, see Haward and Haas (2021)].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Public Perceptions of the Ocean: Lessons for Marine Conservation From a Global Research Review

Jefferson

McKinley

Griffin³

et al. 2021

Front. Mar. Sci.

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Insights into how public audiences perceive and relate to the ocean are pivotal to successful societal engagement and integration of human dimensions in marine conservation. Perceptions research explores how people understand, value or engage with an environment, issue or management response, and in the context of marine conservation, provides crucial insights for the development, delivery and evaluation of effective conservation interventions. This review of 349 peer reviewed studies explores the current state of research into public perceptions of the ocean. Using an extensive data extraction process, the review examined the geographical spread of ocean perceptions research, the topics of research focus, and the methods used. The review identifies gaps in current research activity, and opportunities for maximizing the impact of ocean perceptions research in current and future marine conservation. Key findings of the review include evidence that the rate of research is growing, with 59% of studies published between 2013–2017. However, a clear geographical skew is evident, with the majority of studies being undertaken in higher income countries. Furthermore, there has been a tendency to focus on charismatic species, or issues and spaces of clear human-ocean interaction (e.g., beaches), highlighting significant gaps in the topics and themes currently covered by ocean perceptions research. An additional gap identified is the underutilization of available methods to explore the complexity of marine perceptions. In a bid to address these gaps, the paper concludes with a series of recommendations designed to stimulate and support ocean perceptions research as being fundamental to the success of marine conservation efforts. While ocean perceptions research may be young, the growing research effort evidenced in this review gives optimism for realizing its potential and continuing to improve the integration of ocean perceptions research effectively into marine conservation.

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Marine ecosystem science and the media: Exploring ways to improve news coverage through journalist–scientist working relations

Cited by 14 publications

References 106 publications

#OceanOptimism: Balancing the Narrative About the Future of the Ocean

#OceanOptimism: Balancing the Narrative About the Future of the Ocean

Communicating ocean and human health connections: An agenda for research and practice

Public Perceptions of the Ocean: Lessons for Marine Conservation From a Global Research Review

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