The ocean covers more than 70% of the Earth’s surface and is essential for life, livelihoods, food systems, and cultural identity — especially for coastal communities across Afrika.
Yet today, marine ecosystems are under increasing pressure from plastic pollution, overfishing, habitat loss, climate change, and deep-sea mining.
At the same time, there has been a 60% decline in human–nature connection over the past two centuries, weakening emotional bonds with the ocean and reducing engagement in conservation.
This growing disconnection limits grassroots action and weakens community ownership of marine protection.
The One Ocean Movement responds by using mural arts and storytelling to transform scientific knowledge into visual, emotional, and accessible experiences. This approach helps people not only understand ocean issues, but feel connected to them, which is key to long-term behaviour change.
By actively engaging youth, women, and local communities, the initiative also promotes a more inclusive and decolonised form of environmental communication, grounded in local languages, identities, and lived realities.
The One Ocean Movement aligns with the priorities of the 11th Our Ocean Conference, contributing to key areas such as:
marine pollution awareness
community engagement
ocean literacy
support for marine protected areas
It also supports the global 30x30 target — the ambition to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030 — by strengthening the social and cultural foundations needed for conservation.
Through murals, workshops, and advocacy, the initiative helps build local understanding, ownership, and participation, which are essential for achieving meaningful and lasting ocean protection.