Submission—Draft Sustainable Ocean Plan

On 16 September 2024, the Academy and Future Earth Australia made a submission to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water on the department’s Draft Sustainable Ocean Plan. 

Download submission (PDF, 224KB)

In the submission, the Academy and Future Earth Australia:

• Support the plan's overarching priorities, which largely align with the recommendations in the FEA Sustainable Oceans And Coasts National Strategy 2021–2030.
• Recommend including clear, measurable, and quantifiable actions for each proposed national priority through an action plan, to ensure a pathway to successful outcomes is presented.
• Propose that the Plan explicitly acknowledges the interconnectivity of the proposed national priorities to enable transdisciplinary opportunities and avoid fragmentation and siloing.
• Propose empowering Indigenous communities to lead in the co-management of Sea Country, with representation at all decision-making levels.
• Recommend leveraging Australia’s membership of the Belmont Forum through FEA to shape and resource global science and research that meets Australia’s priorities.