‘Valuing the Ocean’ is an initiative of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation that aims to enhance the environmental sector's ability to communicate the role of the ocean for human wellbeing, in particular by facilitating a collaboration between the fields of natural science and economics. The Foundation’s London branch has decided to take a laboratory approach with Marine CoLABoration to foster engagement and a shared, co-created vision.

More about the Gulbenkian Oceans Initiative

The workshops are designed to provide the space and resources for a small group of organisations to meet regularly over a two-year period to explore existing practices, and identify and experiment with new ones. Marine CoLABoration is particularly interested in looking at how better to bridge the gaps between innovative local practice and influence at national and EU levels, and how to convey the intrinsic as well as socioeconomic value of the seas.

On 15 January 2015 a group of 16 people came together for a day-long workshop at the Gulbenkian Foundation in London to co-create a range of scenarios for Marine CoLABoration.

The aim of the workshop was for participants to get to know each other as creative individuals and glimpse their shared vision(s) for the initiative. Consideration of the oceans inevitably surfaces many 'big' problems, which need multiple perspectives brought to bear to incite meaningful change. Thus the workshop explored the nature of value, economic and social assumptions which impact the significance and complexity of the issues involved. Scenarios were developed which explored more sustainable economic and governance systems as the world experiences continued effects of climate change.

Further details can be found at workshop 201501

• workshop 201503
• workshop 201505

• http://ecosystemcommons.org/
• http://marineecosystemservices.org

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