Portugal leads in Ocean Literacy, but researchers warn that action is needed
Portugal has been at the forefront of European initiatives linked to Ocean Literacy, but the country has never consistently assessed whether these actions change behaviours. The warning comes in a chapter published in May this year in the third volume of the work "Ocean Literacy: The Foundation for the Success of the Ocean Decade," published by Springer Nature.
The chapter, titled "Ocean Literacy in Portugal: Three Decades of Experience and Innovative Educational Initiatives Supporting the Ocean Decade," was authored by Zara Teixeira (MARE, Universidade de Évora), Raquel Costa (Instituto de Educação, Universidade de Lisboa), Patrícia Conceição (Estrutura de Missão para a Extensão da Plataforma Continental), Cláudia Faria (Instituto de Educação, Universidade de Lisboa) and Laura Guimarães (CIIMAR, Universidade do Porto), and presents an in-depth analysis of the state of Ocean Literacy in education in Portugal, integrated into a global Springer Nature publication edited by Teresa J. Kennedy (University of Texas), which brings together around 250 authors from 42 countries and regions.
The study provides a complete overview of Ocean Literacy in education, analysing 114 initiatives from 1990 to date. Portugal stands out as one of the most dynamic countries in Europe, with initiatives such as Escola Azul, Educar para uma Geração Azul, CIIMAR na Escola, and MARE vai à Escola, which demonstrate the vitality of Ocean Literacy actions at the national level.
Most initiatives were promoted by government agencies (38%) and universities (32%), followed by non-governmental organisations (15%), the economic sector (12%), and private foundations (3%). The analysis, which combines quantitative and qualitative data collected through questionnaires and interviews with students, teachers, and the wider educational community, reveals that most initiatives explored the dimensions of knowledge, awareness, and empathy. Activism is the least-represented dimension, reinforcing the need for a forward-looking perspective that translates knowledge into action. These programmes also incorporated sustainability and science perspectives, with a smaller focus on the dimensions of equality and history, highlighting the importance of more holistic approaches.
The researchers stress that Portugal's accumulated experience "offers useful insights for international debates on how to turn knowledge into action and integrate Ocean Literacy into curricula, in line with United Nations recommendations."
The study also identifies the main limitations to implementing these activities: lack of funding, instability in human resources, and difficulty maintaining visibility and participation over time. The long-term success of these initiatives will depend on stable funding, their integration into existing structures such as curricula or strategic plans, and consolidated community partnerships.
One of the most concerning findings of the chapter is precisely the absence of systematic evaluation of these initiatives' impact: only an estimated 30% of the 114 initiatives identified have been evaluated for actual behaviour change. "Portugal has done a lot, but will only know if it has done well once it starts measuring, coordinating, and turning knowledge into action," warns Zara Teixeira, the text's first author.
Living Labs: a look to the future
In the second volume of this work, a chapter titled "Living Labs: A Catalyst for Ocean Literacy and Sustainable Innovation" appears, authored by Cátia Marques (MARE, Universidade de Coimbra), Ana Cunha (MARE), and Zara Teixeira, which examines a proposal for practical action in the context of ocean literacy.
The chapter uses the Quinta Ciência Viva do Sal project as a case study, in the context of Living Labs. These structures are open innovation ecosystems that act as true catalysts for behavioural change, testing sustainable solutions in real-world settings. In these "labs," universities, industry, government, and civil society collaborate to co-create products and services that better meet citizens' needs, benefiting the economy, society, and the environment.
The Quinta Ciência Viva do Sal project ran between 2020 and 2025, aiming to determine whether the various local, regional, and national stakeholders would be motivated to join a Living Lab aimed at innovating traditional salt pans (from Aveiro to Castro Marim), preventing their degradation, and promoting their conservation and restoration.
The 60 key stakeholders from traditional salt pans who were consulted revealed that, although they possess deep knowledge of the ecosystems, they lack access to tools to turn that knowledge into sustainable innovation. The results showed that these stakeholders are motivated to establish a Living Lab, but are unaware of its true role and potential, often confusing it with mere spaces for communication or solving immediate problems.
The researchers argue that these labs can act as major facilitators of ocean literacy along the Portuguese coast. For them, Living Labs, "by bringing together science, communities and political institutions, become ideal platforms for testing sustainable solutions in real-world settings, mitigating structural conflicts, and finally translating literacy into marine conservation attitudes and new public policies."
Building on this case, the chapter promotes discussion on the international relevance of Living Labs, which, by promoting behavioural change for sustainable environmental innovation, fit into initiatives such as "Ocean Decade – The science we need for the ocean we want."
Text by: Patrícia Chaves