capson, t.l. education and outreach for ocean acidification draft prepared for the u.s. inter agency...

8/3/2019 Capson, T.L. Education and Outreach for Ocean Acidification Draft Prepared for the U.S. Inter Agency Working Grou

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Draft OA strategy, Education and Outreach, 17 August, 2010

This draft was prepared for the U.S. Governments Interagency Working Group on

Ocean Acidification (IWGOA) but does not necessarily reflect the current view of the

IWGOA or the U.S. Government.

Theme 6 Education and Outreach on Ocean Acidification

I. Introduction: the need for an education and outreach program for ocean

acidification

The FOARAMs call for a National Ocean Acidification Program (Program) includes

an Ocean Acidification Information Exchange that would go beyond chemical and

biological measurements alone, to produce syntheses and assessments that would be

accessible to and understandable by managers, policy makers, and the general public.

This is an important priority for decision support, but it would require specific resources

and expertise, particularly in science communication, to operate effectively (NRC

2010a).

In establishing the U.S. National Policy for the Stewardship of the Ocean, Coasts, and

Great Lakes (National Policy), the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Forcecites global

climate change, ocean acidification and their associated impacts on ocean, coastal and

Great Lakes as some of the most serious threats to these ecosystems and coastal

communities and established as one of the National Priority Objectives a need to better

educate the public through formal and informal programs about these ecosystems

(OPTF 2009). By extension, an outreach and education component of the Program that

effectively informs and engages stakeholders and the general public will constitute an

important component of the National Policy.

A report of the Ocean Acidification Task Force (OATF) reiterates both the importanceand challenge of effective public outreach, writing Indeed, there is growing evidence

that the interest in, and appreciation for, science in the United States is extremely low.

If we expect our federal legislators to provide substantive long-term support, the

Interagency Working Group on Ocean Acidification (IWGOA) will need to consider

how they can effectively improve communication about Ocean Acidification research

and its relevance to society. (ORRAP 2010). The OATF cited the muted public and

policy response to the Pew Oceans Commission report as evidence that communication

difficulties may extend into the ocean realm as well. The failure of H. Res. 989, which

aimed to express, inter alia, that the U.S. should adopt national policies and pursueinternational agreements to prevent ocean acidification, to study its impacts and address

its effects on marine ecosystems and coastal economies, underscores the concerns of the

OATF.

Recognizing the challenges outlined above, the OATF recommends that federal

agencies dedicate significant resources to the development of a robust and effective

ocean acidification outreach effort and that the U.S. government work closely with the

NGO, academic, governmental and donor communities in the process. Related to the

Programs education and outreach program are the ongoing efforts to inform the public

about climate change and its impacts. As described in a recent NRC reportInforming

an Effective Response to Climate Change, Demand for information to support climate-

related decisions has grown as people, organizations, and governments have movedahead with plans and actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to the

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http://www.whitehouse.gov/files/documents/OPTF_FinalRecs.pdfhttp://www.whitehouse.gov/files/documents/OPTF_FinalRecs.pdfhttp://www.whitehouse.gov/files/documents/OPTF_FinalRecs.pdf


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impacts of climate change. Today, however, the nation lacks comprehensive, robust,

and credible information systems to inform climate choices and evaluate their

effectiveness. (NRC 2010b).

The address the issues described above, the education and outreach component of the

Program should use the collective expertise and resources of the U.S. government,NGOs, donors, the private sector and the academic community to design and implement

an education and outreach program that is well funded, international in scope, that

complements existing initiatives (national and international) and effectively engages

stakeholders and the general public. The outreach and education program should

strengthen efforts to enhance climate literacy, promote international cooperation for

ocean acidification research, education and outreach and build support for U.S. ocean

acidification research programs.

II. Design of a strategic plan for education and outreach for ocean acidification

The recent reports of the National Research Council (NRC) and the OATF provide the

basis for a strategic plan for education and outreach for ocean acidification (NRC2010a, ORRAP 2010). The IWGOA should review the strategic plan on a regular basis

as additional data on ocean acidification is obtained, as new stakeholders and donors are

identified, as new partners for education and outreach are incorporated and as the

effectiveness of ongoing education and outreach initiatives is determined. The elements

of a strategic plan, described in greater detail below, could include:

The creation of a Program Office that will house the education and outreach

components of the Program including a web portal that will provide access to

outreach and education materials.

A thorough revision of earlier and ongoing education and outreach efforts on

ocean acidification and programs to develop climate literacy, followed by an

analysis of the effectiveness of those programs.

The identification of stakeholders.

A gap analysis that will determine how the Programs education and outreach

activities on ocean acidification would complement ongoing efforts to educate

stakeholders and the public on ocean acidification.

The design of an education and outreach program that takes into account the

analyses described above, makes the best use of available U.S. government

resources, and identifies the additional resources and partners that will be required

for the Programs education and outreach efforts.

The creation of (or participation in) public private partnerships for education andoutreach programs and work with partners to obtain the funding for those programs.

The strengthening of existing education and outreach activities of U.S.

government agencies involved in ocean acidification and the identification of

opportunities for cooperation between agencies and with non federal partners.

Evaluation of the effectiveness the Programs education and outreach initiatives.

III. Creation of a Program Office

The NRC and the OATF recommend the creation of a National Ocean Acidification

Program Office (Program Office) with the resources to ensure successful coordination

and integration of all of the elements outlined in the FOARAM Act. For education and

outreach activities, the office would be responsible for the following activities:

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Coordinate the design, implementation and updating of the strategic plan for

education and outreach.

Serve as a repository (or link to) a broad range of ocean acidification resources,

federal and non-federal, national and international.

Produce syntheses and assessments that would be accessible to and understandable

by managers, policy makers, and the general public. Represent the U.S in education and outreach events on ocean acidification and

climate change.

Organize education and outreach events.

Stay abreast of national and international events, developments and resources on

ocean acidification.

Prepare materials for education and outreach events and any subsequent reports,

updates or publicity associated with those events.

Produce materials on ocean acidification that are appropriate for important media

outlets (e.g., television, newspapers, internet, scientific and non-scientific

publications). Identify opportunities for public private partnerships between U.S. agencies, NGOs,

academia and industry, including opportunities for funding.

Develop a list of feedback metrics to measure the effectiveness of education and

outreach campaigns on ocean acidification and arrange for independent reviews of

the effectiveness of education and outreach activities.

Design and maintain a web portal for the program. The services and resources made

available by the Program through a web portal are described in the following

section.

IV. Creation of a web portal for access to ocean acidification resources

The Ocean Acidification Information Exchange required by the FOARAM Act isrequired to make information on ocean acidification developed through or utilized by

the interagency ocean acidification program accessible through electronic means,

including information which would be useful to policymakers, researchers, and other

stakeholders in mitigating or adapting to the impacts of ocean acidification, a task that

will require the creation and maintenance of a web portal by the Program Office. In

addition to serving the needs of the Program, the web portal should serve an

international audience. Among of the education and outreach resources and services

that could be provided through a web portal are included:

Access to education and outreach materials on ocean acidification.

Updates on the latest findings on ocean acidification, including scientific

publications, press releases, newspaper and magazine articles etc.

Information on ocean acidification outreach and educational activities, both national

and international, including films, lectures, podcasts, webinars, and meetings.

Information on research programs on ocean acidification including links to

programs outside of the U.S.

Funding opportunities for ocean acidification activities (governmental and non-

governmental) for research, education and outreach, etc.

Information on courses on ocean acidification including undergraduate and graduate

courses and professional training opportunities for educators, NGOs, government

employees and other professionals.

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A website for questions and answers for interaction between stakeholders, the

Program Office and experts on ocean acidification.

Links to other portals and websites with ocean acidification resources including

those of U.S. agencies, NGOs, foundations and programs such as the European

Project on Ocean Acidification (EPOCA) (www.epoca-project.eu/) and the Ocean

Carbon and Biogeochemistry (OCB) program (www.us-ocb.org/).

The organization and implementation of the Program Office and web portal is a high

priority and should occur within the first year of the Program.

V. Review of ongoing outreach efforts to stakeholders and the organization of

workshops on education and outreach activities

The OATF recommendations cite the critical need to raise the level of collaboration

between the various stakeholders. In addition to collaborating with foundations, we urge

the IWGOA to look closely at the work already being done by NGOs and the fishing

industry in their efforts to understand and communicate what is needed to face the

challenges of sustainability in our oceans. (ORRAP 2010). Beyond the fisheriesindustry, additional stakeholders are identified in Section VIII.

Following a review of the ongoing efforts to educate and engage stakeholders as

described in Section II, the Program Office should organize and convene a workshop

with the overall objectives of coordinating efforts between NGOs, donors, government

agencies and other participants in education and outreach activities, identifying new

ocean acidification education and outreach opportunities and identifying teams to help

implement those activities. The workshop should also include, inter alia, experts in

communication (science communicators and experts from the private sector), educators

(K12 and universities), conservation psychologists (Saunders et al. 2006)1 and experts in

climate literacy. The results of this workshop will contribute to the coordination and

effectiveness of subsequent outreach and education efforts with stakeholders in addition

to efforts to develop ocean acidification literacy with the general public.

VI. Creation of new partnerships for ocean acidification education and outreach

The outreach and education activities described in the previous section will require

additional sources of funding, both federal and private. Public private partnerships

(PPPs), which bring togetherpublic, private and philanthropic partners to address

complex and cross cutting issues, are likely to emerge as an important mechanism to

funding these programs. The PPP model has been successfully used in the field of

biomedical research to build multidisciplinary teams for drug discovery anddevelopment (Moran 2005). The public-private partnerships developed by the National

Institutes of Health may serve as a model for the Program (http://ppp.od.nih.gov/,

http://dtp.nci.nih.gov/docs/ap4/handbook/chapter1/background.html).

PPPs are often established through competitive awards based on proposals that are

subjected to independent review. Applying this model to support ocean acidification

partnerships and strategies whose effectiveness could then be evaluated by the Program.

The Program could play an important role in promoting PPPs through creating venues

such as the workshops described in the preceding section, identifying partners from U.S.

1

Conservation psychology is the scientific study of the reciprocal relationships between humans and therest of nature, with a particular focus on how to encourage conservation of the natural world

(http://www.conservationpsychology.org/).

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agencies, NGOs, academia and business, pooling resources (financial, physical and

intellectual) from the participating U.S. agencies and by identifying, educating and

building relationships with potential donors.2

VII. The linkage of ocean acidification outreach and education to programs to

develop climate change literacyEducation and outreach activities carried out through the Program should take

advantage of ongoing initiatives to develop climate change literacy. Within the U.S.

government, education and outreach materials on climate change are available on

NOAA, USGS, NSF, NASA, EPA, US F&WS, and NPS websites, each of which could

include information on ocean acidification (if not already present) and contain links to

websites on ocean acidification.3 Beyond those venues provided by the U.S.

government, the Program Office should work to ensure that events and publications

designed to build climate change literacy address ocean acidification.

VIII. Identification of stakeholders for education and outreach on ocean

acidificationA tentative list of stakeholders is provided below, recognizing that the identification of

stakeholders and their concerns is a complex, iterative and dynamic process (NRC

2010a). The stakeholders listed below consist of groups likely to be affected by ocean

acidification as well as those that are actively involved in ocean acidification education

and outreach (U.S. agencies are listed in Section X).

1. Commercial and recreational fishers organization

This category includes all major US-based recreational fisheries organizations. State

Fish and Game organizations would be tasked with identifying relevant organizations in

each state.

2. Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs)

RFMOs are multilateral organizations dedicated to the sustainable management of

fishery resources in a particular region ofinternational waters. A list of RFMOs as well

as other regional fisheries bodies can be found at www.fao.org/fishery/rfb/search/en.

2The OATF report described an educational conference in the fall of 2010 that will include funders and

scientists addressing what is known about the changes in ocean chemistry, about the causes of these

changes and about what ocean modelers see in the decades ahead, especially if we continue generating

CO2 according to a business as usual scenario. New donors may also result from the efforts of Bill Gates

and Warren Buffett to increase funding for philanthropy as described in the recent article Pledge to Give

Away Half Gains Billionaire Adherents (New York Times, August 4, 2010).3 There are numerous examples of programs and materials designed to promote climate literacy, both

private, e.g., the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Conference on

Promoting Climate Literacy Through Informal Science

(www.project2061.org/events/meetings/climate2010/) and governmental, e.g., the U.S. Global Change

Research Program (www.globalchange.gov/) and the Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network(CLEAN) Pathway (http://nsdlnetwork.org/content/am-poster/753/climate-literacy-and-energy-

awareness-network-clean-pathway) among others.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_watershttp://www.project2061.org/events/meetings/climate2010/http://www.globalchange.gov/http://www.project2061.org/events/meetings/climate2010/http://www.globalchange.gov/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_waters


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3. Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)

The Fisheries and Aquaculture Department of the FAO promotes policies and strategies

that are aimed at sustainable and responsible development of fisheries and aquaculture

in inland and marine waters (http://www.fao.org/fishery/about/en). The Department

provides discussion forums, information, legal and policy frameworks, codes and

guidelines, scientific advice, etc., that are recognized in many international fisheriesbodies.

4. Regional Fishery Management Council s (RFMCs)

RFMCs develop management plans for marine fisheries in waters seaward of state

waters of their individual regions (http://www.fisherycouncils.org/).

5. Aquaculture industry organizations

Organizations include the National Aquaculture Association (http://www.thenaa.net/),

the National Association of State Aquaculture Coordinators, the Aquaculture Network

of the Americas (http://racua.org/index.php?lang=EN#), the Network of Aquaculture

Centres in Asia-Pacific (www.enaca.org), the National Association of State AquacultureCoordinators ( www.nasac.net/); Global Aquaculture Alliance (www.gaalliance.org/),

the World Aquaculture Society (www.was.org) and the FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture

Department.

6. Congress

The NRC report cited the importance of communicating and collaborating with outside

groups such as Congress and international ocean acidification programs (NRC 2010a).

7 . Diving associations

Diving organizations have a lengthy history of raising awareness about marine

conservation issues, including assistance in the collection of data (e.g.,

www.projectaware.org/, http://reefcheck.org/about_RC_Reef/about_us.php,

http://www.naui.org/).

8. Fisheries and marine resource managers

This category includes managers of marine protected areas, marine World Heritage

Sites, National Marine Sanctuaries, National Estuarine Research Reserves.

10. Seafood importers, processors, traders, retailers and restaurants.

9. Coastal tribes with marine and/or coastal territories.

11 . Potential donors for ocean acidification outreach and education

(i) International financing institutions (IFI)IFIs include The World Bank, the International Monetary fund, the International

Finance Corporations, the Asian Development Bank, Global Environment Facility and

the Inter-American Development Bank.

(ii) FoundationsAmong the foundations that support marine conservation initiatives are the Gordon and

Betty Moore Foundation,4the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Walton Foundation, the

4 The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation has funded workshops on ocean acidification

(www.moore.org/pa-grants-awarded.aspx?pa=36)

6
http://www.thenaa.net/http://www.thenaa.net/


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German Technical Cooperation, the Norwegian Development Cooperation for Marine

Conservation, the UN Foundation, the United Nations Environment Program and the

United Nations Development Program (Spergel & Moye 2004).

12 . NGOs

A substantial number of international NGOs work to raise awareness about oceanacidification, in particular, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), The Nature Conservancy, Greenpeace, the Center

for Biological Diversity, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature

(IUCN), the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Conservation International (CI) and

OCEANA. The Sustainable Fisheries Partnerships (www.sustainablefish.org) and

SeaWeb (www.seaweb.org/aboutus/seawebinaction.php) provide examples of NGO-

driven programs that work with stakeholders to raise awareness about ocean

acidification and to provide forums for those stakeholders to interact with policy

makers.

IX. Additional opportunities for education and outreach on ocean acidification1. M eetings

Professional meetings, symposia and workshops on ocean science, climate, geology,

geochemistry, marine conservation, fisheries etc., provide opportunities for

presentations and to provide materials on ocean acidification.5

2. Policy institutes

The involvement of policy institutes (think tanks) will create new opportunities of

outreach and education on ocean acidification for the public and policy makers.

Examples include the H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Economics and the

Environment, the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, the Worldwatch Institute,

Resources for the Future, Center for Strategic and International Studies and the

Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (see

www.linkedin.com/directory/companies/think-tanks/washington-d.c..html). Policy

institutes provide an excellent opportunity to incorporate professionals from a wide

range disciplines into discussions on ocean acidification.

3. Press

The call to educate a broad range of stakeholders and the general public on ocean

acidification (NRC and OATF) will require that the mainstream media play a greater

role in any successful outreach campaign on ocean acidification. The Program Office

should have dedicated and trained personnel to work with media contacts in eachparticipating U.S. agency, private media experts, and to develop contacts with

representatives from important media outlets in newspapers, television, internet, radio

scientific and non-scientific publications etc. Particular emphasis should be given to

5 Ocean acidification was a major theme of the 11th International Coral Reef Symposium (ICRS) which

produced the ICRS Official Outcomes and Call to Action

(http://www.nova.edu/ncri/11icrs/11icrs_outcomes_calltoaction.pdf). The International Coral Reef

Initiative (ICRI) has also provided recommendations on acidification and coral reefs

(http://www.icriforum.org/icri-documents/motions/icri-recommendation-acidification-and-coral-reefs).

The Third Symposium on the Ocean in a HighCO2 World produced the Monaco Declaration

(www.ocean-acidification.net/). The symposium website is a useful source of scientific and policy

information on ocean acidification, including the document, Ocean Acidification, A Summary forPolicymakers from the Second Symposium on the Ocean in a High-CO2 World.

7
http://www.linkedin.com/companies/the-h.-john-heinz-iii-center-for-science-economics-and-the-environmenthttp://www.linkedin.com/companies/the-h.-john-heinz-iii-center-for-science-economics-and-the-environmenthttp://www.linkedin.com/companies/pew-center-on-global-climate-changehttp://www.linkedin.com/companies/center-for-strategic-and-international-studieshttp://www.linkedin.com/companies/woodrow-wilson-international-center-for-scholarshttp://www.linkedin.com/directory/companies/think-tanks/washington-d.c..htmlhttp://www.nova.edu/ncri/11icrs/11icrs_outcomes_calltoaction.pdfhttp://www.icriforum.org/icri-documents/motions/icri-recommendation-acidification-and-coral-reefshttp://www.ocean-acidification.net/http://www.nova.edu/ncri/11icrs/11icrs_outcomes_calltoaction.pdfhttp://www.icriforum.org/icri-documents/motions/icri-recommendation-acidification-and-coral-reefshttp://www.ocean-acidification.net/http://www.linkedin.com/companies/the-h.-john-heinz-iii-center-for-science-economics-and-the-environmenthttp://www.linkedin.com/companies/the-h.-john-heinz-iii-center-for-science-economics-and-the-environmenthttp://www.linkedin.com/companies/pew-center-on-global-climate-changehttp://www.linkedin.com/companies/center-for-strategic-and-international-studieshttp://www.linkedin.com/companies/woodrow-wilson-international-center-for-scholarshttp://www.linkedin.com/directory/companies/think-tanks/washington-d.c..html


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those programs and publications that routinely discuss environmental issues, e.g.,

Discovery Channel, National Geographic, Scientific American).

4. Aquariums and museums

This category includes aquariums, museums and marine exhibitions and theme parks,

both private and public.

5. Universities and schools (private and public)

Outreach efforts to universities and schools will have the goals of: (i) incorporating the

subject of ocean acidification into curricula and providing educators with educational

materials on the subject that are appropriate for the circumstances; (ii) increasing the

pool of graduate students and postdocs engaged in ocean acidification research; and (iii)

alerting investigators to research opportunities in the field including funding

opportunities. NOAA and NSF programs that include outreach to schools and

universities, including funding opportunities, are described in Section IX. Institutions

that represent science educators are another target for education and outreach, includingthe National Science Teachers Association Conferences on Science Education

(http://www.nsta.org/conferences/) and the National Marine Educators Association

(http://www.marine-ed.org).6

6. Meteorologists and other public spokespeople

As recommended by the Ocean Acidification Task Force, persons should be encouraged

to provide climate and ocean science background to compliment weather information.

X. Current education and outreach initiatives of US government agencies on ocean

acidification.

1 . The United States Geological Service (USGS)The USGS is actively engaged in research on ocean acidification and their website

(www.usgs.gov) provides a range of materials on the issue.

The USGS monthly newsletterSoundwaves (http://soundwaves.usgs.gov) provides

access to articles such asDiscovering the Effects of CO2Levels on Marine Life andGlobal Climate which include links to other websites and articles on the subject. Sound

Waves also describes research activities on ocean acidification involving USGS

scientists includingImpacts of Ocean Acidification on Coral Growth: Historical

Perspectives from Core-Based Studies (http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2009/11/), publicoutreach activities including participation on panels on ocean acidification

(http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2009/08/outreach2.html) and other materials. The USGS

Newsroom (http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom) also provides summaries of research on

ocean acidification by USGS scientists, such as the recent publication Coral Reef

Builders Vulnerable to Ocean Acidification(http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=1847) as well as links to a range of

materials and activities on ocean acidification in which the agency is involved. The

website The USGS and Science Education (http://education.usgs.gov/) provides ready

access to an extensive range of materials on ocean acidification through the portal

Search USGS Fact Sheets.

6

The National Marine Educators Association produced a special issues entitled Ocean AcidificationFrom Ecological Impacts to Policy Opportunities the journal Current- The journal of Marine Education

(Volume 25, 2009).

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http://www.nsta.org/conferences/http://www.marine-ed.org/http://www.usgs.gov/http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2009/08/outreach2.htmlhttp://www.usgs.gov/newsroomhttp://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=1847http://education.usgs.gov/http://www.nsta.org/conferences/http://www.marine-ed.org/http://www.usgs.gov/http://soundwaves.usgs.gov/2009/08/outreach2.htmlhttp://www.usgs.gov/newsroomhttp://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=1847http://education.usgs.gov/


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2 . The National Science Foundation (NSF)

The NSFs efforts in the area of education and outreach in the field of ocean

acidification embrace two overall approaches to education and outreach, one in the

context of externally funded research projects and the second in science community

discussion and planning activities, which are summarized below.

(i). Education and outreach in the context of externally funded research projects.

In this category there are many activities that are broadly distributed. It is likely that

every grant given by NSF on ocean acidification will have some component of

education and outreach on the subject ranging from public to K-12 to undergraduate and

graduate levels.

The Center for Microbial Oceanography Research and Education (C-MORE)Among the larger efforts in this category is the NSF Science and Technology Center

known as C-MORE, housed at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, includes an

interdisciplinary team including scientists, engineers and educators from the

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute,Oregon State University, University of California-Santa Cruz and the Woods Hole

Oceanographic Institution.C-MORE focuses on the identities, roles and impacts of

microorganisms in the world's largest biome - the ocean - including increased

understanding of potential responses to global environmental variability and climate

change (http://cmore.soest.hawaii.edu/).

C-MORE provides access to the websiteEducation & Outreach(http://cmore.soest.hawaii.edu/education.htm) which includes the websiteK-12 Teacher

Resources and Opportunities providing access to C-MORE Science Kits on OceanAcidification.

(http://cmore.soest.hawaii.edu/education/teachers/science_kits/ocean_acid_kit.htm).

C-MORE also provides access to news and announcements from the field on ocean

acidification

(http://cmore.soest.hawaii.edu/information/announcements_archive.htm) as well as

scientific articles on the subject. FAQs about ocean acidification, forums in which

questions about ocean acidification can be asked to scientists and links to other

resources such as NRDCs documentaryAcid Testcan be found at the websitehttp://cmore.soest.hawaii.edu/forums/

(ii). Specific science community discussion and planning activities.

These activities lead to informal public education and outreach, as well as outreach tothe science community.

The Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry project (OCB)The OCB has a major thrust on ocean acidification. The broader goal of the OCB is to

understand the role of the ocean in the global carbon cycle in the face of environmental

change (http://www.us-ocb.org/). The OCB devotes significant efforts towards public

education, recent events and reports, policy developments and links to international

activities. Within the OCB website are links to the OCB Ocean Acidification Website(http://www.whoi.edu/OCB-OA/), providing access to the websiteResources forScientists and Educators, a clearinghouse of ocean acidification news and information

for educators and the scientific research community. The OCB website includes thesection Community News which provides access to a range of materials involving ocean

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acidification, including links to US government initiatives, reports and events and

information from non-governmental sources.

The Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE)

The COSEE Network, funded primarily by the NSF with support from NOAA, is

comprised of twelve Centers plus a Central Coordinating Office. Some COSEEprograms help promote understanding of ocean acidification by including ocean

acidification in teacher workshops and public workshops, supporting on-line resources

for ocean acidification and supporting public lectures on ocean acidification, and via the

publication and dissemination of resources on their websites and newsletters.

Examples of COSEE events and initiatives:

(i ). Ocean Acidification Workshop: research, adaptation, and communication.

The workshop will be part of the 2010 Alaska Marine Science Symposium

(www.alaskamarinescience.org/past/2010.html)

The event will commence with an initial overview of ocean acidification, the current

state of knowledge in the North Pacific and feature presentations on approaches toadaptation in other marine systems (coral reefs and mangroves) and on climate change

and ocean acidification communication. The workshop will then break out into three

focal groups to discuss (a) research priorities, (b) adaptation guidance for marine

resource managers and (c) communications best practices for ocean educators. Group

recommendations will be reported in plenary and the workshop outcomes written up as

a short report for publication.

(ii ). The COSEE-SE STEM professional development program Seas of Change:

Evidence of Southeastern Climate Change.The program is building a community of educators and researchers

www.cosee.net/about/aboutcenters/coseese/). In this program, researchers extended

information on sea level rise, sea surface temperature and ocean acidification and

associated impacts. The 2010 summer Institute will host 30 formal and informal

regional educators and 15 researchers in North Carolina from June 23 to July 1.

Throughout the week-long resident event, scientists from North Carolina State

University, Duke, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and other institutions will

share their research on causes and impacts of changing sea levels, increasing sea surface

temperatures and decreasing ocean acidity. Educators will receive experiences and

resources for classroom or science center implementation. Demonstrations of STEM

disciplines, alignment with state standards and Ocean and Climate Literacy Essential

Principles, and discussions with scientists all benefit the educators. Scientists benefitfrom learning about education opportunities for outreach.

(iii ). Broadening the High School Student Horizon with Science Connections.

COSEE-OS educators have attended COSEE-Ocean Systems workshops: Teaching

Science Through Ocean Inquiry at the University of Maine Darling Marine Center in

summer 2008 and the Scientist-Educator Collaborative Workshop at the University of

New Hampshire (UNH) in March 2009

(http://cosee.umaine.edu/tools/casestudies/casestudy2/).

(iv ). COSEE On-line Ocean Systems

Learning Tool includes Information on Ocean Acidification.(http://cosee.umaine.edu/cfuser/index.cfm).

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(v) . Public Lectures.

The lectures are archived and maintained on-line at COSEE West. Examples include:

The Ocean in a Warming Climate Lecture - Feb 4, 2009:"Global Warming Guaranteed"

Lecture by Dr. Joshua Willis, JPL - from Feb 4, 2009 (http://www.usc.edu/org/cosee-

west/resources.html#WarmingLecture)

Acids and Bases Ocean Acidification. - http://www.usc.edu/org/cosee-west/Jun21-252010/MDR%20Resources%20Acids,%20Bases,%20Acidification.pdf

(http://www.usc.edu/org/cosee-west/resources.html)

( vi). Publicized Ocean Acidification Awareness via COSEE Newsletter and COSEE

Websites.

Examples include:

http://www.coseealaska.net/oceanacidification/oceanacidificationwebsites/

http://www.coseealaska.net/oceanacidification/

http://www.coseealaska.net/oceanacidification/oceanacidificationsciencenewsand

sciencejournalarticles/

3 . The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

The NASA website (www.nasa.gov) provides information on NASA programs that aim

to measure the impact of ocean acidification, e.g.,NASA Embarks on Arctic Voyage toProbe Ocean, Climate Changes(http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/icescape2010.html) as well as links to

articles such as CO2 Emissions Causing Ocean Acidification to Progress at

Unprecedented Rate (http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/view.php?id=43805)

and Climate Change Seeps into the Sea(http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/climate_acidocean.html).

4 . Environmental Protection Agency

The EPA Office of Water (OW), Office of Science and Technology published in April

of 2009 a Notice of Data Availability (NODA) in the Federal Register providing a list

of references on ocean acidification provided to EPA by the Center for Biological

Diversity and requesting additional information that could be used to re-evaluate the

current recommended saltwater pH criteria. Based on the responses to the NODA and

communications with experts in the field, the EPA determined that sufficient

monitoring data and research is not available to support a revision of the national

recommended pH criteria for saltwater. Detailed information can be found at

http://epa.gov/waterscience/criteria/aqlife/marine-ph.html

More recently, the OW's Office of Wetlands and Watersheds published a NODA in the

Federal Register regarding information necessary to place waters on the 303(d)

impaired waters list for ocean acidification

(www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#documentDetail?R=0900006480ac472a)

Currently the EPA Office of Research and Developments Gulf Breeze Lab is working

on a coral biological criteria support document that may contemplate the effects of

ocean acidification.

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5 . The National Park Service (NPS)

To date, the NPS has hosted and is planning to host the following education and

outreach efforts related to ocean acidification:

(i). An internal NPS webinar about Ocean Acidification hosted by Ocean and Coastal

Resources Branch.

(ii). The Pacific Coast Science and Learning Center is hiring a communication specialist

who will highlight climate change effects in oceans with a video slideshow for the web

on ocean acidification.

(iii). The Pacific Coast Science and Learning Center is helping organize a State of the

(Tomales) Bay Conference this fall that will have a speaker from Bodega Marine Lab

presenting his research on acidification and impacts on bivalves.

6 . National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

NOAAs outreach and education efforts on ocean acidification include fundingopportunities for education, outreach associated with the agencys ocean acidification

research and data collection and presentations by NOAA scientists in a range of venues,

including workshops and lectures.

(i). The National Marine Sanctuaries (http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/) and the National

Estuarine Research Reserves (http://www.nerrs.noaa.gov/) have been the site of ocean

acidification research that has provided the basis for outreach and education materials

produced by NOAA (e.g., http://channelislands.noaa.gov/sac/pdf/cwg-oar.pdf). The

sanctuaries and reserves have interpretative materials, kiosks, educational curricula as

part of their public outreach mission.

(ii). NOAAs Sea Grant is the agencys primary university-based program in support of

coastal resource use and conservation

(http://www.seagrant.noaa.gov/aboutsg/index.html). The research and outreach

programs promote better understanding, conservation and use of Americas coastal

resources. Ocean acidification has been the subject of numerous Sea Grant projects.

(iii). NOAA Office of Education (www.oesd.noaa.gov/) provides information on

NOAA educational programs that address ocean acidification, such as the NOAA's Bay-

Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program

(www.oesd.noaa.gov/BWET/news.html) including funding opportunities foreducational programs.

(iv). The Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) is a federal, regional, and private-

sector partnership working to enhance our ability to collect, deliver, and use ocean

information. IOOS delivers the data and information needed to increase understanding

of our oceans and coasts, so policy makers can take action to improve safety, enhance

the economy, and protect the environment. The Northwest Association of Networked

Ocean Observing Systems (NANOOS) is the Regional Association of the IOOS. The

NANOOS website provides a broad variety of information on ocean acidification

(http://www.nanoos.org/data/products/noaa_ocean_acidification/summary.php).

NANOOS representatives have participated in event such as the Puget Sound OceanAcidification Workshop in which participants from government and university

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scientists, fishermen, shellfish aquaculturists, conservationists, Native Americans, and

U.S. Congressmen discussed recently documented evidence of ocean acidification in

Puget Sound, biological responses of economically and ecologically important marine

species to this threat and gaps in ocean acidification research and monitoring

capabilities in Puget Sound.

(v). NOAAs Climate Services has produced educational materials on ocean

acidification including videos (e.g., www.climatewatch.noaa.gov/2010/videos/origin-

impacts-ocean-acidification) and articles (e.g.,

http://www.climatewatch.noaa.gov/2009/articles/an-upwelling-crisis).

7 . The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (US F&WS)

The US Fish and Wildlife Services National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) in

Sheperdstown, West Virginia, has become a respected center for educating FWS

employees, partner agencies, academia, industry, and the non-governmental community

about important issues of concern to management of the Nations natural resources.

Foremost among these issues has been climate change. In June 2010, NCTC hired aclimate change coordinator who will continuously update the climate curriculum to

include emerging issues such as ocean acidification. NCTC is also partnering with

others to bring field scientists and practitioners new learning opportunities in the form

of courses, workshops, seminars, and webinars.

There are two important outreach action items from the FWSs 5-year Action Plan for

Responding to Accelerating Climate Change. First, the FWS Office of External Affairs

was directed to incorporate climate change-related outreach in FWS communications

products. Second, starting in 2010 the NWRS will develop a climate change program

on a least one national wildlife refuge in each of 8 regions consisting of center displays

and informational publications, as part of its education/interpretation outreach. The

FWS will ensure that ocean acidification is incorporated into all of our education and

outreach efforts.

8. Multi-agency initiatives

Workshops on ocean acidification co-sponsored by several US agencies and non-federal

partners have also provided opportunities for outreach, e.g., the Workshop on the

Impacts of Increasing Atmospheric CO2 on Coral Reefs and Other Marine Calcifiers, co

sponsored by the NSF, NOAA, Institute for the Study of Society and Environment

(www.isse.ucar.edu/florida/workshop.html).

References

Kemp, J, Milne,R., Reay, D.S. 2010. Sceptics and deniers of climate change not to be

confused.Nature, 464, 673.

Moran, M. 2005. A breakthrough in R&D for neglected diseases: new ways to get the

drugs we need. PLoS Med 2(9): e302

NRC (National Research Council). 2010a. Ocean acidification: A national strategy to

meet the challenges of a changing ocean. The National Academies Press. Washington,DC.

NRC (National Research Council). 2010b. Informing an Effective Response to ClimateChange. The National Academies Press. Washington, DC.

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OPTF (Ocean Policy Task Force). 2009. Interim Report of the Interagency Ocean

Policy Task Force.

www.whitehouse.gov/assets/documents/09_17_09_Interim_Report_of_Task_Force_FI

NAL2.pdf

ORRAP (Ocean Research & Resources Advisory Panel) 2010. Ocean AcidificationTask Force, Summary of Work Completed and Draft Recommendations.

Presentation to ORRAP, 27 July 2010.

Saunders, C. D., Brook, A. T. & Myers, Jr. O. E. 2006. Using psychology to save

biodiversity and human well-being. Conservation Biology, 20, 702.

Spergel, B., Moye M.Financing Marine Conservation, A Menu of Options. January,2004. World Wildlife Fund, http://assets.panda.org/downloads/fmcnewfinal.pdf.

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