The Ocean Literacy Project: empowering ocean literate communities globally: certified training, education and action
The Ocean is our planet’s life support system, yet the ocean lags far behind climate and carbon literacy. The Ocean Literacy Project is here to change that by turning knowledge into action for people, businesses, and communities worldwide.
Mission
We believe education is the foundation for change.
Our mission is to make Ocean literacy as commonplace and essential as climate literacy. We aim to embed Ocean literacy into the places that shape society; schools, health services, governments, businesses, and cultural spaces so the Ocean is at the heart of decisions that affect our shared future.
We will do this by equipping people and organisations with the knowledge and confidence to act for the ocean, creating a ripple effect of Ocean-positive actions across communities, businesses, and policy.
About the project
The Ocean Literacy Project delivers certified training and community-based programmes that empower individuals and organisations to understand their relationship with the ocean and take ocean-positive action. Based on the UNESCO Ocean Literacy Principles and the developing strategy for England, our approach centres on education, equity, and empowerment as foundations for climate resilience, social cohesion, and regenerative futures.
We align our work with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly: SDG 13 Climate Action, SDG 14 Life Below Water, SDG 4 Quality Education, SDG 3 Good Health and Wellbeing, SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities, SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals.
Why Ocean literacy?
The Ocean shapes our climate, health, economies, and food systems, yet public understanding of its role remains low. This knowledge gap limits action and undermines resilience. By making Ocean literacy accessible, empowering, and locally meaningful, we contribute to: climate resilience and just transition, nature-connected mental health, place-based education and environmental justice, peace-building through shared ecological awareness and action.
The Ocean Literacy Project: empowering ocean literate communities globally: certified training, education and action
The Ocean is our planet’s life support system, yet the ocean lags far behind climate and carbon literacy. The Ocean Literacy Project is here to change that by turning knowledge into action for people, businesses, and communities worldwide.
Let’s explore how we can work together
Be part of a scalable, global movement that transforms ocean awareness into measurable impact.
Founder’s Story:
The Ocean Literacy Project was founded by Professor Leanne Hepburn, a marine scientist and educator, with over twenty years of experience at the intersection of science, education, and sustainability.
Leanne’s career began in the field, studying coral reefs and community resilience across the Caribbean and Southeast Asia. Through two decades in academia, she became a leading advocate for transforming how we teach and understand our relationship with the Ocean. As Professor of Education and Environment at the University of Essex, she developed an interdisciplinary BSc in Global Sustainability, directed research teams, and contributed to pioneering work on regenerative growth.
Now an honorary Professor at Essex, Leanne’s focus is on turning knowledge into practical, fundable tools that create measurable impact for people and the planet. She founded the Ocean Literacy Project to bridge the gap between scientific understanding and everyday action, scaling Ocean literacy from classrooms and communities to boardrooms and international policy.
Leanne’s work blends rigorous science, experiential learning, and eco philosophy, inspiring workplaces, leaders, educators, and communities to reconnect with the Ocean as our shared life-support system. Her mission is to make Ocean literacy accessible to everyone, ensuring that education becomes the foundation for regenerative, Ocean-positive change.
For more about Leanne’s work, publications, and speaking engagements, visit her personal website.
