Jas Chambers has one client: the ocean

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Australia is surrounded by sea, but we’re not great at talking about its future. Jas Chambers is facilitating big conversations about the ocean and how we can ensure it’s in good shape for future generations. Jas Chambers wants to have a serious talk about the ocean. Even though Australia has vast swathes of sea on its doorstep, the country’s vast neighbourhood of ocean government departments, research groups, and other organisations rarely come together to ensure the ocean is healthy for future generations. The root of the problem? The neighbours are just not talking to each other enough. “We’re not having this joined up dialogue,” Chambers told The Brilliant. It’s all a bit ironic. Australia is home to the third largest exclusive economic zone in the world, with the country’s marine industry contributing more than $80 billion to the national economy. While Australia has an agency dedicated to its fledgling space industry, there is still no agency overseeing the expanse of water that has surrounded the continent for millions of years. And after attending international ocean meetings, Chambers learned that Australia still has a long way to go when it comes to discussing ocean issues. “That was the moment I realised just how messy and untethered the conversation about ocean is,” she says. As the pandemic moved into full swing, Chambers got busy. In 2021, she co-founded Ocean Decade Australia to help connect businesses, organisations, and people who have a vested interest in the ocean. The goal is to spark one big conversation about how Australia’s key ocean players can work together to achieve a healthy and prosperous ocean by the end of the decade. These efforts complement the mission of the United Nations’ Decade of Ocean Science, which aims to “deliver the science we need for the ocean we want” by 2030. In addition, Australia’sPrime Minister is one of 17 heads of government that have committed to a developing a Sustainable Ocean Plan by 2025 through the Ocean Panel. Gathering hundreds of neighbours to have a productive conversation about their patch of the ocean is no easy task, particularly when they view it in vastly different ways. When a fisherman looks out at the ocean for example, they might see a generous provider of income for their family. Talk to a marine scientist, and they will likely tell you that that the ocean is a fragile ecosystem that needs to be protected. And for every renewable energy engineer who spots a clean fuel opportunity hidden in the waves, a tourism operator sees the place to create a memorable holiday experience. Differences aside, the key to building any thriving neighbourhood involves getting to know each other, says Chambers. “The only way to keep the neighbourhood healthy and sustainable is to make sure that people are talking to each other and understanding one another’s motivations,” she says.

Diving into the ocean decade

In March 2021, Ocean Decade Australia held its first event to discuss what success would look like, how it should be measured, and what needs to be done to get there by 2030. The event attracted over 350 attendees from a diverse range of sectors, from scientific research and primary industry to recreation and finance. When they were asked how they would define success after a decade focussing on the ocean, the attendees showed they had more similarities than differences. Over one-quarter said that if all stakeholders understood the value of marine ecosystems and the human impacts on them – with government policies following suit – the decade would be a success. Over one-quarter said that an understanding of the value of marine ecosystems and the human impacts on them among all stakeholders – with government policies following suit – would be a clear mark of success at the end of the decade. Another quarter of attendees said that the ultimate achievement would be having a more integrated ocean management plan in Australia that uses evidence to make decisions that create equitable and sustainable outcomes for future generations. But ultimately, everyone sees themselves in the same light, whether they are working in industry or philanthropy, says Chambers. “Everyone sees themselves as a good ocean custodian,” she says. “No one looks at the ocean and goes, ‘How do I go out there and stuff that up?” But there’s work ahead. After speaking with hundreds of stakeholders, Chambers has also found that ocean literacy is still surprisingly low. For instance, when she first started approaching people to discuss the ocean, some turned her down because they were more focussed on climate. But what they hadn’t considered was the ocean’s central role in regulating the climate and weather, a connection highlighted by Australia’s environment minister Tanya Plibersek during her plenary speech at the 2022 United Nations Oceans Conference in Lisbon. In short, Plibersek noted that we can’t talk about climate change without talking about the ocean. “That was really key for us that there was this acknowledgement of that link,” says Chambers.

Unify to simplify

Taking a more united approach to ocean management could help tackle a major pain point: how Australia governs it. Currently, each state has their own way of managing the ocean within their borders. That sounds simple enough, but it can be a tricky labyrinth for people to navigate. For instance, a community might simply want to clean up their local lagoon so that children can safely play in it. So, they approach their council, only to be told to speak with the state government. When the community finally talk to the state, they are passed on to a federal government body. “It’s this jurisdictional trickiness,” says Chambers. “Integrated thinking and planning from a governance perspective is key.” It’s also about getting on the same page when it comes to placing a value on the ocean. For over three decades, a conversation about how to value nature has been simmering around the worls. But people working in business, finance, investment, and scientific research have barely talked about it together. One way to help different sectors understand the ocean’s value is to discuss it in a way that resonates with them. For instance, viewing the ocean as an asset and talking about it from a risk management angle can be an effective approach when speaking with the business sector. That means highlighting how an organisation’s actions could have a negative impact on the ocean – and ultimately, their business. While valuing the ocean on a balance sheet might feel uncomfortable and counterintuitive, Chambers says it’s all about using the right language for the audience. “If you’re going to try and get people to understand, then you’ve got to use their language,” she says.

Building the ocean we want

Taking that conversation a step further, Chambers and her team at Ocean Decade Australia are planning an Ocean Business Leaders’ Summit, which will be held in March 2023 at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney. The event will bring together over 200 business executives and thought leaders to discuss the business opportunities the ocean offers and how to build a sustainable ocean economy. While Chambers grew up a long way from the ocean along the Murray River in Mildura, Victoria, salt water called her from a young age. When her feet first met the sand at the beach as a kid, Chambers’ grandfather told her something that blew her mind: that they were probably standing on an ancient mountain range. Looking out at the immense sea, the young Chambers wondered what other secrets lay hidden beneath the waves. “It just captured my imagination … there’s so much about it that’s so central to life on Earth,” she says. Whether we live near or far from the ocean, it’s important to remember that we can’t live without it, says Chambers. “The ocean is used by everyone because it produces every second breath we take.” Follow Jas Chambers on LinkedIn | Twitter Follow Ocean Decade Australia on LinkedIn |Twitter |Instagram | Facebook | Website Article by Gemma Conroy