Co-organized by Utrecht University’s Pathways to Sustainability, NIOZ, Embassy of the North Sea, and Casco Art Institute: Working for the Commons.
30 January 2025, 13:00–18:00 / Theater de Regentes, The Hague
Admission: free of charge. RSVP via this form.
The Whose Ocean? Assembly brings together knowledge from the natural sciences, humanities, and the arts to develop transdisciplinary frameworks for the advocacy, protection, and sustainable use of the ocean and its ecosystems.
When bodies like the UN refer to ‘our oceans,’ it remains unclear who is meant, raising questions of accountability and authority within environmental and legal arenas. Who defends the ocean’s interests against harmful activities like deep-sea mining, especially when so much of it falls outside state jurisdictions? How can we be in solidarity with ecosystems and species we know little or nothing about? What does it mean to ensure justice for the ocean while its dependent communities suffer unequally under the climate crisis, and harm is caused by so few?
Coinciding with the 40-year anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Assembly aims to critique and contribute to the charter, towards publishing a communal relationship doctrine for ocean stewardship. Together with academics, artists, and practitioners, we examine how the ocean is represented in law and policy and challenge prevailing narratives on ocean justice by incorporating both human-related and non-anthropocentric perspectives.
The day begins with a conference, followed by the formation of three working groups. Each group is tasked with examining and rewriting ocean charters from the perspective of non-human ocean inhabitants:
- Jellyfish: Moves through all layers of the ocean, from the deep sea to the surf, and thrives in warming seas.
- Polymetallic Nodule: A lifeless entity that nonetheless hosts diverse forms of life, potentially constituting a unique ecosystem. Nodules are central to discussions on deep-sea mining.
- Seagull: Coexists with humans in coastal areas, feeding on caught fish and utilizing human infrastructure. This perspective also incorporates human-related aspects, such as labor and history.
Participants collectively engage in playful and ceremonial acts throughout the day program. The Assembly concludes with a performance where each group presents their transformed texts.
The Assembly builds on a year-long collaborative project, which includes reading groups and focused working sessions. You can access harvests and other project information through the Whose Ocean? are.na page.
