C2B2 focuses on bringing about transformative change through participatory governance supported by relevant and insightful data and knowledge. C2B2 reimagines the role of quintuple helix actors [academia, industry, government, civil society, and the natural environment] across the blue economy in processes ‘from data to knowledge to decisions and action’, increasing opportunities for participation, deliberation and influence, building open infrastructure and strengthening capacity to support the inclusion of data and knowledge in multilevel governance. Importantly, in this conceptualisation, data is a means to ‘give nature a voice’.
Advancing three inter-related pillars of science-based ocean governance
C2B2 will provide the basis for a continuously evolving knowledge system for science-based ecosystem governance through the interconnection of three thematic pillars:
- open ecosystem and climate change science;
- open, data-driven innovation & emerging technology, and
- ocean governance and adaptive management.
Insights developed in one pillar will feed into the co-creation process while advancing the other two pillars, e.g., innovative sensor data collection advances ecosystem science and adaptive management practice.
Demonstration of co-creating participatory ocean governance in Sweden
In order to demonstrate in practice how the transition towards science-based ocean governance of a sustainable blue economy can be achieved, the C2B2 programme will set up LivingLabs in three demonstration cases involving relevant sectors and actors in Sweden’s three main marine basins, coinciding with SwAM’s three management areas. The LivingLabs co-creation methodology is part of the C2B2 bottom up approach. LivingLabs is a well-established methodology for dealing with complex socio-technical-ecological systems.
The LivingLabs in each case study will cover selected case study area(s) based on interests and priorities. The stakeholders related to each LivingLab include selected C2B2 partners, associated partners and other actors. During the programme implementation, a full stakeholder analysis will identify all relevant stakeholders for each LivingLab. Please note that the objectives of each LivingLabs present draft versions based on initial interactions with stakeholders during the proposal phase. Therefore, some objectives are more advanced than others. All objectives will be co-created and agreed by the LivingLabs stakeholders during the programme implementation.