The University of Victoria (UVic) researcher Natalie Ban is part of an international team of researchers and practitioners who have developed the first standardized tool to measure equity in ocean initiatives, projects and policies.
The Ocean Equity Index was presented in a paper published in Nature, outlining how ocean initiatives at multiple scales—from local to international—can become more fair and inclusive, ensuring better outcomes for coastal communities and marine ecosystems.
As ocean industries rapidly expand—from aquaculture and shipping to offshore energy and deep-sea mining—the benefits increasingly accrue those with power. Meanwhile, the burdens of ocean development, such as pollution, restricted access and climate impacts, often fall on marginalized groups including Indigenous Peoples, local communities, women and small-scale fishers.
Practical tools like the Ocean Equity Index (OEI) are needed to support practitioners and scientists in understanding and assessing multiple facets of equity.”
—Natalie Ban, professor, School of Environmental Studies
The index employs 12 criteria to evaluate how ocean initiatives recognize—or don’t—the rights of all. It can be embedded in funding proposal screening, monitoring and evaluation, reporting and policy reviews. Importantly, the index can help identify actions to improve equity.
Learn more about the Ocean Equity Index project online.
