Learning from the Past – helping to make change for the ocean we need.
Aim: A safe and sustainable ocean economy.
The context of our actions
Urgency – The ocean economy is booming with ocean-based industries expected to double by 2030. And yet at the same time we face great crises and the corresponding need to mitigate against catastrophic climate change, and marine pollution. Many scientists believe that the next decade will be critical in achieving the transition to a sustainable future.
Complexity – Our oceans are poorly governed, over-exploited and largely unmapped. Achieving change will require navigation of highly complex stakeholder interactions and governance regimes.
A just transition – There is an imperative to ensure equity, diversity and inclusion for all peoples in a safe and sustainable ocean economy. This requires investment, education, infrastructure, innovation, and decent, safe jobs.
How can Learning From the Past help to create change?
We have ambitious plans for Learning from the Past (LFP). However, we know that change does not happen simply, or in a linear fashion.
- Our aim is to marshal evidence and insight from historical and archaeological information, including traditional and local knowledge, to increase public engagement and support good choices by policy makers, investors and by wider consumers.
- We know that the concept of learning from the past is not new. We know that a great deal of excellent work has already been done and that more is underway. We believe that the LFP programme, through acting as a catalyst and a coordinator, can increase awareness of past work and facilitate new, productive partnerships.
- By building and sharing actionable evidence and insight, convening partnerships across international and sectoral boundaries, and supporting development of new knowledge, skills and methodologies, Learning From the Past can play a strong role in supporting the transition to a safe and sustainable ocean economy.
Where will our actions will be most influential?
The Lloyds Register Foundation Foresight Review of Ocean Safety sets out a comprehensive analysis of the changes that are needed and the key areas where actions can be taken.
The Outcomes of Learning From the Past will therefore focus on the following areas informed by the review:
- Public awareness and policy: Communication to increase public awareness, to inspire and develop ocean citizens, embedding safety and sustainability principles. We will work to influence decision makers to consider cultural heritage when creating new financing mechanisms and infrastructure, enabling the new ocean economy to build on and to complement our maritime heritage.
- Evidence insight and ocean data: Stimulate sharing of heritage ocean data and transparency about ocean-related activities, impacts and dependencies on the cultural sector and wider society. Build actionable insight on aspects of ocean safety, supporting other cultural organisations to share their data, and developing new resources and tools through initiating new citizen science projects.
Why we can help to achieve change
The unique structure of Lloyd’s Register Foundation and its relationship with Lloyd’s Register and the industries it serves, mean that the Heritage Education Centre (HEC) is perfectly placed to initiate and coordinate the Learning From the Past programme. We are well positioned to work with our partners to ensure that the outcomes of the programme are brought to the attention of those that can make change happen.
We define impact as a sustained, meaningful change, or catalyst for change, that supports our mission
Since its started, Lloyd’s Register has been deeply involved in change, at the forefront of all the key maritime engineering transitions – from wind power to coal, from coal to oil, and from fossil fuels to finding more sustainable forms of propulsion. In making sure that these transitions happen safely, Lloyd’s Register has accumulated a vast sum of knowledge over the centuries, and now we want to draw on that heritage to support the transition to a safe and sustainable ocean.
Lloyd’s Register is a global professional services company specialising in engineering and technology for the maritime industry. It is the world’s first marine classification society, created in 1760 to improve the safety of ships. On 2 July 2012, Lloyd's Register converted its status from an industrial and provident society to a company limited by shares. The shares in Lloyd's Register Group are owned by Lloyd's Register Foundation (the Foundation).
As the custodians of much of the historic knowledge of the organisation, our Heritage & Education Centre is a public-facing library and archive holding material concerning over 260 years of marine and engineering science and history. Our mission is to inform, educate, influence and inspire policy makers, researchers and business leaders. Leveraging our connections, heritage collections and creativity we will increase understanding across the world of the importance of maritime safety to a sustainable and efficient ocean economy.
The Lloyd's Register Foundation is an independent global charity with a unique structure and an important mission: engineering a safer world. The Foundation works with global stakeholders on some of the key safety challenges facing society. It's Heritage & Education Centre also works to support and further that mission.
Through the projects that we are involved in to engineer a safer world, and motivated by the urgency of the climate crisis, the LFP programe strives to mobilise people in the heritage community and beyond behind a common purpose because....
"If it is not safe, it is not sustainable"