What is the 21st Century Mermaids Podcast?
A podcast dedicated to women and our oceans! We feature the work and life of an amazing Mermaid blazing trails in her field and fighting tirelessly for our oceans and gender equality in a conversation with podcast host Danni Washington.
We speak with Mermaids in fields ranging from ocean engineering to climate justice and everything in between! Some of the inspiring things our guests have done:
Created Virtual Reality films about the oceans
Championed gender equality through work with the IUCN
Become the first African-American woman to host her own TV show
Served as the chief scientist of a deep sea research submarine
Started a viral hashtag! #BillMeetScienceTwitter
Conducted research on Marine Protected Areas and climate change
And so much more!
The 21st Century Mermaids Podcast aims to address the UN Decade of Ocean Science Goals in a fun and interesting manner by featuring some of the amazing mermaids fighting for our oceans across fields and locations! The podcast is an official affiliate and activity of the UN Decade of Ocean Science.
The podcast is an effort from TV show host and science communicator Danni Washington, ocean conservationist and gender equality champion Mariasole Blanco, and marine biologist and VR Filmmaker Dr. Erika Woolsey!
"The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development is a unique opportunity to engage the ocean science community in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals -- globally, regionally and locally.”
— Dr. Vladimir Ryabinin
The UN Decade of Ocean Science
The United Nations has proclaimed a Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) to support efforts to reverse the cycle of decline in ocean health and gather ocean stakeholders worldwide behind a common framework that will ensure ocean science can fully support countries in creating improved conditions for sustainable development of the Ocean.
The marine realm is the largest component of the Earth’s system that stabilizes climate and support life on Earth and human well-being. However, the First World Ocean Assessment released in 2016 found that much of the ocean is now seriously degraded, with changes and losses in the structure, function and benefits from marine systems.
In addition, the impact of multiple stressors on the ocean is projected to increase as the human population grows towards the expected 9 billion by 2050.
Adaptation strategies and science-informed policy responses to global change are urgently needed.
Scientific understanding of the ocean’s responses to pressures and management action is fundamental for sustainable development. Ocean observations and research are also essential to predict the consequences of change, design mitigation and guide adaptation.
As mandated by the UN General Assembly, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO will coordinate the Decade’s preparatory process, inviting the global ocean community to plan for the next ten years in ocean science and technology to deliver, together, the ocean we need for the future we want!
— UNESCO
“The Ocean is our planet’s largest ecosystem. It stabilizes climate, stores carbon, produces oxygen, nurtures unimaginable biodiversity, and directly supports human well-being through food, mineral, and energy resources as well as provides cultural and recreational services.”
— The Science We Need for the Ocean We Want