Sydney Ideas – Ocean imaginaries

As a nation surrounded by water, Australia’s identity is deeply connected to the ocean. Our marine environment is one of the most diverse in the world, and hosts an extraordinary array of wildlife such as fur seals, whales, dolphins, sharks, and many other species found nowhere else on earth.

While the latest wave of reports about shark bites has raised attention about public safety, it points to bigger questions about the health of the oceans and its ecosystems.

What public narratives and structures guide our understanding of animal behaviour and human interventions? How do we strike the balance of protecting both wildlife and humans, all at the same time when our ocean is changing due to climate change and a much bigger human footprint in our blue backyard?  

Join political scientist Christopher Pepin-Neff, and Australian wildlife scientist Vanessa Pirotta, to explore Australia’s relationship with the ocean, and protecting all forms of life, from the surface to the seafloor. Hosted by Helen Sullivan, Senior Journalist at the BBC.

Presented with Sydney Environment Institute.