Evidence suggests that success will depend on how much of the ocean is protected and on who is involved and how protection is designed, implemented and governed<\/a>. Drawing on experiences in social science research and philanthropy across two regions of the global tropics \u2014 Latin America and Southeast Asia \u2014 we believe that achieving effective and durable outcomes for people and the ocean requires a shift towards centring Indigenous and local community leadership.<\/p>\n Ocean conservation through a tropical majority lens<\/p>\n The majority of the world\u2019s ocean-dependent people live in low- and middle-income countries across tropical regions, what is known as the \u2018tropical majority<\/a>\u2019. These communities are on the frontlines of climate change and biodiversity loss, but they are also deeply embedded in coastal ecosystems through livelihoods, cultural practices and long-standing systems of stewardship.<\/p>\n Despite this, the global ocean conservation agenda remains largely shaped by scientific institutions, funding structures and policy frameworks based in high-income temperate countries<\/a>. Often this has resulted in the use of standardized approaches that overlook local governance systems, socio-economic realities and ecological variability. Furthermore, the prevailing narrative often depicts tropical regions primarily as sites of crisis, characterized by overfishing, habitat degradation and climate vulnerability. <\/p>\n While these challenges are real and urgent, the tropics are also sites of resilience, innovation and leadership. They are home to diverse knowledge systems and governance traditions and to communities that have navigated environmental change for generations, yet are keen to learn, collaborate and design solutions to today\u2019s environmental challenges. As inequities in ocean governance become more visible, we see an opportunity to realign systems of knowledge production, funding and associated decision-making to support this transition.<\/p>\n Science that centres communities<\/p>\n Realizing this opportunity requires, first and foremost, a fundamental shift in ocean science. Dominant research paradigms have often prioritized certain forms of knowledge (e.g., natural sciences) while marginalizing others, particularly Indigenous and local knowledge systems. Addressing this requires broadening who leads, participates and benefits from scientific research<\/a>.<\/p>\n This means shifting towards actionable social science research, co-designing research with communities, aligning projects with local priorities and building equitable partnerships that enable researchers from the tropics to lead. It also requires sustained investment from academic institutions, philanthropies and multilateral institutions in open and accessible science. This must prioritize local and regional impact, including in-country training for data collection and analysis, ensuring fair and sustained long-term data storage and access and expanding access to scientific literature. <\/p>\n Beyond these structural changes, ocean science must expand its scope. Integrating social sciences, humanities and participatory action research can better reflect the social\u2013ecological systems that shape conservation outcomes, helping to fine-tune interventions that are scientifically robust and socially grounded. <\/p>\n For example, a collaboration between Ng\u00f6be communities of the Bocas del Toro archipelago of Panama and scientists from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute sought to harness local knowledge<\/a> related to the implications of expanding a local National Park. Interviewees shared appreciation for the existing Park, broadly rejected the expansion of Park boundaries and expressed interest in a community-led conservation effort aligned with their stewardship values and goals, underscoring the need to incorporate local views to ensure effective management.<\/p>\n Towards community-centred philanthropy<\/p>\n Similar power imbalances are often mirrored in traditional philanthropic models, with funders setting priorities far from the ecosystems and communities they aim to serve. A trust-based approach offers a step forward by repositioning funders and grant partners as collaborators, yet a good funder\/grant partner relationship does not automatically extend to the communities they serve.<\/p>\n Achieving this requires funders and grant partners to hold themselves accountable for how conservation reaches communities on the ground. This means challenging how communities are involved: whether consent is being sought and respected, traditional governance systems are being recognized and communities are genuinely shaping the work or simply receiving it. It means ensuring that Indigenous and local communities are not just consulted or accommodated, but formally represented in decision-making across the design, implementation and governance of funded projects.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/8CT4CzIuhRLtoyMcHhu1wgN9riJT55sM2fYr7WLKN2Y.jpg\")
The Bocas del Toro community share their local knowledge with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Image: Courtesy of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IPeAJu1-IfBmeKOdGOG8xiOMY9rB9urnUvnumLkAy64.jpeg\")
Women from coastal communities in Buton District explore a photo exhibition showcasing their fellow communities \u2014 a creative tool for learning and engagement Image: Yong Junyi<\/p>\n