OCean Futures
Beyond growth: Imagining different futures for the Ocean
By engaging both imagination and sustainability science, a new paper shows how creative scenario-making can help us rethink Ocean futures.
Despite widespread recognition that economic growth drives Ocean degradation, most future scenarios leave capitalism unchallenged. A recent paper argues that radically different Ocean futures become visible when growth itself is no longer taken for granted.
The authors develop a future scenario for the global Ocean in which humanity has moved beyond the growth paradigm. Using Sci-Fi prototyping, they write four short stories that explore how key Ocean sectors – marine shipping, fishing, biotechnology, and deep-sea mining – might function in a post-growth world. The analysis suggests that a business-as-usual Ocean future is no more plausible than a transformative alternative that prioritizes ecological limits and social values over growth. By engaging both imagination and sustainability science, the paper demonstrates how creative scenario-making can help experts and lay audiences alike rethink Ocean futures. The authors conclude that reimagining the Ocean also opens space for envisioning broader radical environmental futures on land.
Krusberg, T., & Merrie, A. (2025). Disruptive Ocean Futures – The Rise of Post-growth Imaginaries. World Futures Review, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/19467567251405838
