The EU Horizon two-year project FLOW, Future Lives with Ocean and Waterstackled the problem of the emotional disconnect between people and waters, which was highlighted by the European Commission's Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters. FLOW specifically focussed on connectedness of young generations and it did so through co‑creation: it was not about them, but with them. FLOW's coordinator Riyan van den Born spoke to us about the project on behalf of all FLOW partners.

• The FLOW project reveals surprising emotional and cultural ties that young Europeans have with water. What key insights stood out and how should these shape EU water policies going forward? And what is the most effective way to genuinely engage young people in shaping Europe’s water future?

Emotions we encountered when talking with young people about problems related to oceans, water, nature and climate varied from joy, hope, love and care to anger, frustration and sadness, with some people expressing feelings of depression, despondency and helplessness.

Many young adults who participated in FLOW have a hard time dealing with these emotions.

Some develop coping mechanisms, such as avoiding news. However, many of the young adults involved in the water initiatives studied still have hope that things can change for the better.

Peers and collective action play an important role in inspiring hope. Many young adults realise that individual strategies alone do not solve complex problems, and that collective action is needed to make a real impact.

Those young people who connected with peers and worked together with them in (mostly local) projects, found a sense of purpose in their actions and believed that collective efforts can make a real difference. Moreover, many young people said that intergenerational solidarity inspired them to take action for water.

Our research shows that connectedness with water is rooted in childhood experiences. Different approaches based on different dimensions of connectedness (Ives at al., 2018) speak to different people, for instance focusing on experiences or on intellectual interests.

Drawing from these key insights, we recommend bringing young adults closer to EU water policies by:

• creating and facilitating opportunities for building different forms of connectedness with nature and water, from childhood onwards;
• promoting a broad variety of frameworks and approaches in European initiatives to motivate young people to take action for water;
• encouraging policies that facilitate youth participation in conservation efforts. This includes hands-on initiatives such as citizen science projects and volunteering  where young people actively engage with conservation projects;
• creating conditions for finding likeminded peers, as working together builds trust in others and hope for the future of oceans and waters.
• What have you learned about how water is portrayed in the media and culture, and how do these portrayals affect young people’s views on water and its protection? How can this inform how the EU talks about water issues?

FLOW’s foresight study, analysing fringe and popular cultural sources from different media (such as movies, podcasts, books, games), revealed signs of potential change in human‑water relations. Water is often depicted as both a resource to be exploited and a powerful force worthy of respect and protection. Some cultural expressions focus on the beauty and fragility of oceans, emphasising their vulnerability to human actions, while others highlight the ocean’s role as a threat—a force that must be managed or controlled. In this regard, young people’s views are often a continuation of ‘older’ ways of knowing and relating to oceans and waters.

An interesting sign of potential change that emerged from the analysis of cultural sources was a shifting away from a human-centred worldview. Both the cultural sources and the initiatives studied showed a growing interest in ‘more-than-human’ perspectives, revealing the interconnectedness of humans and nature, fostering a sense of connectedness that is vital for environmental conservation.

Themes of stewardship, blue innovation and rights-based approaches — such as granting legal rights to water bodies— emerged as significant sources of optimism. These hopeful signs reflect a growing belief in humanity’s capacity to not only restore and protect aquatic ecosystems but also to partner with water to solve challenges (what we call nature-based solutions).

Moreover, the analysis revealed a deep sense of urgency among young generations regarding the precarious future of aquatic ecosystems. Climate change, pollution and the collapse of marine biodiversity are perceived as existential threats, with many cultural indicators expressing a fear of ‘losing nature’.

These findings suggest that Mission Ocean should:

• engage young generations in initiatives that emphasise the interconnectedness of humans and aquatic environments. Strengthen stewardship visions, fostering responsibility for protecting ecosystems;
• link to youth culture and use media that resonate with young generations to promote positive human-water relations;
• find innovative ways to include more-than-human perspectives instead of only a human-centred worldview.
• If you had to pick a bold, youth-led innovation from FLOW that could transform EU water policy, what would it be? In what ways should young people be included in the EU's work on oceans and waters?

Inspiring examples are Embassy of the North Sea (Netherlands) and Parlement de Loire (France).

Include young people in transforming EU water policy. Build on their sense of urgency, engagement and connectedness with water to co‑create EU water policy. That way, their trust in other people and institutions will be increased, generating hope for the future of our oceans and waters. It is important that these initiatives combine different routes for strengthening connectedness: for instance, experiential, affective and reflexive in different forms based on heritage, philosophy and art.

Riyan van den Born is the coordinator of the FLOW project. Max Priebe, Zoheb Mashiur, Bernadette van Heel and Melania Borit also contributed to the interview.

FLOW brought together engaged young adults from many European countries with five pioneering water initiatives, three research organisations, Radboud university (The Netherlands), Fraunhofer ISI (Germany), UiT The Arctic University of Norway and the civil society network Volonteurope (Belgium).  FLOW has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme.