Ocean Decade International Cooperation Center, China

As a Decade Implementing Partner, achieving SDG14 and the mission and vision of the Ocean Decade is a core focus of the Ocean Decade International Cooperation Center (ODCC), and the Ocean Decade priorities are integrated and recognised in the existing and future work programs.

As the guiding strategic plan, ODCC will carry out “Eight Major Marine Actions”. Articulated in the ODCC 2030 Developmental Plan, by the year 2030, ODCC aims to cultivate and launch 3-5 Decade Programmes, initiate 8-10 Decade Projects, and organise pilot implementation in Qingdao for 5 Decade Programmes. This may involve collaborative efforts with partner organisations (e.g. research institutes, universities, international organisations) and co-design processes through support to working groups or meetings of diverse groups of actors. ODCC also aims to support the operation and activities of ECOP China Node and fund youth programmes. We will mainly focus on energising marine science and technology innovation, proposing science-based solutions, protecting and restoring marine ecosystems, preserving marine biodiversity, boosting blue economy and sustainable marine industrial development, and engaging the public and promoting ocean literacy and education.

ODCC will commit to convening Ocean Decade partners via existing networks, such as the Ocean Decade “Cities with the Ocean” platform. Qingdao is one of the founding cities of the platform, and ODCC has been the main actor coordinating Qingdao’s engagement in the network and implementing the work. ODCC is also partnering with several leading domestic and international marine organisations, research institutes, and businesses. In the following years, ODCC is eager to raise awareness about the Decade and facilitate new partnerships and collaborations for the co-design of Decade Actions.

Besides, ODCC desires to contribute to communications and outreach including sharing of Ocean Decade communications, translation and adaptation of communications assets to local languages and contexts, and providing local or thematic content for use in global communications. ODCC has been providing translation services to all the related materials in Qingdao’s engagement in the Ocean Decade Conference and the “Cities with the Ocean” platform to facilitate communications between local authorities and the international Ocean Decade community. ODCC has translated the Barcelona Declaration into Chinese to enable a wider recognition and impact in China. In the future, ODCC aims to keep putting effort into producing, translating, and sharing communications assets and serving as a bridge of communication between China (especially Qingdao) and the world in the Ocean Decade initiative.

Finally, ODCC will actively support the meetings and conferences of the Ocean Decade, including major international conferences, regional or national workshops or events, and Decade events on the sidelines of other major conferences or meetings. In September 2023, ODCC co-organised the international launching conference of DCC-OCC. In 2025, Qingdao Municipality will host and co-organise the 2025 Ocean Decade Coastal Cities Conference with UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, and ODCC will be a major actor commissioned by the Municipal Government in the planning, coordination and implementation of the Conference.

Start Date: 01/07/2024
End Date: 31/07/2027

Lead Contact: Wei Zheng (zhengwei@fio.org.cn)