10 Challenges
Ocean Decade Challenges for collective impact
The Ocean Decade Challenges represent the highest level of the Ocean Decade action framework. They articulate the most immediate priorities for implementation and aim to unite partners in collective action, thus ensuring that the whole of the initiative is greater than the sum of its parts. In doing so, the Challenges shape the overall contribution of the Decade to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and other policy frameworks.
The Challenges were distilled from discussions with stakeholders throughout the preparation phase of the Ocean Decade (2018-2020), including regional consultation workshops. They may evolve and change as issues are resolved over the course of the Decade; and new Challenges may be added as issues emerge. They formed the foundation and framework of the Vision 2030 process conducted in 2023-2024 and related outcomes report.
The present set of ten Ocean Decade Challenges is as follows:
Challenge 1
Understand and beat marine pollution
Understand and map land and sea-based sources of pollutants and contaminants and their potential impacts on human health and ocean ecosystems and develop solutions to remove or mitigate them.
Challenge 2
Protect and restore ecosystems and biodiversity
Understand the effects of multiple stressors on ocean ecosystems, and develop solutions to monitor, protect, manage and restore ecosystems and their biodiversity under changing environmental, social and climate conditions.
Challenge 3
Sustainably nourish the global population
Generate knowledge, support innovation and develop solutions to optimize the role of the ocean in sustainably nourishing the world’s population under changing environmental, social and climate conditions.
Challenge 4
Develop a sustainable, resilient and equitable ocean economy
Generate knowledge, support innovation and multi-sectoral partnerships and develop solutions for equitable, resilient and sustainable development of the ocean economy under changing environmental, social and climate conditions.
Read the Vision 2030 White Paper on Challenge 4
Learn more about the Decade Collaborative Centre for a Sustainable Ocean Economy
Challenge 5
Unlock ocean-based solutions to climate change
Enhance understanding of the ocean-climate nexus and generate knowledge and solutions to mitigate, adapt and build resilience to the effects of climate change across all geographies and at all scales, and to improve services including predictions for the ocean, climate and weather.
Challenge 6
Increase community resilience to ocean and coastal risks
Enhance multi-hazard early warning services for all geophysical, ecological, biological, weather, climate and anthropogenic related ocean and coastal hazards, and mainstream community preparedness and resilience.
Read the Vision 2030 White Paper on Challenge 6
Learn more about the Decade Collaborative Centre for Coastal Resilience
Challenge 7
Sustainably expand the Global Ocean Observing System
Ensure a sustainable and sustained ocean observing system across all ocean basins that delivers accessible, timely and actionable data and information to all users.
Read the Vision 2030 White Paper on Challenge 7
Learn more about the Decade Coordination Office for Ocean Observing
Challenge 8
Create a digital representation of the ocean
Through multi-stakeholder collaboration, develop a comprehensive digital representation of the ocean, including a dynamic ocean map, which provides free and open access for exploring, discovering, and visualizing past, current, and future ocean conditions in a manner relevant to diverse stakeholders.
Read the Vision 2030 White Paper on Challenge 8
Learn more about the Decade Coordination Office for Ocean Data Sharing and Decade Collaborative Centre for Ocean Prediction
Challenge 9
Skills, knowledge, technology and participation for all
Ensure comprehensive capacity development and equitable access to data, information, knowledge and technology across all aspects of ocean science and for all stakeholders.
Challenge 10
Restore society’s relationship with the ocean
Meaningful society-ocean connections are strengthened, driving increased motivation, capability and opportunity for people, across all sectors of society, to make decisions, act and behave in ways that ensure a healthy ocean.
Read the Vision 2030 White Paper on Challenge 10
Learn more about the Decade Coordination Office for Connecting People and Ocean
The Decade Challenges contribute to one or more of the Decade Outcomes, which describe the “ocean we want” by 2030. More information on the Outcomes can be found in the Ocean Decade Implementation Plan.
A clean ocean
A healthy ocean
A productive ocean
A predicted ocean
A safe ocean
An accessible ocean
An inspiring ocean