With less than two weeks to go before the 2024 Ocean Decade Conference in Barcelona, Spain, the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030 (the ‘Ocean Decade’) has endorsed a new set of 39 Decade Actions to advance science-based solutions for a healthy and resilient ocean.
Extending across 18 countries – from Tanzania and Costa Rica to Chile and the Netherlands – the new Actions join a set of over 480 Decade Actions endorsed throughout these last three years.
These initiatives encompass diverse issues ranging from ocean monitoring, technology and innovation, the ocean economy, deep-sea exploration, open access to data and green investment in ecosystem restoration and conservation. Cross-cutting issues pivotal to the success of the Ocean Decade are also addressed, such as amplifying the voices of women in ocean science and increasing resilience of local coastal communities and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The Actions are primarily led by governmental and research institutions, along with non-governmental, educational and private sector organizations.
“Today marks a significant achievement in the Ocean Decade journey – we have surpassed 500 Decade Actions,” pointed out Vidar Helgesen, newly-appointed Executive Secretary of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), the UN agency charged with coordinating the Decade. “On the eve of this year’s largest gathering of the ocean community, the 2024 Ocean Decade Conference, the Ocean Decade now stands as the most expansive ocean science movement ever undertaken, solidifying the critical role of the ocean in the global agenda.”
Scaling up impact of ocean solutions on the road to 2030
The newly endorsed Ocean Decade Programme, “Ocean Census”, joins a select group of 52 Decade Programmes. Led by The Nippon Foundation and Nekton Foundation (United Kingdom), this Programme will explore, discover, inspire, conserve and sustain marine biodiversity globally – aiming not only to collect and document marine taxa, but also to raise and galvanise public interest and action.
The result of a co-sponsored call with Brazil’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, seven Decade Projects will focus on the observation of oceanic islands, local networks for ocean action, coastal resilience as well as marine toxins and litter.
Six of the newly endorsed Projects will be hosted by the Ocean Decade Programme Global Ecosystem for Ocean Solutions (GEOS). Based on innovative research, investments and collaboration, these Projects centre on ocean and coastal topics, including new technologies and business models, innovative ocean climate solutions, the protection of ocean biodiversity, Arctic ice restoration, and sustainable ecosystem-based management.
The Ocean Decade’s global network to support co-design of ocean science
Five new Decade Contributions have received official endorsement to engage in a long-term perspective for the Ocean Decade. With the aim of facilitating collaboration, co-design, and synergy around sustainable ocean management, these initiatives will provide in-kind or financial resources that support Decade Actions or Decade coordination needs.
Among these, two important Contributions from Decade Implementing Partners Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) and JPI Oceans will respectively unlock funding opportunities and introduce new Decade Actions through a co-sponsored Call.
The Decade Contribution “Ocean Community Empowerment and Nature Grants” from the United Kingdom’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) seeks to help fund community-based initiatives focused on coastal resilience in a changing climate scenario.
The next Call for Decade Actions No. 07/2024 will be open from 15 4月 to 31 8月 2024. New Programmes, Projects and Contributions will be solicited to engage in co-designing transformative ocean science and fill identified gaps in sustainable ocean management. More information will be available soon.
海洋の10年」行動計画の全リストはこちらからご覧いただけます。
詳細については、下記までお問い合わせください。
「海の10年」コミュニケーション・チーム(oceandecade.comms@unesco.org)
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海の10年」について。
2017年に国連総会で宣言された「持続可能な開発のための国連海洋科学の10年」（2021-2030年）（以下、「海洋の10年」）は、海洋科学と知識の生成を刺激して、海洋システムの状態の低下を逆転させ、この巨大な海洋生態系の持続可能な開発のための新たな機会を触媒することを目指しています。海洋の10年」のビジョンは、「私たちが望む海洋のために必要な科学」です。海洋の10年」は、様々な分野の科学者やステークホルダーが、海洋科学の進歩を加速して利用し、海洋システムの理解を深め、2030年アジェンダを達成するための科学的根拠に基づく解決策を提供するために必要な科学的知識とパートナーシップを構築するための招集の枠組みを提供します。国連総会は、ユネスコの政府間海洋学委員会（IOC）に「10年」の準備と実施の調整を委任しました。
IOC/UNESCOについて。
ユネスコ政府間海洋学委員会（IOC/UNESCO）は、海洋、沿岸、海洋資源の管理を向上させるため、海洋科学における国際協力を推進しています。IOCは、能力開発、海洋観測とサービス、海洋科学、津波警報のプログラムを調整することによって、150の加盟国が協力することを可能にしています。IOCの活動は、経済と社会の進歩、平和と持続可能な開発の基礎となる知識と能力を開発するために、科学とその応用の発展を促進するというユネスコの使命に貢献しているのです。
