On the occasion of the global celebration of World Oceans Day on 8 June 2023, the Ocean Decade announces the official endorsement of 47 new Decade Actions, strengthening the momentum for ocean knowledge-based solutions.
With the aim of achieving the Ocean Decade vision of ‘the science we need for the ocean we want’, the newly endorsed Decade Actions address priority ocean science issues such as community resilience to ocean hazards, creation of a digital representation of the ocean, sustainable ocean economy, ocean literacy and capacity development.
Spanning all continents from Canada and Liberia to France and the Philippines, these initiatives are led primarily by governmental and research institutions as well as non-governmental organizations, and constitute a direct contribution to the 10 Ocean Decade Challenges towards ocean sustainability.
“The theme of UN World Oceans Day 2023, ‘Planet Ocean: Tides Are Changing’, highlights the paradigm shift in understanding of the ocean’s role and introduces a collaborative approach to ensure its health and wellbeing,” said Vladimir Ryabinin, Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO, the agency charged with coordinating the Ocean Decade. “The Ocean Decade is strengthening this movement through 47 new Decade Actions contributing to the sustainable development of the ocean.”
Ocean Decade strengthens global network of partners
Promoting the co-design of the science we need, five Contributions of in-kind or financial resources have received official endorsement, focusing on research infrastructure, inclusive and sustainable ocean economy, capacity development for ocean science in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), marine policy and ocean governance.
The Ocean Decade community working in the Southern Ocean will benefit from significant support from the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) through the newly endorsed Decade Collaborative Centre for the Southern Ocean Region (DCC-SOR). Bolstered by a comprehensive understanding of the challenges of the Southern Ocean community, SCAR will coordinate and interface with international collaborators for high-quality scientific research, catalysing new initiatives, monitoring the impact of the Decade and marshalling resources.
The initiative Our Shared Ocean, led by the Marine Institute of Ireland, will develop new knowledge and partnerships between researchers in SIDS and Ireland to address common climate challenges and define a wide range of sustainable development solutions. Tied with Ocean Decade priorities, this endorsed Action will also provide support through joint Calls for Decade Actions and develop a training on co-design in the Caribbean region.
Based in China, the National Marine Data and Information Service (NMDIS) has been designated as a Decade Implementing Partner (DIP) in view of its work around blue economy data and ocean accounting, in alignment with Ocean Decade Challenge 4. The new DIP will work closely with the Decade Collaborative Centre – Ocean-Climate Nexus and Coordination amongst Decade Implementing Partners in P.R. China (DCC-OCC).
Collective action for solutions-oriented, transformative ocean science
Led by China’s Deep Ocean Affairs Administration, the new Decade Programme “Digital Deep-sea Typical Habitats (Digital DEPTH)” will enhance ability to observe, simulate and map deep-sea habitats – which are vulnerable to human activities and global changes – thereby promoting a balance between deep-sea conservation and sustainability.
In line with Ocean Decade Challenge 8, Digital DEPTH will contribute to building a comprehensive digital representation of the ocean through advanced technology. It will carry out data collection in deep-sea ecosystems and promote the sharing of data, knowledge and experience in deep-sea science and management with the next generation of ocean professionals, especially those from SIDS, Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs).
In addition to this Ocean Decade Programme, the results also include 41 focused Decade Projects that will contribute to the objectives of existing global Decade initiatives.
Seven of the new Projects will fall under the umbrella of Ocean Decade Programmes led by IOC/UNESCO. They cover various topics such as technology development and innovation, ocean observations, data collection and ocean literacy to better understand, manage and sustain ocean resources at global, regional and national levels.
Six additional projects will be hosted by the Ocean Decade Programme “SUstainability, Predictability and REsilience of Marine Ecosystems (SUPREME)”, and will develop a forecasting system, increase ocean data accessibility and ensure a modelling infrastructure to adapt and build resilience of marine and coastal resources, and the people who depend on them.
These Actions come to grow the network of collective ocean initiatives aiming to catalyse science-driven solutions to improve the state of the ocean and advance human wellbeing. To date, the Ocean Decade portfolio includes 408 endorsed Decade Actions worldwide.
Discover below:
Twenty-seven submissions from the fourth Call are still under review. The IOC/UNESCO will be making final endorsement decisions and communicating with proponents in the coming months.
The current Call for Decade Actions No. 05/2023 is open until 31 August 2023, soliciting transformative Decade Programmes that address priority sub-themes of Ocean Decade Challenge 1 – Marine Pollution and Ocean Decade Challenge 2 – Ecosystem Restoration and Management. In addition, 18 of the endorsed Decade Programmes are soliciting new projects.
It also invites proposals for Decade Contributions of in-kind or financial resources to support Ocean Decade coordination and Action costs, with a focus on: (i) Marine Pollution, (ii) Ecosystem Restoration and Management, and (iii) Sustainable Blue Food.
Detailed information for interested applicants and links to apply are available via the Ocean Decade Network.
For more information, please contact:
Ocean Decade Communications Team (oceandecade.comms@unesco.org)
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About the Ocean Decade:
Proclaimed in 2017 by the United Nations General Assembly, the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) (‘the Ocean Decade’) seeks to stimulate ocean science and knowledge generation to reverse the decline of the state of the ocean system and catalyse new opportunities for sustainable development of this massive marine ecosystem. The vision of the Ocean Decade is ‘the science we need for the ocean we want’. The Ocean Decade provides a convening framework for scientists and stakeholders from diverse sectors to develop the scientific knowledge and the partnerships needed to accelerate and harness advances in ocean science to achieve a better understanding of the ocean system, and deliver science-based solutions to achieve the 2030 Agenda. The UN General Assembly mandated UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) to coordinate the preparations and implementation of the Decade.
About the IOC/UNESCO:
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC/UNESCO) promotes international cooperation in marine sciences to improve management of the ocean, coasts and marine resources. The IOC enables its 150 Member States to work together by coordinating programmes in capacity development, ocean observations and services, ocean science and tsunami warning. The work of the IOC contributes to the mission of UNESCO to promote the advancement of science and its applications to develop knowledge and capacity, key to economic and social progress, the basis of peace and sustainable development.