The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO) announced that Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN), a private-sector company specialising in the manufacture and installation of trans-oceanic telecommunications cables, has joined the Corporate Data Group of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, the first company to do so.
The generation, sharing, and management of ocean data, information and knowledge are cornerstones for the Ocean Decade’s success and will be essential to reverse the cycle of decline in ocean health, and contribute to an equitable and sustainable ocean economy. The overarching purpose of the Corporate Data Group is to develop strategies, equitable frameworks, mechanisms and best practices for industrial companies to provide public access to their privately held ocean data.
“We are very pleased to join the Corporate Data Group and to support the goals of the Ocean Decade. Efforts to address today’s ocean challenges are vital to society, and we thank IOC-UNESCO for the opportunity to contribute ASN’s expertise in ocean data to this important initiative,” said Jérémie Maillet, VP of Marine Operations for ASN.
The Corporate Data Group is established jointly by IOC-UNESCO, which is responsible for implementing the Ocean Decade, and Fugro, an Ocean Decade Alliance member specialising in industrial ocean data, who has offered its expertise to support the Group’s efforts.
“The Ocean Decade is about creating transformative collaboration amongst science, industry and governments through joint initiatives that will deliver new ocean knowledge and information to support all stakeholders involved in the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean. ASN joining the Corporate Data Group is a good example of such a collaboration and, I believe, the first of many to come,” said Julian Barbière, Head of Marine Policy at IOC and the Global Coordinator of the Ocean Decade.
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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-UNESCO) to coordinate the preparations and implementation of the Decade.
About 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.
About Alcatel Submarine Networks:
Alcatel Submarine Networks, part of Nokia, leads the industry in terms of transmission capacity and installed base with more than 700,000 km of optical submarine systems deployed worldwide, enough to circumnavigate the globe 17 times. From traditional telecom applications to content and “over the top” service provider infrastructures, as well as to offshore oil and gas applications, ASN provides all elements of turnkey global undersea transmission systems, tailored to individual customer’s needs. An extensive services portfolio completes its comprehensive offering for the submarine business, including project management, installation, and commissioning, along with marine and maintenance operations performed by ASN’s wholly owned fleet of cable ships.
About Fugro:
Fugro is the world’s leading Geo-data specialist. Through integrated data acquisition, analysis and advice, we unlock insights from Geo-data to help clients mitigate risks during design, construction and operation of their assets. This work is accomplished on land and at sea by a team of approximately 9000 talented employees working in 59 countries. Fugro is listed on Euronext Amsterdam and in 2021, revenue amounted to EUR 1.5 billion.
As a member of the Ocean Decade Alliance, and in partnership with IOC-UNESCO, Fugro is applying their knowledge and expertise to transform the coordination of and access to global ocean science data, including Geo-data owned by the private-sector. Fugro’s work to support the Ocean Decade aligns with the company’s purpose of ‘together we create a safe and liveable world’.
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Communications contacts:
IOC-UNESCO
Vinícius Grunberg Lindoso
v.lindoso@unesco.org
Ocean Decade
Sharon Rapose
s.rapose@unesco.org
Alcatel Submarine Networks
Guillaume Fausten
communications@asn.com
Fugro
Serge van de Ven
s.vandeven@fugro.com