To chart the course of the rest of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030 (‘Ocean Decade’), the Vision 2030 process was launched in 2023 to develop a common measure of success for each of the Ocean Decade’s ten Challenges by 2030. The outcomes of this year-long participatory, ambition-setting process are now available as a special series of peer-reviewed papers in the ICES Journal of Marine Science.
Click here to access the publications.
From its inception, the Ocean Decade was designed as an adaptive framework to respond to emerging priorities through its ten Challenges. The Vision 2030 initiative brought together 150 experts across ten Working Groups to create updated “visions” for each Challenge. A tailored and specific end goal and associated milestones were established for these Challenges and discussed in dedicated sessions at the 2024 Ocean Decade Conference in Barcelona, Spain, with broad stakeholder engagement playing a pivotal role in this process before publication as White Papers.
These papers underscore the urgency of:
- Prioritising ocean health and resilience
- Securing sustainable financing for ocean initiatives, particularly as Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 on “Life Below Water” remains the least funded SDG
- Ensuring inclusive, coordinated action across the science–policy–society interface
Working with the Decade Coordinating Unit, the Ocean Knowledge Action Network facilitated this special series and worked with the Vision 2030 Working Group co-chairs to summarize their visions for the Decade in short, scholarly papers. The ICES Journal of Marine Science managed the peer review process and published eight vision papers and an introductory article, each laying out a clear, scientifically-driven pathway towards achieving “the science we need for the ocean we want”.
These papers are:
- Providing solutions to mitigate, adapt, and build resilience to the effects of climate change (Challenge 5)
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 the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO to coordinate the preparations and implementation of the Decade.
About the IOC:
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of 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.