A new Decade Collaborative Centre for the Southern Ocean Region (DCC-SOR) joins the global ecosystem of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030 (the ‘Ocean Decade’). The announcement comes as part of a collection of newly endorsed Decade Actions to celebrate the 2023 UN World Oceans Day.
The DCC-SOR will be key in coordinating international efforts to protect and conserve the Southern Ocean. It will be hosted by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) – an international organisation coordinating scientific research in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean region, and advising policymakers. A long-standing partner of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC/UNESCO), SCAR coordinated with the Southern Ocean Task Force the Southern Ocean Action Plan – a framework for Southern Ocean stakeholders to develop tangible actions to support the Ocean Decade.
“Delivering ‘the science we need for the ocean’ calls for all stakeholders to collectively align their research and investments to create, deepen and share the knowledge and understanding required for a healthy and resilient ocean,” said Julian Barbière, Global Coordinator of the Ocean Decade and Head of Section for Marine Policy and Regional Coordination at IOC/UNESCO. “We thank SCAR for their generous support and commitment towards achieving the vision of the Ocean Decade.”
The DCC-SOR will coordinate existing Decade Actions for the region, catalyse new initiatives, lead targeted communications and outreach, engage diverse stakeholders, and mobilise resources. The DCC-SOR will work across all ten Ocean Decade Challenges in the Southern Ocean region, focusing on:
- Challenge 1: Understand and beat marine pollution
- Challenge 2: Protect and restore ecosystems and biodiversity
- Challenge 3: Sustainably feed the global population
- Challenge 4: Develop a sustainable and equitable ocean economy
- Challenge 6: Increase community resilience to ocean hazards
- Challenge 9: Skills, knowledge and technology for all
- Challenge 10: Change humanity’s relationship with the ocean
The Southern Ocean has a global impact on the Earth system. The relationship between the Antarctic Ice Sheet and the surrounding Southern Ocean impacts global sea-level rise. The Southern Ocean also acts as a strong yet exhaustible buffer against climate change, as it stores some of the excess carbon from the atmosphere, and it plays a crucial role in ocean circulation by distributing atmospheric heat from pole to pole.
For more information, please contact:
Ocean Decade Communications Team (oceandecade.comms@unesco.org)
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About the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research:
The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) is an international scientific organization established in 1958 under the International Council of Science Unions (ICSU), now known as the International Science Council (ISC). The primary objective of SCAR is to initiate, develop, and coordinate high-quality international scientific research in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean region and to provide advice to policymakers, specifically the Antarctic Treaty System, on issues related to the region.
SCAR is governed by a council, which is composed of Delegates from member countries and several of the Scientific Unions of the International Science Council that are members of SCAR.
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 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.