Qingdao, July 8, 2024 — The United Nations Decade Collaborative Center on Ocean-Climate Nexus and Coordination Amongst Decade Implementing Partners in P.R. China (DCC-OCC) has officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Elsevier, a global leader in scientific publishing and information analytics. This partnership aims to foster comprehensive and in-depth collaboration in marine climate research, global scientific training and public education, and the development of marine and climate science journals. The signing of this MoU marks a significant milestone in advancing collaboration between China and the global marine and climate research communities.
The DCC-OCC, hosted by the First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, operates in collaboration with five national and international research institutions and organizations. As a specialized UN Ocean Decade entity focused on marine and climate cooperation, the center is dedicated to generating knowledge and solutions to address global ocean health, climate change, and sustainable development challenges. The center promotes ocean-based solutions for climate change and aims to realize the vision of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), also known as the Ocean Decade. The UN Ocean Decade has approved the establishment of eight collaborative centers worldwide, four of which focus on global thematic coordination, and four on regional coordination. The DCC-OCC, the only center based in China, has rapidly developed into a vital platform for international marine and climate research cooperation within two years.
Elsevier, a global leader in academic publishing and scientific information analytics, has long been committed to promoting global scientific exchange and collaboration through its extensive collection of academic journals, databases, and solutions. By continuously collaborating with domestic universities and research institutes, Elsevier actively enhances the international influence of Chinese scholars and research institutions in the marine field, collectively advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Leveraging their respective resources, the DCC-OCC and Elsevier will build an international cooperation bridge in marine and climate research. Elsevier will utilize its global scientific network and rich publishing resources to provide a high-level academic exchange platform for international large-scale scientific programs coordinated by the DCC-OCC. This partnership will facilitate the rapid publication, widespread dissemination, and application of research findings. Additionally, both parties will jointly launch early career scientist training programs, offering professional academic training and international exchange opportunities to inspire innovation in the next generation of marine and climate scientists.
The collaboration will also focus on raising public awareness of marine and climate issues and the importance of sustainable development. Through co-organizing science popularization lectures, releasing authoritative reports, and developing educational resources, the partnership aims to translate complex scientific information into easily understandable knowledge and science-based management solutions. This will encourage broad societal engagement in protecting the oceans and addressing climate change.
“We are happy to establish a partnership with an organization like Elsevier, which has a strong sense of social responsibility,” said Fangli Qiao, Director of the DCC-OCC, Academician of the European Academy of Sciences, and Editor-in-Chief of the international marine modeling journal Ocean Modelling. “This collaboration not only supports global marine and climate research but also significantly advances global ocean governance, young scientist cultivation, and public education, further promoting the widespread participation in the UN Ocean Decade.”
Sun Yan, Managing Director of Elsevier’s Journals Department in China, stated, “We firmly believe that our joint initiative will deepen marine and climate science research and global ocean governance, collectively building a clean, sustainable, healthy, and productive ocean ecosystem. This MoU exemplifies Elsevier’s commitment to the UN SDGs and represents a crucial step toward fostering close collaboration and knowledge sharing within the global scientific community.”
With the signing of this MoU, the partnership between the DCC-OCC and Elsevier is officially underway. Together, they will open a new chapter in marine and climate science research cooperation, jointly safeguarding our blue planet and promoting global sustainable development.
This article was originally published on the DCC-OCC website.