One Ocean, One Voice: A global early career perspective on the priorities for the UN Ocean Decade.
Intergenerational diversity is central to achieving sustainability goals. As such, one of the main challenges faced by the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) is bridging the generation of Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs) and the community of senior researchers and decision-makers currently at the helm of ocean sustainability.
In this study we draw on the perspectives of 1,344 ECOPs across 108 nations to delineate the perceived research and capacity development priorities for the Ocean Decade, and barriers to ECOP engagement and capacity development. Results across geographic and professional areas show how research on climate change and its social and ecological impacts stands as the unifying research priority for the ECOPs surveyed.