How can UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development make difference?

Biodiversity loss, pollution, acidification, deoxygenation, global warming and other effects of climate change: these phenomena that affect the ocean not only weaken marine areas but threaten the balance of our entire planet.

Biodiversity loss, pollution, acidification, deoxygenation, global warming and other effects of climate change: these phenomena that affect the ocean not only weaken marine areas but threaten the balance of our entire planet. This conference, organized by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO and the Ocean and Climate Platform*, aims to take stock of the state of ocean science and to outline avenues for developing policies in favor of the protection of marine areas.

Currently, what is the scientific diagnosis of the ocean? How do we convert scientific data into policies? How can the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) make a difference? These are some of the issues to be discussed during the four sessions of this conference, which will bring together scientists, researchers, and policymakers.

Participants in this event include the Chairperson of the Executive Board of UNESCO, Byong Hyun Lee; the French Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, Frédérique Vidal; the Portuguese Minister of the Sea, Ana Paula Vitorino; and the President of the Ocean and Climate Platform, Romain Troublé.

This conference is organized ahead of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), initiated by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO. While the news concerning plastic pollution, areas affected by deoxygenation and ocean acidification is alarming, this Decade aims to stimulate research in areas where knowledge is still fragmentary, especially with regard to interactions between climate, ocean, and biodiversity.

The event also aims to promote the adoption of measures allowing better monitoring of marine areas, such as the establishment of an observation system for all ocean basins, the creation of a global database of marine resources or even the use of new technologies to accurately assess marine biodiversity.

Launched in 2014 with the support of the IOC, the Ocean and Climate Platform* brings together more than 70 organizations – both research institutes and NGOs – to enhance scientific expertise and raise awareness among policymakers of issues related to the preservation of the ocean.