ALBERT

Description: This draft White Paper has been prepared as part of the Vision 2030 process of the United Nations (UN) Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (hereafter, Ocean Decade). The Vision 2030 process aims to identify tangible measures of success for each of the ten Ocean Decade Challenges by 2030. From a starting point of existing initiatives underway in the Ocean Decade and beyond, and through a lens of priority user needs, the process determines critical gaps in science and knowledge, needs for capacity development, priority datasets, infrastructure, and technology for each Challenge. Focusing investments in science and knowledge to address these needs will help ensure progress towards meeting each critical Challenge by the end of the Ocean Decade in 2030. The results of the process will contribute to the scoping of future Decade Actions, identification of resource mobilisation priorities, and ensure relevance of the Challenges over time. This draft White Paper is one of a series of ten White Papers, all of which have been authored by an expert Working Group and discussed at the 2024 Ocean Decade Conference. A synthesis report, authored by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO/IOC), will accompany the White Papers. With a substantial portion of people depending on the ocean as a primary source of nutrition and livelihood, a significant challenge comes into focus: How can we ensure that the ocean's resources continue to effectively nourish an expanding global population? The Ocean Decade responds to this critical concern through its Challenge 3: “Sustainably nourish the global population”.

Description: Published

Description: Refereed

Description: Climate change is altering our planet and the effects are felt from the highest mountains to the deepest parts of the ocean. While the world seeks to hold warming to 1.5°C, it is vital that we take steps now to protect some of the Earth’s natural jewels and to preserve them for future generations. The UNESCO World Heritage List includes the world’s most iconic marine protected areas, recognised by the international community for their outstanding biodiversity, beauty, geology and natural habitats. Beginning with Australia’s Great Barrier Reef in 1981, the List has since expanded to include a global network of 50 ocean places of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), from the tropics to the poles, each of which helps to secure the future of our marine ecosystems. Inclusion on the List is only the start of the work needed to protect these sites from warming seas and shifting weather. Indeed, some 70% of the marine World Heritage sites are currently under threat from climate change, according to the 2020 IUCN World Heritage Outlook. Under a business-as-usual emissions scenario, World Heritage Listed coral reef systems are expected to cease to exist by 2100. Action is necessary not just to protect these sites, but because between them they host over 20% of the world’s blue carbon ecosystems - representing critical carbon sinks - and serve as refuges for vulnerable and threatened species. Managers, scientists, and funders are enthusiastic and willing to help us achieve healthy oceans and marine World Heritage sites. But how? The 2021 UNESCO science assessment survey of marine World Heritage sites indicates that nearly 75% of sites lack knowledge on how to protect their OUV against the impacts from climate change. And about two thirds lack the tools to understand how climate change will impact their biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.We must find evidence-based solutions to address these questions and to help sites plan for the uncertain future. In 2017, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed that 2021-2030 would serve as the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (or ‘Ocean Decade’). The Ocean Decade provides a global framework to harness science to sustainably manage the oceans. Marine World Heritage sites are identified as priority areas in the Implementation Plan of the Ocean Decade. The Decade offers a way to convene diverse actors to co-design and co-deliver knowledge that will address scientific questions about the vulnerable sites, to plan the right response and to put them on a path to a sustainable future. Climate change is a complex challenge, and we must use the best and most up-to-date research and data to guide our actions. Collecting ocean science data and identifying trends are critical to local management teams. Without this baseline knowledge, including where iconic species live or trends in environmental and socio-economic variables, effective management decisions cannot be made in ways that will ensure sites’ protection 10 or 20 years from now. Yet despite their iconic status, many marine World Heritage sites lack essential capacity, technology and resources to generate and process data, including the baseline observations crucial to gather the evidence to plan future steps. For many sites, budgets have not risen while challenges grow exponentially. In response, UNESCO is launching a call for increased and strategic investment in the ocean science needed to safeguard marine World Heritage sites. The ocean is a vast place and there is much to do. Within the framework of the Ocean Decade, this roadmap aims to help provide focus, to ensure research is carried out and used in an efficient, effective and sustainable way. It identifies knowledge that site managers and scientists need to conserve marine World Heritage sites and foster resilient marine ecosystems, highlights the value of science-based decision making, and tackles some key obstacles including resources and capacity. This roadmap outlines key information to assess climate vulnerability, including on the use of targeted science to underpin conservation and management efforts. It also highlights current gaps in science capacity and infrastructure, including data collection and interpretation. Finally, it explores the technology and capacity required for action and the sustainable finance and resources needed to support the necessary research. Marine World Heritage sites face a critical moment in time and we must act now. By developing this roadmap within the framework of the Ocean Decade, we have the chance to generate ‘the science we need for the ocean we want’ and preserve marine World Heritage sites and their services for future generations. This roadmap seeks to offer that help, by showing managers, supporters, and funders how science and research can be more cost-effectively directed to some of the most pressing problems. Together we can steer a path to a resilient and sustainable future, for the next decade and beyond.

Description: OPENASFA INPUT Suggested citation: UNESCO. 2021. Ocean Science Roadmap for UNESCO Marine World Heritage in the context of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030). Paris, France

Description: Published

Description: Not Known

Description: Brochure for conferences, meetings, etc under the subject: 'United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development'

Description: Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology

Description: OPENASFA INPUT Brochure

Description: Published

Description: Not Known

Description: Rationale for this report The Ocean Decade and the Ocean Panel have been developed in full recognition of their mutual importance and influence. The ultimate goal of this report is to analyse tangible ways in which the linkages between the Ocean Decade, with its vision of the ‘science we need for the ocean we want’, and the framework identified by the Ocean Panel, with its aims of safeguarding the long-term health and resilience of the ocean, can be optimized. Ocean science encompasses natural and social science disciplines; the technology and infrastructure that supports ocean science; the application of ocean science for societal benefit, including knowledge transfer and applications in regions that are lacking science capacity; and the science-policy and science-innovation interfaces. It considers the land-sea, ocean-atmosphere and ocean-cryosphere interactions. Ocean science recognizes, respects and embraces local and indigenous knowledge. Source: Ocean Decade Implementation Plan. See note 4. This report has been prepared by the Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO) in its role of coordinating agency of the implementation of the Ocean Decade. It represents the first attempt to explicitly analyse and document the synergies that exist and which could be developed in the future. It is a first step in a process to develop a lean, reliable guiding framework for ocean action, where existing initiatives mutually reinforce each other, thus augmenting their cumulative impact. The need to urgently build back better from the COVID-19 pandemic is recognized by governments and partners worldwide. More than ever before, the current crisis has highlighted the importance of science and knowledge for decision-making and policy. Analysing the synergies between the Ocean Decade and the Ocean Panel – one built around action-oriented knowledge creation and the other explicitly oriented towards policy – naturally responds to this emerging demand for science that is relevant to society. This report builds on the declaration of the 14 world leaders on the Ocean Panel who commit to leveraging the Ocean Decade and the body of knowledge commissioned by the Ocean Panel to build collective understanding and knowledge of ocean sustainability, ecosystem services and functions, and to ensuring that science underpins decision-making for building a sustainable ocean economy.6 It is intended for a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including governments, policymakers, scientists, industry, funding agencies, NGOs and civil society, to raise awareness about the intersections between the action framework of the Ocean Decade and the recommendations of the Ocean Panel. A sustainable ocean economy brings diverse stakeholders together to achieve common goals – the three Ps of effective protection, sustainable production and equitable prosperity. In the sustainable ocean economy paradigm, groups work together by adopting integrated and balanced management of the ocean in which each of the three Ps contributes to the other. The result is a triple win for nature, people and economy and a world where prosperity is greater and more equitably distributed than it is today. Source: Adapted from Stuchtey et al., 2020. See note 10. It speaks both to governments and partners who have committed to the Ocean Panel’s vision of protection, production and prosperity – as well as aiming to incite and catalyse action and commitments from new governments and partners. It deliberately focuses on palpable recommendations that will allow all concerned actors – including members of the Ocean Panel, Ocean Decade partners and members of the future Ocean Panel Action Coalitions – to streamline efforts and carry out effective, collective actions that will lead to sound ocean management, a sustainable ocean economy, and ultimately to achieve the ocean we want – and need – by 2030. For bibliographic purposes, this publication should be cited as follows: IOC-UNESCO. 2021. Ocean Knowledge for a Sustainable Ocean Economy: Synergies between the Ocean Decade and the Outcomes of the Ocean Panel. Paris, UNESCO. (The Ocean Decade Series, 17).

Description: Portuguese Republic

Description: OPENASFA INPUT

Description: Published

Description: Not Known

Description: In 2016, the first World Ocean Assessment of the United Nations stated that humankind was running out of time to start managing the ocean sustainably. This alarming conclusion poses a question to our civilization: is there a way to reverse the decline in ocean health while continuing to rely on the ocean for our ever-increasing needs, particularly under a changing climate? The proclamation by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2017 of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, 2021–2030 (hereafter, the ‘Ocean Decade’) is based on the informed conviction of UN Member States that indeed, this opportunity still exists, and that, furthermore, ocean science needs to play a central role in this process. Ocean science is broad: it encompasses natural and social science disciplines, local and indigenous knowledge; it includes the science-policy and science-innovation interfaces, as well as technology and infrastructure. At the beginning of the third millennium, ocean science is largely competent for diagnosing problems. However, its ability to offer solutions of direct relevance to sustainable development requires a massive upgrade. This need is particularly urgent against the current backdrop of the global COVID-19 pandemic and accelerating climate change. The pandemic has, once again, highlighted the importance of science and knowledge for decision-making and policy. As the world adjusts to a new normal, the ocean will need to play a central role in post-pandemic recovery efforts. However, for this to occur, there needs to be a nothing short of a revolution in ocean science. The Ocean Decade will create a paradigm shift in the generation of qualitative and quantitative ocean knowledge – including from currently data-poor regions, such as the deep ocean, coastal areas where much of the human interaction with the ocean is concentrated, and the polar regions – to inform the development of solutions that contribute to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Ocean Decade aims to catalyse the human behaviour change required for the successful implementation of these solutions. Guided by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Ocean Decade will generate the data, information and knowledge needed for more robust science-informed policies and stronger science-policy interfaces at global, regional, national and even local levels, leading to improved integrated ocean management and development of a sustainable ocean economy. The Ocean Decade will support numerous UN entities to fulfil their ocean-related mandates. In our information-centred, internet-linked society, the Ocean Decade will support ocean data, information and knowledge systems to evolve into a much higher level of readiness, accessibility, and interoperability. The scale of such efforts will need to be exponentially greater than anything seen to date. An equally transformational part of the Ocean Decade is about humanity and our relationship with the ocean. Understanding of the value of the ocean can be nurtured through ocean literacy efforts among diverse stakeholder groups. Holders of indigenous and local knowledge will work as essential partners of the Ocean Decade and will contribute to highlighting the multitude of cultural values of the ocean. Equity, inclusiveness, respect, fairness and scientific integrity are core principles of the Ocean Decade. The Ocean Decade will systematically identify and dismantle barriers to achieving gender, geographic and generational balance so that no one is left behind. Everyone should be able to benefit from ocean science, including Small Island Developing States, Least Developed Countries and Landlocked Developing Countries. Designing and delivering ocean science that focuses on user needs and adopts relevant mechanisms for uptake will be a key metamorphosis to be achieved between 2021 and 2030. Its scale will be unprecedented. Multiple stakeholders are expected to engage and start collaborating outside their traditional communities. Knowledge generators and users will engage in an iterative process of co-design and co-delivery of ocean science. This will create new groupings of actors from natural, social science and humanity disciplines, business and industry, governments, UN entities, intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), NGOs and civil society, educators, early career ocean professionals, ocean sports and recreation organizations, arts and cultural communities, and indigenous and local knowledge holders. Partnerships and active communication will be at the heart of the Ocean Decade. This Decade is not the first to take on the challenge of ocean science. In 1971–1980, earlier generations embarked on the International Decade of Ocean Exploration. As part of that Decade, groundbreaking collaborative research projects occurred. Many of which, such as the World Ocean Circulation Experiment, permanently changed the face of ocean exploration. However, one crucial difference remains between the two Decades: in the 1970s, the aim was to generate the ‘science we want’. In today’s world, we no longer have that luxury, and the current Decade is resolutely focused on the ‘science we need’. The Implementation Plan for such a major undertaking as the Ocean Decade cannot be, and is not, prescriptive. Rather, it provides a framework for transformational action that will build on existing achievements and deliver action across geographies, sectors, disciplines and generations. I hope you, as a reader and an Ocean Decade stakeholder, will share the overall strategic vision and approach of the Ocean Decade as described in the Implementation Plan. With your engagement and your support, the impact of the Ocean Decade will be much bigger than the sum of its parts and together we will be able to create the science we need for the ocean we want.

Description: OPENASFA INPUT he document should be cited as follows: UNESCO-IOC (2021). The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) Implementation Plan. UNESCO, Paris (IOC Ocean Decade Series, 20.).

Description: Published

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Description: On 5 December 2017, the United Nations (UN) declared that a Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (‘Ocean Decade’) would be held from 2021 to 2030. The Ocean Decade provides a common framework to ensure that ocean science can underpin the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and complementary global and regional policy frameworks including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Ocean Decade provides a ‘once-in- a-lifetime’ opportunity to create a new foundation across the science-policy interface to strengthen the management of the ocean and coasts for the benefit of humanity and to mitigate the impacts of climate change. The Ocean Decade Implementation Plan outlines ten Decade Challenges, representing the most immediate and pressing needs of the Decade, which will guide stakeholders as they come together to co-design and co-deliver a wide range of Decade Actions that will be implemented the ocean-climate nexus is embodied in Challenge No. 5 and is reflected in a number of the other Challenges over the next ten years. The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO) has been mandated to coordinate implementation of the Ocean Decade. The Ocean Decade will provide the data, knowledge and capacity to address science and knowledge gaps needed to make informed policy decisions. The United Nations (UN) General Assembly clearly recognizes the societal benefits of a healthy ocean and the need to work across UN entities to achieve this goal. Working in coordination with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Ocean Decade will contribute to addressing these societal challenges for example by providing the sound science needed to reflect ocean considerations in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. In the Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue1, the UNFCCC reaffirmed that science must be strengthened and central to this process. The complementary structure of the Ocean Decade Action Framework to the goals of COP26 will allow for meaningful contributions in achieving successful outcomes.

Description: MEXT

Description: From the People of Japan

Description: OPENASFA INPUT UNESCO-IOC.2021. The Ocean Decade at COP26 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Paris, UNESCO. (The Ocean Decade Series, 31) - (IOC/2021/ODS/31)

Description: Published

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Description: The Implementation Plan of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (the Ocean Decade) calls for ‘transformative science’ and a ‘revolution in how that science is produced, used and disseminated’. The solutions-oriented nature of the Ocean Decade creates the conditions for this revolution because it provides a convening framework to foster the partnerships and develop the scientific knowledge needed to catalyse transformative ocean science solutions for sustainable development, connecting people and our ocean. While there is widespread enthusiasm to engage in this collaborative venture, there is a need to build capacity and common understanding in how to create co-designed solutions that could bring about the desired transformation in ocean management. This discussion note ‘Co-designing the Science We Need for the Ocean We Want: Guidance and Recommendations for Collaborative Approaches to Designing & Implementing Decade Actions’ aims to address this in a holistic manner. It was inspired by discussions held during a series of global and regional webinars in late 2020 that brought together 2,100 individuals from around the world to bring to life the notion of collaborative, co-designed science and identify the key obstacles, challenges and opportunities. The note offers a solid starting point for stakeholders on the: what, why and how they can join efforts to co-design salient, credible and legitimate ocean knowledge solutions which deliver on the Ocean Decade’s vision of ‘the science we need for the ocean we want’.

Description: Government of Sweden

Description: International Science Council

Description: OPENASFA INPUT For bibliographic purposes, this publication should be cited as follows: IOC-UNESCO. 2021. Co-designing the Science We Need for the Ocean We Want: Guidance and Recommendations for Collaborative Approaches to Designing & Implementing Decade Actions. Paris, UNESCO. (The Ocean Decade Series, 29).

Description: Published

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Description: The DCU provided an overview of the Ocean Decade history, rationale and implementation progress as well as key perspectives and challenges for the future.. The DCU reported continued strong enthusiasm to be part of the Decade – “exciting” “innovative” “transformative”, although it noted a growing desire for collective efforts to set strategic ambitions and not remain entirely ‘bottom-up’ which is a significant (but natural) change in opinion. The DCU also recognized the growing desire to understand how the Ocean Decade will contribute to sustainable ocean management and sustainable ocean economic development. The DCU noted increased engagement, and growing private sector and national engagement but reinforced to the Board that it is important to emphasize the Decade as a regional and global collaborative space so as to avoid a purely national focus resulting in 150 national Ocean Decades. Challenges and opportunities for the Ocean Decade’s immediate future were presented. The challenges identified were growing requests and first signs of impatience vis-a-vis the role of Ocean Decade in resource mobilisation; weak leadership roles of partners from Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS); limited engagement with key funding partners including multilateral development banks (MDBs) and international financing instruments; pressure growing to systematically measure and report on progress of Ocean Decade; and a systematic approach to capacity development and exchange is emerging but needs more attention and targeted support. One question some Board members raised was ‘what legacy does the Ocean Decade want to leave?’ positing that it may be useful to identify if the underlying goal is to increase investment, produce science, place a mark on the SDGs and contribute to the post-2030 process; or all of these. The recommendation being that this will solidify the tangible benefit of being affiliated with the Ocean Decade and give direction to the energy that has been generated. Other members emphasised the importance of engaging women and youth in the Ocean Decade and heightening the impact of regional action in which many stakeholders are already engaged. The Board showed support for and willingness to engage further with private sector enterprises, international financing institutions and instruments, and philanthropy to unlock investment in ocean science. An acknowledgment was made that SIDS and LDC mobilisation will require a strengthening of the “business case” of the Ocean Decade and the availability of dedicated resources.

Description: OPENASFA INPUT

Description: Published

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