Science and knowledge: The keys to a healthy Ocean Decade
As the global community grapples with the urgency of preserving one of the planet’s most vital resources, the Ocean Decade Conference is striving to put science at the center of the process. Has the latest conference in Barcelona shown how to deliver the science we need for the ocean we want?
Since its inauguration in 2017, when the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030), the Ocean Decade Conference has played an increasingly important role in coordinating collective commitments to safeguarding marine environments under the banner of “ the science we need for the ocean we want “, and by bringing together scientists, policymakers, activists, and stakeholders from across the globe.
The guiding mission of the Ocean Decade is to support efforts to reverse the cycle of decline in ocean health by ensuring that all stakeholders unite in bringing ocean science to the fore and support countries in creating improved conditions for sustainable development of the Ocean.
This is especially important as “ Life below water” continues to be the least funded of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. A trend which scientists hope to reverse through initiatives linked to Ocean Decade that in turn call for increased investment in ocean science and greater recognition for the value of the blue economy — defined by the UN as the sustainable use of the ocean’s resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs.
The latest edition, 2024 Ocean Decade Conference held in Barcelona, Spain, from April 10 to 12 and co-organized by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC/UNESCO), brought together over 1,500 participants from 124 countries and over 3,000 online viewers, that contributed to the creation of the Barcelona Statement, a document that identifies priority areas for action in the coming years.
The Barcelona statement
From climate change and ocean acidification to marine pollution and overfishing, the Ocean Decade conference in Barcelona once again put the spotlight on the key issues threatening the health and resilience of marine ecosystems.
In this regard the Barcelona Statement provides a crucial roadmap for the coming years by identifying the areas where ocean solutions must be accelerated.
The three main sets of priorities identified in the Statement, are: ocean knowledge and science generation to inform management decisions; improved infrastructure including for marine pollution monitoring and ocean observations; and cross-cutting issues such as co-designing initiatives and embracing all knowledge systems.
Within these priorities, geographical balance is also needed, not only in the implementation of the solutions themselves so that all people across the world benefit, but also in capacity building where it is most lacking and listening to a plurality of forms of local knowledge. An approach that is exemplified by the launch of new funding opportunities for Africa through the Belmont Forum, and for Small Island Developing States through the Marine Institute, Ireland.
Participants in Barcelona came from all over the world, reflecting the diverse nature of issues related to the sustainable development and interconnectivity of our oceans.
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