The Importance of Ocean Science Diplomacy for Ocean Affairs, Global Sustainability, and the UN Decade of Ocean Science

The ocean is highly impacted by human activities, and ambitious levels of science are urgently needed to support decision making in order to achieve sustainability. Due to the high cost and risk associated with ocean exploration and monitoring in time and space, vast areas of the oceanic social ecological system remain under-sampled or unknown. Governments have recognized that no single nation can on its own fill these scientific knowledge gaps, and this has led to a number of agreements to support international scientific collaboration and the exchange of information and capacity.

This paper reviews current discussions on ocean science diplomacy, i.e., the intersection of science with international ocean affairs. Ocean science is intrinsically connected with diplomacy in supporting negotiations toward a more sustainable future. Diplomacy supports essential aspects of scientific work such as capacity building, technology and information/knowledge exchange, and access and sharing of research platforms. Ocean science diplomacy underlies the work of many intergovernmental organizations that provide scientific guidance, such as the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC).

To illustrate how critical science diplomacy is to global ocean affairs, the link below examines examples of the influence of ocean science diplomacy. Furthermore, it discusses the utility of ocean science diplomacy in support of the UN 2030 agenda, and the UN Decade of Ocean Science.

More information: https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/science_society/ocean_policy/

 

Regional Kick-Off Conference on the UN Decade of Ocean Science

The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission and the Government of Egypt, through the National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (NIOF) are organizing the “Regional Kick-Off Conference for the UN Decade for Ocean Science for Sustainable Development for Africa and the Adjacent Island States”, 13–15 December 2021 in hybrid format (online with limited physical presence in Alexandria, Egypt).

The conference will provide a forum to take stock of status of ocean science and technology in the region, deliberate on how ocean sciences in Africa should be supported and focused on delivering the required societal outcomes of the Decade, and seek interest and commitment of the oceanographic community to embark on a number of directions of research which are critical for the ocean sustainable management.

 

The registration link for the pre-conference workshops:

 https://unesco-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0kdemppzIqG9KlBru4vI7GkNE1uioLkwQy

 

Cultural Heritage's Role in Ocean Conservation

The world's oceans are connected to each other, and all humans are connected to the ocean. We depend on it for food, recreation and many livelihoods. The sea has been a major highway by which humanity spread around the globe in the distant past, and it played a significant role in many cultures.Maritime connections and activities still exert a powerful cultural influence. 

Read more at: https://www.oceandecade.org/news/155/Cultural-Heritages-Role-in-Ocean-Conservation

Ocean Decade launches new Call for Decade Actions No. 02/2021

The new Call for Decade Actions No. 02/2021 is an open invitation for partners from around the world to request endorsement for transformative Decade Actions that contribute to the Ocean Decade vision.

The vision of the Ocean Decade is ‘the science we need for the ocean we want’. The Ocean Decade provides a convening framework for scientists and stakeholders from diverse sectors to develop the scientific knowledge and the partnerships needed to accelerate and harness advances in ocean science to achieve a better understanding of the ocean system, and deliver science-based solutions to achieve the 2030 Agenda.

To achieve the Ocean Decade vision, a wide range of partners will implement endorsed Decade Actions in the form of programmes, projects or activities over the next ten years.

The Call for Decade Actions No. 02/2021, the second of a series that will be launched every 6 months as part of the Ocean Decade, will focus on Decade programmes that address priority issues including marine pollution, multiple stressors on marine ecosystems or the ocean-climate nexus.

The Call will also solicit Projects that could form part of one of the 23 already endorsed Decade Programmes participating in the Call for Decade Actions, as well as Projects seeking funding as part of the joint Ocean Decade – AXA Research Fund “Towards more resilient coastal livelihood” and the joint Ocean Decade – MeerWissen Initiative for African-German Marine Partnerships “Nature Based Solutions in Africa”.

The Call will also invite proposals for Decade Contributions of in-kind or financial resources to support Ocean Decade coordination and Action costs.

Each part of the Call has its own submission form and deadlines so attention is recommended to avoid errors and delays in the processing of requests for endorsement.

All information and documentation about the Call for Decade Actions No. 02/2021 is available through the Global Stakeholder Forum, via this link.

Interested Decade Action proponents must register on the Ocean Decade Global Stakeholder Forum in order to access the documentation or submit a request for endorsement.

Registration is via forum.oceandecade.org.

Need more information?

All applicants are strongly encouraged to consult the Call documentation which is posted here.

Applicants are also invited to attend one of the following Information Sessions where they will have an opportunity to ask questions to the Decade Coordination Unit:

20 October 2021 from 17.00 – 18.30h CEST

Join here | Add to your calendar

21 October 2021 from 8.30h – 10.00h CEST

Join here | Add to your calendar

For more information, please contact:

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (please add “Call for Decade Actions No. 02/2021” in subject line)

Indian Ocean Youth Short Video Competition

On the occasion of the International Youth Day (12 August) UNESCO/IOC launched the Indian Ocean Youth Short Video Competition on Tsunami Awareness (News Flash click: here). This initiative is also to commemorate the International Disaster Risk Reduction Day (13 October), and the World Tsunami Awareness Day (5 November). The Indian Ocean Tsunami Information Centre (IOTIC) of UNESCO/IOC jointly with a youth and young professional platform on science, engineering, technology, and innovation for disaster risk reduction (U-INSPIRE Indonesia) is organizing these series of activities related to the youth short video competition.

This short video competition opens the opportunity for Youth to learn, engage in international competition, and be a winner through:

  1. Free online training webinar on Tsunami Awareness and Preparedness
  2. Free online training on Creating Short Videos
  3. Submit their creative short video to the competition and get a chance to be the winner.

The competition is divided in groups:

  • Kenya and Madagascar  is in the category of Western Indian Ocean region: along with youth from Tanzania, Mozambique, and South Africa.
  • Comoros,  Mauritius, and Seychelles  is in the category of Indian Ocean Small Island States group: along with youth from Singapore, Timor-Leste and France La-reunion.

The 2 minutes short video should showcase young persons' ideas, projects, activities, or campaigns towards promoting community tsunami awareness and preparedness. The video can be in the local language or English. A local language video should have English subtitles.

To know more about the Participant Requirements, important dates, Requirements for Video Submission, Submission Detail, Scoring, Jury, Prizes and Winners, and examples of UNESCO Video Competition please see:

  1. Website for Indian Ocean Youth Short Video Competition (available in multi-language with google translation): https://uinspire.id/ioyvc-2021/
  2. Download the concept note (in English): https://bit.ly/concept_note_ioyvc-2021
  3. Register through: https://bit.ly/participate_in_ioyvc-2021