Ocean Decade Virtual Series: From the Ocean Science we have, to the one we need

The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (‘the Ocean Decade’) was borne out of the recognition that much more needs to be done to reverse the cycle of decline in ocean health and create improved conditions for the sustainable development of the ocean, seas and coasts. Science-informed mitigation and adaptation policies to global change are urgently needed, but neither science nor policy-makers can accomplish that alone.

In December 2020, the Global Ocean Science Report 2020 – Charting Capacity for Ocean Sustainability (GOSR2020) was released. Based on data collected from around the world, the GOSR2020 offers a global record of how, where and by whom ocean science is conducted. By analyzing the workforce, infrastructures, equipment, funding, investments, publications, data flow and exchange policies, as well as national strategies, the GOSR monitors our capacity to understand the ocean and seize new opportunities. The GOSR2020 provides the baseline information for measuring progress in these areas over the next ten years of the Ocean Decade.

We are at the start of the Ocean Decade and this webinar provides the occasion to take stock on where we stand in terms of ocean science investment, human and technical capacities, data management, as well as output. Based on the main findings of the GOSR2020, we hope to engage in a dialogue with ocean science users and producers supported by a number of panelists, experts in their respective fields.

The objectives of these presentations and discussion are:

1. to assess current investment and capacity gaps in ocean science and
2. to identify measures on how to minimize or even close these over the period of the Ocean Decade.

The monitoring and evaluation framework of the Ocean Decade, that is currently being developed, will measure progress towards its societal outcomes, objectives and challenges and will benefit from the results presented in the GOSR2020 and future editions.

PROGRAMME

• Introduction of the webinar and the GOSR2020, Jan Mees - Flanders Marine Institute and Ghent University (Belgium), Co-Chair of the GOSR2020 Editorial Board, Member of the Decade Informal working Group on Monitoring and Evaluation
• Key findings from GOSR2020, Kirsten Isensee - IOC-UNESCO, Coordinating editor of the GOSR2020; Member of the Decade Informal working Group on Monitoring and Evaluation
• Ocean Science investment (Data from GOSR2020), Claire Jolly - OECD, Member of the GOSR2020 Editorial Board
• Technical Capacity (Fromocean observations to indicators: a Copernicus Marine Service perspective), Karina vonSchuckmann  - Copernicus
• Data management, Linwood Pendleton - Duke’s Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, USA; Member of the Executive Planning Group of the Decade
• Science outcomes, Hans-Otto Pörtner - Alfred Wegener Institute (Germany), IPCCAR6 co-chair Working Group II
• Presentation of Implementation plan of the Ocean Decade, Alison Clausen - IOC-UNESCO, the Ocean Decade Team
• Introducing Best Practice of Marine Science, Jae Hak Lee - Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (Republic of Korea),
• Questions and Answers