Paris, 05.12.2017 - The United Nations announced the Decade of Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) to mobilize the scientific community, responsible policy makers, business and civil society for the implementation of the joint research and technological innovation program.
The announcement of the Decade supports the efforts of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC) to enhance international cooperation in the ocean sciences. This will improve the coordination of research programs, surveillance systems, capacity development, marine space planning and mitigation of the marine risks in order to improve management of ocean and coastal resources.
The General Director of UNESCO, Audrey Azulay, welcomed the announcement of the Decade and called on all interested parties to join the Organization's efforts to strengthen scientific cooperation. "The ocean is a new frontier. It covers 71% of the surface of the globe, while we investigated less than 5%. The implementation of the Decade will ensure greater coordination of research. The IOC of UNESCO is proud to be at the forefront of this effort, "she said.
The satisfaction of the needs of almost 3 billion people depends on marine and coastal biodiversity. The ocean absorbs about a third of the CO2 produced by people, mitigating the negative effects of climate change. However, science has not yet been able to comprehensively assess the combined impact of human activities on the ocean, including the effects of environmental pollution, warming and acidification of the ocean, which threaten this environment, which is vital for our survival. According to the IOC Global Report on the State of Ocean Sciences, national ocean science expenditures range from 0.04 to 4% of total investment in research and development.
The study of the ocean implies the availability of expensive ships and equipment, satellite images, underwater robots and vehicles with remote control, requiring significant investment. To explore the ocean, it is also necessary to attract thousands of scientists who collect and analyze data either in laboratories or in the marine environment. One of the priorities of the Decade is the strengthening and diversification of funding sources, particularly in small island developing States and least developed countries.
The Decade of Ocean Sciences will help accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goal14 on the conservation and rational use of the ocean, seas and marine resources. The Declaration of the Decade confirms the support of the UN member states to the initiative of the IOC-UNESCO, announced at the UN Ocean Conference (New York, June 5-9) and set out in the Ministerial Declaration on Oceans and Health (Lisbon, September 8).
Based on the UNESCO website
