The United Nations Decade of Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), approved by the United Nations at the end of 2017, was launched 50 years after the International Decade of Ocean Exploration (1971-1980), as a proposal of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC/UNESCO) to address, at a global level, the challenges of preserving the marine life and the health of the Ocean, the recovery of the marine environment, and to promote the sustainable use of its resources and a responsible Ocean governance.
Since the publication in 2016 of the first global assessment of the State of the Marine Environment (UN First World Ocean Assessment), prepared by the United Nations, the state of degradation of the marine environment at a global level became for the first time evident, as well as the contribution of human activities to this situation. The dependence of human health on a healthy ocean and the fundamental role of the ocean in climate regulation are also clear today. However, knowledge of the Ocean and its ecosystems, particularly in the deep sea, is still limited and fragmented, observation networks and early warning systems for the protection of coastal populations can be greatly improved and only about 19% of the seabed are mapped at the appropriate scale. In addition, the overexploitation of some marine resources may render them unavailable for the future generations.
In order to seek to remedy and reverse this situation, several Decade
societal objectives were identified, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda, in particular SDG 14: (1) a clean Ocean, with identification, quantification and reduction of sources of pollution and their removal from the Ocean; (2) a healthy and resilient Ocean, with identification and protection of marine ecosystems and preservation of their services; (3) a predictable Ocean, in which current and future conditions are understood and their impact on the well-being of populations predicted; (4) a safe Ocean, protecting communities from coastal risks and ensuring safe operations at sea; (5) a sustainable and productive Ocean, securing the food supply; (6) a transparent Ocean, with free and global access to data, information and technologies that support informed decisions. To achieve these goals and for a better knowledge of the Ocean and the search for solutions that guarantee its health and sustainability for current and future generations, the contribution of Science is essential. As a global problem, a global commitment is essential, involving the most diverse actors, from the scientific community and young Ocean professionals, to governments and policy makers, the private sector, foundations and non-governmental organizations, and society in general. It is particularly important to involve the young generations, fundamental agents of social transformation, encouraging them to take an active part in this process. It is also intended to mobilize, stimulate and coordinate globally multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research efforts at all levels, supporting capacity building and access to information and technology for developing states, promoting ocean literacy and improving observation and monitoring networks. The Decade will provide a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity for nations to work together to generate the global ocean science needed to support the sustainable development of our shared ocean.
Luis Menezes Pinheiro Chairman of the Portuguese Committee for the Intergovernmental
Oceanographic Commission (IOC/UNESCO)
