The UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) presents a once-in a lifetime opportunity to deliver scientific knowledge, foster technological innovation, and build capacity to achieve the 2030 Agenda and reverse the decline of ocean health. This will be a truly global effort based on inclusive partnerships flourishing in a global research and innovation ecosystem. Following the First Global Planning Meeting, held in May, in Denmark, a South Atlantic Workshop will be convened 25-27 November, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, hosted by the Brazilian Ministry of Defense/Navy with the scientific support of the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovation and Communications and co-organized with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) as coordinating body for the Decade.
This event will provide a forum to gather approximately 120 ocean leaders/champions/key stakeholders to further discuss and prioritize the issues identified at the First Global Planning Meeting. Plenary and working groups will facilitate regional, interdisciplinary discussions across sectors (such as: ocean science and technology; ocean policy and sustainable development; business and industry; NGOs and civil society; donors and foundations) to identify concrete deliverables and partnerships to meet the Decade’s six societal objectives:
- Safe Ocean
- Sustainable and Productive Ocean
- Transparent and Accessible Ocean
- Clean Ocean
- Healthy and Resilient Ocean
- Predicted Ocean
The South Atlantic Workshop offers a crucial opportunity to co-design mission-oriented research strategies in line with the 2030 Agenda, the Belém Statement on Atlantic Research and Innovation Cooperation as well as the Atlantic Interactions Strategic Research Agenda to stimulate North-South and South-South cooperation, in focusing on South Atlantic countries needs and priorities in terms of transforming knowledge systems; accelerating transfer of technology; enabling training and education; and fostering science-policy dialogues; and promoting effective communication for the Decade.
The South Atlantic Workshop will aim to identify:
- Knowledge gaps and regional ocean science priorities for the 2030 Agenda, the Belém Statement on Atlantic Research and Innovation Cooperation and the Atlantic Interactions Strategic Research Agenda
- Existing relevant partnerships/networks/initiatives and potential ones/interested partners
- Priorities in capacity-development/training
- Priority themes and topics to be addressed by the Decade
- Other regional initiatives and meetings to be aligned with the Decade
This workshop will be part of a continued global dialogue throughout 2019 and 2020 via conference side-events, further thematic workshops and the Decade Online Community Platform to inform the planning of the Decade.
The Decade of Ocean Science is an inclusive and truly global initiative, and broad engagement will be key to success.
The event organizers invite all interested ones to answer the survey below to enable the selection of Experts for the South Atlantic Regional Workshop in order to maintain the representativeness of areas and sectors, regional equilibrium between countries and gender balance in all the WGs:
Portuguese – https://forms.gle/poFaD3jWy8kH7K126
English – https://forms.gle/nbV6CreSWENUw3Ue9
For additional details on the event, please click here and here. In what regards the Decade of Ocean Science, please contact oceandecade@unesco.org or access http://oceandecade.org.
