News

Over 400,000 citizens, experts and government officials took part yesterday in a tsunami response exercise across 32 Caribbean countries and 16 territories*. The exercise sought to evaluate national and local tsunami response plans, increase tsunami preparedness, and improve coordination throughout the region. 

From 9 to 11 March participants from across the world will come together for the fourth Ocean Decade Laboratory “A Healthy and Resilient Ocean”. Scientists, NGO and industry representatives and even artists will share their work and ideas for the future of the ocean.

At the International Ocean Data Conference held on 14-16 February 2022 in Poland, attendees agreed on the need to establish a global ocean digital ecosystem to share and disseminate data and information that will contribute to the objectives of the UN Ocean Decade and beyond. The Conference highlighted the importance of increased efforts in standardization, best practices, interoperability, and networking to achieve this goal.

The First International Ocean Decade Conference was generously supported by Germany in virtual mode. The IOC Secretariat is now seeking written Expressions of Interest from Member States via their National Focal Points to host the Second International Ocean Decade Conference approximately in late 2023.

The Prime Minister of Norway and the President of the Republic of Seychelles have accepted UNESCO’s invitation to become Patrons of the Ocean Decade Alliance to generate worldwide support of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030 (‘Ocean Decade’).

A new publication co-sponsored by the IOC provides the scientific community with new guidance on how to evaluate the impacts of climate change on harmful algal blooms (HAB) events.

On the occasion of the One Ocean Summit taking place in Brest, France, UNESCO announced it has set itself the goal of including ocean education in the school curricula of its 193 Member States by 2025. To achieve this goal, the United Nations agency is making available to public decision-makers a toolkit with a shared reference framework of educational content on the ocean.

New collaboration brings ocean science and conservation to the public through editorial features, a special “Ocean Decade” issue of Nautilus Ocean, and in-person events.

Ahead of the One Ocean Summit in Brest, OceanOPS - the Joint Centre of the World Meteorological Organization and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO - will launch the Odyssey Project endorsed by the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. The Odyssey Project will support the Global Ocean Observing System.