Ocean Decade

Ocean Decade vision

The vision of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) is the "science we need for the ocean we want". The Ocean Decade is a convening framework for diverse stakeholders to co-design and co-deliver solution-oriented research needed for a well-functioning ocean in support of the 2030 Agenda. Capacity development, ocean literacy and the removal of barriers to full gender, generational, and geographic diversity are essential elements of the Decade.

From global gazetteer to global community

In 2022, the Marine Regions Data Management Team submitted a proposal under the third call for Actions, entitled "From global gazetteer to global community", which received endorsement as an official UN Ocean Decade Project in June 2023. As an Ocean Decade Project, Marine Regions is now linked to the previously endorsed Action Programme "An Ocean Data and Information System supporting the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (OceanData 2030)". Through the proposed Decade Action, Marine Regions seeks to increasingly adopt a demand-driven approach by involving various existing and new stakeholders.

To achieve this, five areas of action have been identified:

  1. Reviving the editorial community and establishing sustainable relations with these key contributors;
  2. Consulting experts and improving the content and usability of the database;
  3. Reaching out to UN Decade Actions and working towards a co-design;
  4. Engaging the general public and their knowledge of relevant concepts;
  5. Supporting major global (UN) policy instruments.