Decade of Deep-Ocean Action
The Issue: The United Nations has proclaimed a Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) to boost international coordination and cooperation in research and scientific programmes for better management of ocean resources. The Decade will galvanise collaboration to fill knowledge gaps in support of sustainable development – the lack of fundamental knowledge in the deep-ocean has been highlighted as a priority. In 2018, IOC-UNESCO began the coordination of the Decade’s preparatory process, including a concerted implementation plan. In this preparatory stage, it is crucial to identify key priorities for deep ocean science to support sustainable development.
The Working Group: The Decade working group aims to provide input to the implementation of the Decade in relation to the deep-ocean science, particularly in the field of deep-sea ecology. It currently has over 300 members from around the globe.
- Act as the interface between the UN and the deep sea science community to prepare for and implement the Decade in the deep-ocean, at global and regional levels.
- Promotion of international coordination and cooperation in deep-sea ecology research and scientific programmes.
- Challenger 150 – Proposed UN Ocean Decade Programme for deep-sea biological research. Find papers below in Past Activities.
- Raising awareness about the need of fundamental science to increase our understanding of the deep-ocean and to provide tools for its sustainable use.
- Development of an international and global deep-sea ecology programme with measurable targets.
- Compilation of a list of ongoing international collaborative deep-ocean programmes and how they meet the Decade objectives.
- Engagement with representatives of IOC member States and presentation of the WG to the IOC.
- Provision of guidelines and goals for the implementation of the Decade in the deep-ocean.
- Public outreach product (video/flyer) about the need of exploration and fundamental research to achieve sustainable development outcomes.
- Preparation for attending 2nd Global Planning Meeting for UN Decade (March 2020, Paris) – Cancelled COVID-19.
- Challenger 150 Year 2 Highlights (2022 – 2023)
- Challenger 150 Year 1 Highlights (2021 – 2022)
- 3rd June 2021: New Challenger 150 website launched – see here
- June 2021: Challenger 150 endorsed by IOC-UNESCO as an Ocean Decade activity
- November 2020: Howell, K et al. (2020). A Blueprint for an Inclusive, Global Deep-Sea Ocean Decade Field Program. Front. Mar. Sci. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.584861
- November 2020: Howell, K et al. (2020). A decade to study deep-sea life. Nature Ecology & Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-01352-5
- August 2020: Poster introducing Challenger 150 presented at eDSBS Conference
- January 2020: Online meeting to move forward with DOSI Decade plans in collaboration with SCOR working group members and others.
- July 2019: Two online meetings were held to discuss finer details of the DOSI Decade science plan. Minutes DOSI Decade Meeting July 2019.
- May 2019: DOSI Decade working group members attended 1st Global Ocean Decade Planning Meeting, Copenhagen, Denmark, May 13-15, 2019. 1st Global Ocean Decade Planning Meeting Report – Kerry Howell. Official GPM Summary Report.
1st Global Ocean Decade Planning Meeting, May 2019
- April 2019: DOSI Decade position paper entitled: Deep-Sea Research in the Decade of Ocean Science. Mapping the role of the deep ocean in human society.
- October 2018: Decade WG workshop to formulate position paper (Aveiro, Portugal)
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WG members are encouraged to actively engage with WG communications and meetings, as these are where further information will be provided on workshops, outputs such as policy briefs and publications, as well as event attendance. Please note: DOSI Ambassadors who are involved key meetings are selected according to our DOSI internal policy and at the discretion of the WG leads.