Blue Planet Alliance’s Post

How do we deliver the science we need for the ocean we want? Associate Director Dr. Andrew Altieri joined experts from governments, NGOs, maritime sectors and more to address this question at the 2024 Ocean Decade Conference. They commemorated accomplishments and strategized priorities to work towards a healthy, resilient and inspiring ocean. Earlier in the month, Dr. Altieri also convened with the Global Ocean Oxygen Network (GO2NE) working group in Spain to integrate their research on ocean deoxygenation and map out a plan to continue advancing their goals. Echoing UNESCO's Director-General Audrey Azoulay's opening for the Ocean Decade Conference, much has been accomplished for our oceans, among which over 500 projects are being implemented in ~60 countries since 2021. But there is much work that remains to be done and can be done. In Azoulay's words, "If there is one thing that can unite us and should unite us, it is the ocean." UNESCO Ocean UN Ocean Decade

🌊 Exciting News! UNESCO Publishes the Venice Declaration for Ocean Literacy in Action 🌊 🔖UNESCO Ocean has released the #VeniceDeclaration for #OceanLiteracy in Action, focusing on engaging society to regenerate the most valuable ecosystem on the planet—the ocean. 👉🏻This Declaration is a significant contribution to the global dialogue on sustainability and ocean conservation, emphasizing the importance of #OceanLiteracy at the United Nations Ocean Conference (#UNOC) 2025. 👉🏻Designed as a dynamic and evolving document, it reflects ongoing discussions among diverse stakeholders. It is a collective heritage, belonging to no single individual or organization. 👉🏻The Venice Declaration will be continuously refined and expanded from the grassroots level, championing Ocean Literacy worldwide and aiming to restore humanity's relationship with the ocean. 🔗For more details, visit: https://lnkd.in/dYEmqeY7 UNESCO Ocean UNESCO/IOC Project Office for IODE UNESCO

🇩🇲Happy Independence Day, Dominica! As we commemorate 46 years since Dominica's independence, we honour the "Nature Isle of the Caribbean" that has woven its rich cultural heritage with groundbreaking environmental initiatives. 🐋From establishing the world's first sperm whale reserve in 2020 to protect these majestic creatures across 300+ square miles of ocean, to setting an ambitious goal of becoming the world's first climate-resilient nation by 2030, Dominica exemplifies how a nation can honour its past while safeguarding its future. Through investments in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and well planned and durable infrastructure, Dominica proves that small nations can make a monumental impact. We applaud their holistic approach to national growth and global preservation. It is a true testament to their dedication of building back better for future generations. #buildingresilience #securingourfuture #caricomclimate #caribbeanclimate

Renewable energy is the future

At the conclusion of my experience, I would like to share what I have learned while working for two months on a reforestation project in Portugal: it is imperative to establish a new understanding of the relationship between humanity and nature, starting from the grassroots level, acknowledging that which gives life to everything – the soil.

An important outcome of the UN Ocean Decade #OceanDecade24 conference has the Barcelona Statement, which identifies three sets of priorities that we really need to support: - ocean knowledge generation - improved infrastructure for ocean observations - co-designing initiatives and knowledge systems that allow ocean obs to deliver societal value. It cannot be over emphasised how critical it is that we not only sustain but grow the ocean observing and science to deliver what society needs. Otherwise we, and perhaps more importantly future generations, will never have the ocean we want. And if we don't have the ocean we want our planet, and our people, will suffer.

Discover 10 interesting facts about South America, a continent known for its diverse ecosystems, rich cultural heritage, and significant natural resources.

June 1st was World Reef Awareness Day! Learn about the important role that the coral reef plays for ecosystems all over the world 🪸🐟 Visit https://lnkd.in/eNSMhhnb to read our weekly blog posts! Have a topic of interest? Let us know in the comment section below!

We arrived in the House of Grímur in #Ísafjörður, where Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, Iceland’s President 1996-2016, grew up. In 2008, I met him at a reception during a summer school on small states at University of Iceland (Háskóli Íslands). One of the strategies we discussed during the summer school was that #smallstates could expand their influence in #internationalpolitics by being “smart”. This means to find niches in which these countries could lead. Arctic Circle, a platform on #Arctic collaboration that is chaired by Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson and that supports our #Grimsson fellowship, is a good example for this. It gives #Iceland a leading role in the region and involves a diverse set of actors. In our fellowship, Elisa Debora Hofmann and I explore the role of one of these actors – science – in relation to environmental changes in the Arctic through arts and research.

The conference identified essential needs for ocean science infrastructure including monitoring marine pollution, observing the ocean, standardising oceanic data, and employing advanced technology to ensure equitable production, accessibility, and utilisation of observations, data, and knowledge for addressing all challenges of the Ocean Decade, by all nations. The results of #TechOceanS project will contribute to many of these essential needs. #h2020 #marinetech #blueeconomy #OceanDecade24