This week (14.12.2020) the UNESCO published on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the formation of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) the second edition of the
“Global Ocean Science Report 2020–Charting Capacity for Ocean Sustainability.”
The report is a helpful resource for policymakers, academics, and other stakeholders seeking to assess progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of the UN 2030 Agenda, in particular, the SDG target 14.a on scientific knowledge, research capacity, and transfer of marine technology.
The Global Ocean Science Report addresses four additional topics:
- contribution of ocean science to sustainable development;
- blue patent applications;
- extended gender analysis;
- and capacity development in ocean science.
Key findings of the GOSR
Key findings from the report state:
- Ocean science funding is largely inadequate, undermining the ability of ocean science to support sustainable provisions of ocean ecosystem services to humanity.
- Ocean science continues to underrepresent women, particularly in highly technical categories
- The technical capacity of ocean science remains unequally distributed among countries and regions
- Ocean data and information are inadequately supported, which hampers open access and data sharing
- Ocean research has direct implications on sustainable development policies, management strategies, and action plans of multiple societal structures.
"Ocean science seeks to improve our understanding and knowledge of the ocean and its processes and identify solutions to address climate change and ocean stressors, including marine pollution, ocean acidification and deoxygenation, the loss and shifts of marine species, and the degradation of marine and coastal environments. Ocean science is not just about protecting the ocean; it is also about protecting our planet and our future."