2021-2030
Actions of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development
The United Nations has proclaimed the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030 (hereinafter “Ocean Decade”) to mobilize interested stakeholders around the world around a common framework that will put science at the service of countries in their implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 on the ocean.The Ocean Decade aims to drive a paradigm shift in the generation of qualitative and quantitative ocean knowledge to guide the development of solutions that will contribute to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Its ambition exceeds the capacity of any nation, stakeholder group, generation, or scientific discipline. It will bring together a broad range of stakeholders to align their research, investments, and initiatives around a common set of challenges to ensure that the outcome of this concerted effort is no greater than the sum of isolated initiatives. The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO has been charged with coordinating its implementation.
The official website of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development
- [NEW] Progress report (halfway). The newly Progress Report tells the story of a global movement transforming ocean science and knowledge into real-world impact. This third annual stocktaking provides an overview of key Decade initiatives, achievements, remaining gaps, and next steps, guided by the Barcelona Statement and the recommendations of an independent Mid-Term Evaluation.
- [NEW] Action plan resulting from the mid-term evaluation. Objective: to inform strategic adjustments to achieve the expected results over the remaining five years.
- Newsletter #4 of the French National Decade Committee (october 2024)
- State of the ocean report, 2024 (insights on ocean-related scientific activities and analyses describing the current and future state of the ocean)
- Ocean Decade Vision 2030 White Papers (per challenge)
- Trello board to keep track of the latest progress at a glance
- Ocean Decade Progress Report, July 2022 – June 2023
- Newsletter #5 of the French National Decade Committee (october 2023)
- Best practice manual for National Decade Committees: The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030)
- Ocean Decade Data & Information Strategy
- Guidance on Dialogue between IOC Programmes and Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK)
- Newsletter #4 of the French National Decade Committee (april 2023)
- What ocean for tomorrow? Marine ecosystems in a changing climate – Insights from the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report (endorsed Decade Activity)
- Newsletter #3 of the French National Decade Committee (november 2022)
- The contribution of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development to the Achievement of the 2030 Agenda
- Newsletter #2 of the French National Decade Committee (june 2022)
- Endorsed Decade Actions – June 2022
- Newsletter #1 of the French National Decade Committee (march 2022)
- Ocean Decade progress report, 2021-2022
- A new blue curriculum: A toolkit for policy-makers (Launch of a new Ocean Literacy tool on January 24, 2022)
- Ocean Action Newsletter: a road to Lisbon
- Endorsed Decade Actions – October 2021
- National Decade Committees: operational guidelines, June 2021
- The Science we need for the ocean we want
- Co-designing the Science We Need for the Ocean We Want: Guidance and Recommendations for Collaborative Approaches to Designing and Implementing Decade Actions
- Ocean Literacy within the United Nations Ocean Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development
- The Ocean Decade at COP26
- Ocean Science Roadmap for UNESCO Marine World Heritage in the context of UN Ocean Decade
- Global ocean science report 2020: charting capacity for ocean sustainability, executive summary
- Global ocean science report 2020: charting capacity for ocean sustainability
- Ocean Decade Implementation Plan
- Summary – Ocean Decade Implementation Plan
- [NEW] Call for Actions No. 10/2025 is open to initiatives that strengthen the link between science, policy, and society by translating scientific evidence into policies for sustainable ocean management and community well-being. Like previous calls, this call focuses on three areas: programs, projects, and contributions. More information is available via the link, during information sessions (October 28 & 29), and in this guidance note. There are two deadlines: December 5, 2025, for expressions of interest for a program, and January 31, 2026, for projects and contributions.
- Call for nominations to join the Decade Advisory Board or the period from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2027, as individual expert members (deadline October 15, 2025).
“The Decade Advisory Committee is a multi-stakeholder advisory body that assists the IOC Secretariat in fulfilling its role as coordinator of the Decade. The Committee reports to both the governing bodies and the Executive Secretary of the IOC. The Committee will work primarily remotely. A face-to-face meeting is expected to be held at least once a year, depending on the availability of resources.
In addition to representatives from United Nations agencies, the Decade Advisory Committee will include up to 15 expert members from governments, the private sector, philanthropic organizations, civil society, and the scientific community. New members will be appointed for a two-year term, renewable.” - Call for Decade Actions No. 09/2025.Building on the priorities of the Barcelona Declaration and the Vision 2030 process, this Decade Call for Action aims to fill regional and thematic gaps in oceanography to support informed decision-making for sustainable development.
Programs and projects that strengthen scientific cooperation in the Southern Ocean and Antarctic are welcome, and should highlight the link with the “Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences (2025-2034)” and the International Polar Year 2032-2033. - Call for Decade Actions No. 08/2024, structured like its previous ones in 4 sections, aims to fill scientific gaps in coastal resilience, society-ocean relations and the link between the ocean and human health.
- It includes program proposals in the fields of challenge 6 “Increase community resilience to ocean and coastal risks”, challenge 10 “Restore society’s relationship with the ocean”, and those addressing the links between ocean health and human health (deadline 31/01/2025).
- It is also possible to propose programs addressing challenges not covered in Part I (deadline 10/11/2024).
- Project proposals are still possible; see the guidance note (deadline 31/01/2025).
- The 4th part of the call invites the submission of financial or in-kind resources to support the Decade’s priority initiatives (deadline 31/01/2025).
For more information, see the link above and read the latest newsletter from the French Committee (see publications on the left).
- Call for Decade Actions No. 07/2024, in 3 parts (deadline 10/05-21/08/24), aimed to fill funding gaps and promote ocean science initiatives, with projects and financial or in-kind contributions. It received 4 programs, 81 projects from 31 countries, and 9 contributions from 7 countries, mainly to protect ecosystems, develop skills and change human-ocean relations.
- Call for Decade Actions No. 06/2023, in 4 parts (deadline part 1 & 2 10/12/23 , part 3 & 4 31/01/24), inviting African and Caribbean SIDS to co-develop Decade actions and express their interest in programs related to Decade challenges. It also solicits projects aligned with approved programs and resource contributions to support the implementation and design of new actions, particularly in Pacific SIDS and Latin America.
- Call for Decade Actions No. 05/2023, programmes, projects, contributions to address the Decade Challenge 1 “Marine Pollution” (plastic pollution, nutrient pollution) and the Decade Challenge 2 – Ecosystem Restoration and Management (area-based management, restoration, multiple ocean stressors).
- Call for Decade Actions No. 04/2022 Programmes that address Ocean Decade Challenge 6 – Coastal Resilience, and Ocean Decade Challenge 8 – Digital Representation of the Ocean”
- Call for Decade Actions No. 03/2022, Decade Programmes for Challenge 3 – Sustainable Blue Food and Challenge 4 – Sustainable Ocean Economy
- Call for projects from the AXA Research Fund “Coastal livelihoods: preserving oceans to strengthen coastal resilience”
- Call for Proposals of the MeerWissen Initiative for African-German marine research partnerships
- Supporting Canadian Arctic Marine Research Projects Responding to the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development
- Polar Pod Expedition, Contribution, Southern Ocean
- Call for Online Sessions for Satellite Activities 2022
- Announcement of the results of the first endorsed Decade Actions following Call for Decade Actions No. 01/2020
- Previous call for Decade Actions
All events are listed on the official website of the Ocean Decade Forum -registration required-
- 2027: Ocean Decade Conference, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- November 25-26, 2025: French National Symposium for the Ocean Decade, at Océanopolis in Brest
- November 10-21, 2025: COP30, Belém climate change conference in Brazil
- October 9-15: IUCN World Conservation Congress, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- June 16-19: Oceans 2025 Brest
- June 4-13 2025: United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) Nice
- SPECIAL EVENTS (to be completed)
◦ June 3-6 juin: One Ocean Science Congress
◦ June 7-8: Blue Economy and Finance Forum
◦ June 7: Ocean Rise and Resilience Summit / Coastal Cities and Regions Congress (Nice) ; Maritime ports meeting (Nice) ; Blue ports and shipping forum (Marseille)
◦ June 8 : high level event ; People of the Sea (Nice) ; World Ocean Day - UNOC 3, 10 Ocean Action Panels, including meetings to strengthen UN ocean related processes
◦ June 9-13: Ocean Action Panels, official UN event
◦ June 13: political statements, Nice Ocean Action Plan
- SPECIAL EVENTS (to be completed)
- May 12-13, 2025: French National Symposium for the Ocean Decade, at Océanopolis in Brest
- April 10-12, 2024: 2024 United Nations Ocean Decade Conference 2024
- November 30-December 12, 2023: United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28 Dubai)
- October 8-9: First EMB ECOP Network Forum
- October 3-5: EuroGOOS conference
- September 27-28: Launching Conference of UN Decade Collaborative Center on Ocean-Climate Nexus and Coordination Amongst Decade Implementing Partners in P.R. China (DCC-OCC)
- September 25-28: OCEANS 2023 Gulf Coast
- September 1, 2023: Workshop on the new BBNJ agreement (University of Genoa, the Institute for the Law of the Sea and International Marine Environmental Law (ISRIM)
- The Ocean Decade exhibition, developed by the Ocean Agency and IOC-UNESCO, is the result of the mobilization of the global creative community to help transform the image of ocean science and conservation, raise awareness of the importance of the ocean, and inspire support for action, during this momentous decade. The exhibition is available online here.