Ocean Decade launches new Call for Decade Actions No. 03/2022

Coinciding with the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture, the scope of the new Call for Decade Actions No. 03/2022 for Decade Programmes is Challenge 3 – Sustainable Blue Food and Challenge 4 – Sustainable Ocean Economy.

Building on the impact of the Ocean Decade since its launch in January 2021, the call aims to continue addressing thematic and regional gaps and to encourage transformative science to achieve the outcomes identified for the next ten years.

The ocean is the foundation for future global economic development, human health and well-being, it provides food security and livelihoods for hundreds of millions of the world’s poorest people.

But to achieve the vision of a sustainable and productive ocean, knowledge and tools to support the recovery of wild fish stocks, and the deployment of sustainable fisheries management and aquaculture practices are needed. Innovation, technological developments and decision support tools to minimize risk, avoid lasting harm and optimize the contribution of economic sectors to the development of a sustainable ocean economy are essential. Providing governments and industrial decision-makers with tailored information and ocean management frameworks such as sustainable ocean planning that build resilience, recognize thresholds and avoid ecological tipping points, are required to guide the development of sustainable ocean economies and promote marine sectors.

The two selected Ocean Decade Challenges are closely interlinked. The term ‘sustainable ocean economy’* has numerous facets across different sectors, including elements related to energy, fisheries and aquaculture, shipping, tourism, etc.

For the Call for Decade Actions No. 03/2022, 17 endorsed Decade Programmes are also inviting Project submissions – please see the Guidance Note for Applicants for the full list. These “umbrella” Decade Programmes include various thematic orientations, some focusing on marine life and ocean observations, others on regional action such as in the Mediterranean Sea.

From a regional perspective, the Call for Decade Action No. 03/2022 seeks to target Projects focused on Africa and Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS). To date, the Ocean Decade has worked hard to mobilise resources around the world, but these regions continue to be underfunded compared to regions such as Europe and North America.

Interested parties should complete and submit the relevant online “Request for Endorsement” form. Please note that there are several different online forms and different deadlines depending on the type of Action you are submitting. While submissions for Programmes and Projects are limited to the opening period of the Call for Decade Actions, Decade Contributions may be submitted on a rolling basis.

Institutions based in Africa, SIDS, Least Developed Countries or Land-Locked Developing Countries who would like to discuss their application and receive additional support to make connections to potential partners can contact oceandecade@unesco.org with “Support for CFDA No. 03/2022” in the subject line.

You can find all of the documentation needed to submit an Action on the Global Stakeholder Forum: https://forum.oceandecade.org/page/call-for-decade-actions

Please note that registration to the Global Stakeholder Forum is required to access all documentation and submit requests for endorsement.

For additional information or queries, please contact oceandecade@unesco.org and include “Call for Decade Actions No. 03/2022” in the subject line.

Deadline for applications: 30 August 2022 23.59h CET

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* There is no common definition of sustainable ocean economy across different stakeholder communities and sectors; however, the Ocean Decade aligns with the conceptual framework developed by the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy.

About the Ocean Decade:

Proclaimed in 2017 by the United Nations General Assembly, the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) (‘the Ocean Decade’) seeks to stimulate ocean science and knowledge generation to reverse the decline of the state of the ocean system and catalyse new opportunities for sustainable development of this massive marine ecosystem. The vision of the Ocean Decade is ‘the science we need for the ocean we want’. The Ocean Decade provides a convening framework for scientists and stakeholders from diverse sectors to develop the scientific knowledge and the partnerships needed to accelerate and harness advances in ocean science to achieve a better understanding of the ocean system, and deliver science-based solutions to achieve the 2030 Agenda. The UN General Assembly mandated UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) to coordinate the preparations and implementation of the Decade.

The 17 Ocean Decade Programmes receiving applications are:

1. Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPS)
2. Ocean Biomolecular Observing Network (OBON)
3. Global Ocean Corps and Conveyor
4. Marine Life 2030
5. Global Ocean Oxygen Decade (GOOD)
6. Digital Twins of the Ocean (DITTO)
7. Sustainability of Marine Ecosystems through global knowledge networks (SmartNet)
8. Mega-Delta
9. SUstainability, Predictability and REsilience of Marine Ecosystems (SUPREME)
10. Observing Air-Sea Interactions Strategy (OASIS)
11. Global Estuaries Monitoring (GEM)
12. Ocean Acidification Research for Sustainability (OARS)
13. Joint Exploration of the Twilight Zone Ocean Network (JETZON)
14. Ocean Decade Research Programme on the Maritime Acoustic Environment (UN-MAE)
15. Science We Need for the Mediterranean Sea We Want (SciNMeet)
16. Empowering Women for the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development
17. Cultural Heritage Framework Programme