The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (the Ocean Decade) was launched 1 January 2021. One of its objectives is to build capacity and generate comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the ocean including human interactions, and interactions with the atmosphere, cryosphere and the land-sea interface. The achievement of this objective requires, among others, increased efforts in the transfer of marine technology (TMT). According to the IOC Criteria and Guidelines on the TMT, marine technology is not restricted to technology per se but also includes, among others, the expertise, knowledge, skills, technical/scientific/legal know-how and analytical methods related to marine scientific research and observation.

However, in order to support an increase in marine technology and capacity one has to know what currently exists. In December 2020, the Global Ocean Science Report 2020 – Charting Capacity for Ocean Sustainability (GOSR2020) was released. Based on data collected from around the world, the GOSR2020 offers a global record of how, where and by whom ocean science is conducted. By analyzing the workforce, infrastructures, equipment, funding, investments, publications, data flow and exchange policies, as well as national strategies, the GOSR monitors our capacity to understand the ocean and seize new opportunities. The GOSR2020 provides the baseline information for measuring progress in these areas of TMT during the Ocean Decade.

The GOSR2020 affirms that the technical capacity of ocean science remains unequally distributed among countries and regions; and that countries are inadequately equipped to manage their ocean data and information, which hampers open access and data sharing. Further, the report brings to light the need to promote multistakeholder partnerships in ocean science and operationalize TMT, optimizing research infrastructure and human potential.

The Ocean Decade presents a unique opportunity to intensify international cooperation for the transfer of marine technology. This webinar does provide an opportunity to present key findings of the GOSR2020 and identified technical and human capacity gaps, and to discuss about future opportunities and strategies for an enhanced cooperation to boost the transfer of marine technology over the next 10 years. The monitoring and evaluation framework of the Ocean Decade, which is currently being developed, will measure progress towards its outcomes, objectives and challenges and will benefit from the results presented in the GOSR2020 and future editions.

This event will be held 8 June, which is designated by the UN as the World Ocean’s Day: a day for humanity to celebrate the ocean.

8 June 2021, 14:00 - 15:00 h CEST 

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

https://zoom.us/j/96091035387