From 7–8 December 2026, members of the IOC Working Group on Sustainable Ocean Planning and Management (SOPM) will convene at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France, to provide expert input to the implementation of the IOC-Wide Strategy on Sustainable Ocean Planning and Management (2025–2030), based on the first biennial Implementation Plan for 2025–2027, including discussions on progress made to date in implementing the Strategy.

The meeting follows two online sessions of the IOC Working Group on SOPM already held on 9 December 2025 and 18 March 2026, as well as a series of additional online meetings convened through dedicated Task Forces established within the Working Group. These Task Forces, composed of Working Group members, focus on key thematic areas including the organisation of science and data, training and capacity development, and financing and resource mobilisation.

The Working Group brings together experts from IOC Member States, IOC programmes, and partner organisations.

Participation in the meeting is restricted to designated members of the Working Group.