April 8th through April 12th
Take a breath – you’re inhaling oxygen generated by the ocean. The ocean might seem like a distant and vast expanse, but its health directly impacts each and every one of us. The ocean provides sustenance for billions of people worldwide, supporting livelihoods, economies, and cultural practices. Protecting ocean ecosystems is essential for maintaining biodiversity and preserving the wonders of the natural world, and sustaining life on earth.
NOAA and partners will highlight efforts in ocean exploration and ecosystem health through panels and events at the first in-person Ocean Decade Conference held in Barcelona, Spain from April 10-12, 2024, with satellite events happening April 8-9.
Now in the fourth year of implementation of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), this conference will bring together the global Ocean Decade community and partners to celebrate and take stock of progress, and set joint priorities for the future. Speakers will discuss Ocean Decade Challenges for issues such as climate change, food security, sustainable ocean economy, pollution, and extreme weather hazards — and the importance of partnerships at a global scale to work towards solutions to safeguard our planet’s most vital resource.
NOAA will host a booth in the exhibit hall and facilitate several panels and events including:
Tuesday, April 9, 9:00-11:00am
Scaling up global ocean action and innovation through intergenerational collaboration to bridge science gaps – Knowledge sharing with SIDS, LDCs, ECOPs and youth
This event will delve into international partnerships spanning governments, civil society and academia with announcements of future initiatives and showcasing the global work of the Ocean Decade. Through facilitated dialogue between representatives from developed and developing nations, SIDS, early career ocean professionals (ECOPs) and youth, participants will engage in intergenerational discussions, consider gaps and solutions for Decade Challenges, develop international connections and identify needs to complete Decade initiatives. Celebrating the achievements and reflecting on the challenges of Ocean Decade Actions up until now, the event aims to foster future collaborations and partnerships for more impactful Actions.
Port Olympic Auditorium | Details and registration
Hosted by NOAA Research and PeaceBoat US
Tuesday, April 9, 12:00-2:00pm
Technologies in sustainable ocean observations – From low cost to new technology development
Many technology challenges exist when it comes to observing and monitoring the ocean. Dismantling these barriers and identifying opportunities towards achieving a mature and vibrant Ocean Observing Enterprise is the focus of this event. This event will bring together the stakeholder and scientific community, private sector, industry and policymakers to discuss and elevate the challenges and opportunities in this area. Through a brief introductory presentation and a panel, we will be discussing opportunities for low cost technologies and private sector and industry engagement in new technology development, followed by an opportunity to interact, foster connections and discuss cross collaborative efforts.
World Trade Center
Hosted by NOAA Research’s Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing
Thursday, April 11, 1:00-3:00pm
Ocean insights: Marine ecosystem modeling and new technologies for tomorrow’s climate decisions
Climate change challenges how marine ecosystems are managed and conserved. Addressing this challenge requires scientific innovation, transformational advances, and collaborative approaches to support effective management and policy-making. Join the FAO and NOAA in presenting the FAO-FishMIP (Fisheries and Marine Ecosystem Model Intercomparison Project) technical paper on marine ecosystem modeling applications and NOAA’s ASTER^3 (Advanced Sampling Technology for Extinction Risk Reduction and Recovery) as Ocean Decade Actions. This workshop will highlight international collaboration and engage discussion on the latest scientific developments to conserve and restore ecosystems, assess and reduce ecological and socio-economic risks, and to inform climate-smart solutions.
Join our livestream for this event.
No registration required!
Barcelona International Convention Centre, Mediterranean Sea Room
Hosted by NOAA Fisheries
Thursday, April 11, 1:15pm-2:45pm
Co-designing ocean observing system for better societal services – Pan tropics and basin use areas
Building a transformative and solutions-oriented ocean observing system is critical to the success of the Ocean Decade. The design of such systems should follow the principles of co-design, working with stakeholders across the value chain and integrating their needs into the process. We will discuss these principles and observational needs of (a) a pan-tropical observing system; (b) a suite of “exemplars” including boundary currents, tropical cyclones, and marine carbon. Our event will commence with a short presentation followed by a “speed-dating” session. Attendees will meet with focus-area leadership to discuss regional involvement and collaborations from across the value-chain.
Barcelona International Convention Centre, Southern Ocean Room
Hosted by NOAA Research Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing
View the entire conference agenda for all events involving the U.S. Government and the U.S. National Committee for the Ocean Decade.
