Who is IOC-UNESCO and what does it do?
It leads the Decade of the Sea and coordinates global ocean …
It is leading the Decade of the Sea, you read about it continuously on our website, in our social media and in our communications, but who is IOC-UNESCO?
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO) is the United Nations body responsible for coordinating oceanographic programmes and services globally. The Commission was established in 1960 as a body with functional autonomy within UNESCO.
As briefly mentioned above, IOC-UNESCO promotes international cooperation and coordinates research programmes, services and capacity building to better understand the nature and resources of the ocean and coastal zones. This knowledge is then applied to:
- improve global marine resource management
- implement a sustainable marine and coastal development plan
- protect the marine environment
- coordinate Ocean Education programs
- support decision-making processes of the 150 Member States.
IOC-UNESCO supports all its Member States in developing their scientific and institutional capacities to achieve the global objectives outlined in the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
What are the objectives of IOC-UNESCO?
The high-level objectives that IOC-UNESCO has set between 2014 and 2021 are:
- Healthy marine ecosystems and ecosystem services ensured
- Effective early warning and preparedness for tsunamis and other ocean-related hazards
- Increasing resilience to climate change and variability and improving the safety, efficiency and effectiveness of ocean activities through science-based services, adaptation and mitigation strategies
- Increasing knowledge of emerging marine science issues
In addition, during the One Ocean Summit organized by the French government in Brest, the Director General of UNESCO invited Member States to include Ocean Literacy in school curricula at all levels by 2025.
During the UN Ocean Conference, the global goal of mapping 80% of the seabed by 2030 was also established thanks to the Seabed2030 project, part of the Decade of Marine Sciences for Sustainable Development program.
What is the composition of IOC-UNESCO?
IOC-UNESCO is a unique global forum for understanding and managing the ocean composed of several governing bodies that coordinate activities at the global level.
General Conference
It meets every two years with the participation of all UNESCO Member States. It is based at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France.
Member States
IOC-UNESCO is composed of 150 Member States (as of July 2019) that work together to safeguard the health of the ocean through ocean observation, tsunami warning and maritime spatial planning.
Assembly
The Assembly meets once every two years with the primary purpose of reviewing the work of the Commission, including that of the Member States and the Secretariat, and formulating a joint work plan for the following two years.
The Executive Council
Composed of 58 Member States, elected by and from among all Member States, it meets twice a year to review the progress of the work in progress. During the meetings, the items to be discussed in the Assemblies are also prepared and decisions are taken for the General Conferences.
Secretariat
The IOC-UNESCO Secretariat is based in Paris, France. The general services and central services support UNESCO in public information, strategic planning through the creation of partnerships, financial management, audit, human resources, legal affairs, data and technology management, project management.
Along with the various UNESCO sectors, there are category 1 institutes and centres that deal with specific tasks, such as the institute of education.
What are the IOC-UNESCO programmes?
Critical knowledge transfer is essential to achieve the objectives and improve ocean management at local and global levels.
Strategies and objectives are linked to long-term collaborative programmes and mechanisms with different IOC bodies and programmes, such as:
- Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS)
- International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE)
- Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS)
- World Climate Research Programme (WCRP)
- Ocean Science Programme (OSP)
- Integrated Coastal Area Management (ICAM)
- Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB)
IOC-UNESCO also contributes to educational programmes and the training of educators’ networks through its participation in the European Marine Science Educators Association (EMSEA) and its Mediterranean network (EMSEA-MED).
What is the role of the IOC Project Office in Venice?
The UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe hosts an IOC-UNESCO unit. As part of its capacity building activities, IOC-UNESCO is dedicated to Ocean Literacy and marine science communication programmes. The training programmes developed involve all spheres of society, they are not exclusive to schools and children.
The Venice office is therefore at the forefront of developing and disseminating knowledge on ocean literacy at a global level. Among the activities, a global platform for the exchange of information and educational content, the Ocean Literacy Portal, has been created. The portal is a platform for connecting researchers, ocean educators and policy specialists.
The Ocean Literacy programme has initiated a project part of the Decade of the Sea initiatives at a global level, called Ocean Literacy With All (OLWA).
OLWA aims to promote understanding of the importance of taking action to change behavior and attitudes towards the ocean and marine life.
The first step is given by communication programs on the impact of the ocean on us and our influence on the ocean, the second is activation on the territory through community-level initiatives.
IOC-UNESCO through the use of methods that promote behavioral change and the adoption of a systemic approach, aims to facilitate the creation of an ocean-educated society ready to work to achieve the objectives of Sustainable Development Goal 14 and the Decade of the Sea.
A practical example is the Ocean&Climate Village, an educational project that stands out for its community-engaged teaching approach. Traveling around the world, the Ocean&Climate Village invites local communities to discover the unique relationships between their city and the ocean through an interdisciplinary approach.
Bibliography:
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO | UNEP – UN Environment Programme
