498 / 2024-09-18 08:47:12

ECOP in the UN Ocean Decade and beyond

ECOP,,Ocean Decade,SDGs,sustainability

Session 67 - Advancing Ocean Sustainability: The Role of Early Career Ocean Professionals in Capacity Building, Ocean Literacy and Collaborative Leadership

Our planet and human society are on the brink. Increasing human activity, including greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, eutrophication, overfishing, etc., is changing climate, biogeochemical cycles, and ecosystem services on which our society is depending. Numerous studies suggest we are facing several climate and ecosystem tipping points. Under critical conditions, the United Nations has declared the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (UNDOS: 2021-2030). This initiative aims to understand the status of oceans, predict the future, and develop and implement counter- and mitigation measures under the global collaboration of the scientific community, policymakers, industry and civil society. To accelerate UNDOS, Early Career Ocean Professional (ECOP) programme was established. The mission of ECOP is to elevate and strengthen the diverse perspectives of new generations of ocean professionals through a collective voice, ensuring the transfer of knowledge between experienced professionals and ECOPs to promote ocean sustainability for "The Ocean We Want". ECOP has led various scientific and social activities over the world. Since marine science and ocean-society issues vary from region to region based on the ecosystem, culture, and society, the expected role of ECOPs varies depending on the region and the specific problems. Sharing the successes and impediments of ECOP activities is essential for an effective and innovative contribution to society. Despite the scheduled conclusion of UNDOS in 2030, our global and societal challenges will endure. Each ECOP member will take the lead in tackling difficult issues after 2030, when serious climate and ecological crises may arise. Our experiences from the ECOP programme will serve as valuable models for nurturing the next generation of leaders and fostering closer collaboration among leaders worldwide. In the presentation, we will share some international and Japanese ECOP activities with attendees of XMAS ECOP session and discuss ECOP's strategies for contributing to UNDOS and expanding the global network.