2024 Annual Workshop to Advance Implementation of the UN Ocean Decade Successfully Convened

FIRST INSTITUTE OF
OCEANOGRAPHY, MNR

2024 Annual Workshop to Advance Implementation of the UN Ocean Decade Successfully Convened

On January 2-3, 2025, the 2024 Annual Workshop to Advance Implementation of the UN Ocean Decade and the Ocean Decade Campus Alliance Member Unit Meeting were held at Southern University of Science and Technology. The meeting, themed "Deeply Participate in International Processes and Effectively Build Chinese Achievements," summarized the latest progress of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), exchanged information and experiences, and planned future work directions, injecting new vitality into the implementation of the Ocean Decade in China.

Jointly organized by the Decade Collaborative Center on Ocean-Climate Nexus and Coordination Amongst Decade Implementing Partners in P.R. China (DCC-OCC), the Advanced Institute for Ocean Research at the Southern University of Science and Technology (AIOR-SUSTech) and Shenzhen Ocean University Preparatory Office, and the First Institute of Oceanography (FIO) of the Ministry of Natural Resources of China (MNR), the meeting brought together 140 experts and representatives from 75 institutions, including universities, primary and secondary schools, enterprises, international organizations, and non-profit organizations that support the Ocean Decade initiative.

ZHENG Rui, Deputy Director of the Department of International Cooperation, MNR, QIAO Fangli, Deputy Director General of FIO and Director of DCC-OCC, and LIN Jian, Dean of AIOR-SUSTech and Head of Shenzhen Ocean University Preparatory Office, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches. ZHENG Rui briefly reviewed the international trends of the UN Ocean Decade under the UN framework in 2024 and the latest progress of China's participation in related work. She expressed that China attaches great importance to and will actively participate in the follow-up actions of the relevant process, and called on all relevant parties to better summarize experiences, build consensus, make plans, and promote orderly progress. QIAO Fangli expressed welcome and thanks to the participants for attending the meeting, emphasizing the important role played by DCC-OCC and related Ocean Decade scientific programs and projects in promoting China’s deep participation in global ocean governance. LIN Jian pointed out the importance of cross-field and cross-departmental cooperation for the implementation of the Ocean Decade, especially emphasizing the important contribution of enterprises and industrial sectors to the development of the ocean cause, and called on all parties to propose more “Chinese solutions” under the framework of the Ocean Decade.

The meeting announced the establishment of the Ocean Decade Shenzhen Enterprise Alliance and the Ocean Decade Shenzhen Education Alliance, and awarded certificates to more than 20 organizations, including enterprises in Shenzhen, primary and secondary schools, and non-profit organizations. Initiated by LIN Jian, the lead implementer of the UN Ocean Decade partnership of the Southern University of Science and Technology-Shenzhen University of Oceans Preparatory Office, this alliance aims to unite multiple institutes and organizations to improve the ocean literacy of Shenzhen citizens, promote the integration and innovation of ocean and education, and industry, encourage enterprises to integrate ocean culture into their own development and facilitate the high-quality growth of the ocean economy. This is an innovative measure for Shenzhen as a pilot demonstration zone, and will be promoted on a larger scale in the future.

The keynote report session was chaired by ZHANG Sai, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Director of the Guangdong Provincial Laboratory for Marine Science and Engineering (Guangzhou). ZHANG Zhanhai, former chief engineer of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Chairman of the China Ocean Mineral Resources Research and Development Association, TANG Xu, Former Director of the World Meteorological Organization and professor of Fudan University, YU Weidong, Scientific Executive Director of DCC-OCC and Professor of Sun Yat-sen University, and LIN Jian, Dean of AIOR-SUSTech and Head of Shenzhen Ocean University Preparatory Office, respectively delivered keynote speeches. ZHANG Zhanhai comprehensively introduced and analyzed the important progress of the UN Ocean Decade and its impact on global ocean governance, and put forward suggestions on China's deep participation strategies and measures. Taking his long-term experience in international organizations as a starting point, TANG Xu introduced and analyzed the practices and suggestions for promoting the coordinated governance of climate change adaptation and mitigation of marine disasters through multilateral cooperation mechanisms such as the World Meteorological Organization, the International Maritime Organization, and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO. YU Weidong introduced the main achievements of DCC-OCC in 2024, as well as the priority areas and regions for future work. LIN Jian shared the contributions made by AIOR-SUSTech as an Ocean Decade implementer in terms of cultivating high-end marine talents and improving citizens’ ocean literacy.

During the meeting, the lead institutions of Ocean Decade scientific programs, projects, and implementation partners introduced the main progress and highlights, challenges, and future implementation plans of the Ocean Decade actions in 2024. In the strategic discussion, the participants had heated discussions on issues such as establishing a contact person mechanism for China's Ocean Decade actions, compiling and promoting the China Progress Report of the Ocean Decade, enhancing the international influence of China's Ocean Decade actions, and improving ocean literacy.

Participants expressed their high enthusiasm for China's deep participation in the Ocean Decade work. In the future, all parties will continue to deepen cooperation, continue to promote the development and innovation of China's marine science and technology, serve the country's marine power strategy, help build a maritime community with a shared future, and contribute Chinese wisdom and efforts to global ocean sustainable development.

The DCC-OCC, led by FIO, has successfully held the workshop to advance the implementation of the Ocean Decade for three consecutive years, playing an important role in planning, assisting, and mobilizing Ocean Decade actions, and promoting China's deep participation in the Ocean Decade and global ocean governance. Previously, at the 2023 annual meeting, participants had in-depth discussions on a number of Ocean Decade action plans proposed by China which were successfully endorsed in 2024 and achieved significant results. This fully demonstrates that the workshop has become an important platform for all parties to conduct in-depth communication, build consensus, and integrate resources, providing key support for China's deep participation in global ocean governance.

Group photo