News
Highlights from the 42nd UNESCO General Conference: The Ocean Takes Center Stage
The 2023 session of the General Conference marked a crucial shift in UNESCO's ocean programs. The Conference adopted a reinforced budget focusing on on-the-ground delivery and substantial investments in Africa and Small Island Developing States,that aim to empower Member States and bridge knowledge gaps in vulnerable regions. In the coming biennium, UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission and its Sub-Commission for Africa and the Adjacent Island States will be in a greater position to catalyze transformative change in those key oceanic regions that require most support.
IOC’s Executive Secretary Vladimir Ryabinin presented the important achievements during the outgoing biennium, highlighting IOC’s transformative role in the Ocean Decade, which has grown to what is arguably the largest global ocean science initiative ever undertaken with over 70,000 individuals from over 4,000 organisations involved in Decade Actions. The General Conference saw the launch of the latest Progress Report for the Ocean Decade highlighting its significant achievements over the last 12 months.
Ocean Governance and Collaborative Efforts
During the conference, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission hosted two side events showcasing ocean initiatives, partnerships and success stories.
1. 'Ocean Science as a Pillar of Sustainable Ocean Management' (14 November 2023 | 13:30-14:45)
This session featured high level speakers from Portugal, as well as from France and Costa Rica in their role as co-hosts of the 2025 UN Ocean Conference. The discussions delved into the importance of ocean science to support the effective implementation of recent significant ocean governance developments, including the recently adopted treaty for the conservation and sustainable management of biological diversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Representatives of Canada, Norway, the United States and Indonesia discussed the importance of Member State support to IOC as a means of addressing global challenges including climate, biodiversity, sustainable ocean economies, and coastal resilience. The critical role of sustainable ocean planning was highlighted as a framework to reconcile competing social, ecological and economic uses of the ocean and the potential for continued collaboration between the Ocean Decade and the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy to support expansion of this approach were highlighted. Speakers also recognised the possibilities offered by upcoming international conferences including the 2024 Ocean Decade Conference (Barcelona, April 2024) and the 2025 UN Ocean Conference (Nice, June 2025) to further promote and generate international support for ocean science to underpin sustainable development.
2. 'Unlocking Ocean Science for Sustainable Development: The Role of Partnerships' (15 November 2023 | 14:00-14:45)
A multistakeholder panel discussed the role of partnerships in supporting the success of IOC’s programmes and its flagship initiative, the Ocean Decade. The session explored the importance of collaborative efforts and partnerships in ocean literacy, education, disaster risk reduction, philanthropic support, and capacity development. Partners, including the UN Disaster Risk Reduction Agency (UNDRR), and important actors from ocean literacy, sports and sailing, shared experiences and success stories.
Reinforced budget for ocean science and management
The General Conference marked a significant increase in the regular budget of IOC for the 2024-2025 biennium. This shift focuses on on-the-ground delivery, with a particular emphasis on Africa and Small Island Developing States.
The revised budget (42 C/5) will allow strengthening of IOC staff, creating five new posts, with priority given to raising human and institutional capacities in the field, while also including an increase in operational budget and ambitious targets in voluntary contributions. Global priorities like Africa and gender equality received significant boosts, while resources for action in support of Small Island Developing States and youth were also reinforced. The budget adjustments align with decisions made by IOC Member States at the IOC Assembly last June and emphasize the importance of consolidating data and observation programs, which are considered fundamental to IOC’s mandate.
The additional resources will strengthen the IOC Sub-Commission for Africa and the Adjacent Island States to support the region’s Member States in pursuit of the Ocean Decade Africa Roadmap and the implementation of activities related to UNESCO’s Global Priority Africa, reflecting the organization's commitment to transformative change across the diverse pillars of its mandate.
A stronger Commission will also mean reinforced UNESCO action in support of Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Contributing to UNESCO’s SIDS Operational Strategy, IOC will lead the implementation of the UNESCO SIDS ACCELERATOR 2, an institutional support framework that aims to ensure that SIDS can develop and implement sustainable ocean and water planning and management in the framework of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. IOC will also facilitate inter- and intra-regional SIDS-to-SIDS collaboration, exchange and learning
Transition with Continuity
The General Conference bid farewell to Vladimir Ryabinin, the Executive Secretary of IOC and Assistant Director-General of UNESCO, who will conclude his mandate on 29 February 2024. His successor, Vidar Hegelsen, former Minister of Environment and Climate Change of Norway and current Executive Director of the Nobel Foundation, is set to assume the position on 1 March 2024, ensuring the continuity of the organisation’s mission in the pursuit of a sustainable future for our ocean.
***
About the IOC/UNESCO:
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO) promotes international cooperation in marine sciences to improve management of the ocean, coasts and marine resources. The IOC enables its 150 Member States to work together by coordinating programmes in capacity development, ocean observations and services, ocean science and tsunami warning. The work of the IOC contributes to the mission of UNESCO to promote the advancement of science and its applications to develop knowledge and capacity, key to economic and social progress, the basis of peace and sustainable development.
About the Ocean Decade 2021-2030:
Proclaimed in 2017 by the United Nations General Assembly, the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) (‘the Ocean Decade’) seeks to stimulate ocean science and knowledge generation to reverse the decline of the state of the ocean system and catalyse new opportunities for sustainable development of this massive marine ecosystem. The vision of the Ocean Decade is ‘the science we need for the ocean we want’. The Ocean Decade provides a convening framework for scientists and stakeholders from diverse sectors to develop the scientific knowledge and the partnerships needed to accelerate and harness advances in ocean science to achieve a better understanding of the ocean system, and deliver science-based solutions to achieve the 2030 Agenda. The UN General Assembly mandated UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) to coordinate the preparations and implementation of the Decade
