About the Ocean Decade
Proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly, 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.

Ocean data goals
“The success of the Ocean Decade will very much depend on our ability to generate, digitize, preserve, manage, openly exchange and, most importantly, significantly increase the usefulness volume and range of ocean data, information and knowledge, so it may guide decisions and policy choices for sustainable ocean planning and management,” says Vladimir Ryabinin, Executive Secretary of the IOC-UNESCO.

The ambition of the Decade in relation to data, information and knowledge management includes significant enhancement of infrastructure, common approaches that enable interoperable data sharing and stewardship, and enhanced collaboration between data providers and users. Implementing a “digital ocean ecosystem” to support the Decade will be a dynamic, collective, and continuous process, incorporating established approaches and technologies as well as those that are only just emerging.

The Decade digital ecosystem will catalyse cooperation between data generators and users from diverse stakeholder groups including governments, UN entities, scientists, philanthropy, as well as industry and the public. The digital ecosystem and its component parts will support users in accessing, understanding, assessing, and providing impactful feedback on raw and processed data, information and knowledge so that these better meet their specific needs.

The Data Coordination Group will be tasked with achieving this ambitious vision. The Group’s work focuses on strategic exchange and coordination between key actors and guidance and advice to various parts of the Ocean Decade community.

For the original newsitem go to: https://www.oceandecade.org/news/newly-appointed-group-of-global-experts-will-help-drive-ocean-decade-action-on-data-information-and-knowledge-management/