International experts meet in Santos, Brazil, to discuss the next global assessment on the state of the ocean

About 80 ocean specialists from 27 countries are in Brazil to discuss priority issues about the South Atlantic and Caribbean. The workshop is hosted by the United Nations Division for Law of the Sea and Maritime Affairs (UN/DOALOS) in conjunction with the Brazilian government. The discussions will have the role of contributing to the production of the next (Third) World Ocean Assessment (WOA III), which will be launched in 2025 by the UN.

Produced every five years, the World Ocean Assessment is the main consolidated source of scientific information about the global marine environment, addressing data on marine biodiversity, ocean warming and acidification, and sea level rise. Working in conjunction with the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development coordinated by IOC, the WOA-III findings will be critical to guide further ocean research investment throughout the Decade cooperative framework.

The next report will provide an integrated and updated overview of the state of the ocean, considering the three pillars of sustainable development at the global level: economic, social and environmental. For the first time, the report will also bring information and approaches that can be used by decision makers in the pursuit of ocean sustainability, conservation and restoration.

"Right now, we are at the beginning of a process where experts seek to bring the best scientific knowledge, think how to integrate indigenous and traditional knowledge in this process, as well as consider how gender and equity issues should be addressed. All this to support decision-making about the ocean and seek ways towards sustainability", explains Roberto de Pinho, co-coordinator of the global Expert Group that is coordinating the preparation process for the III WOA.

The workshop programme for the first week involves themes of ocean governance, integration of traditional and scientific knowledge with policy-making, how to increase diversity and youth participation in the production of the report, strengthening the interface between ocean science and policy.  Scientific communication is also on the agenda, with the aim of improving communication so that society understands key ocean issues.

"We are looking at how to understand the global state of the ocean to be able to make decisions about public policies to reverse the impacts we have from pollution and climate events. That the South Atlantic and the Caribbean can make a broader contribution to this global document, which will guide government decisions in 2025 about the future of the ocean, including voices from all countries in Africa and Latin America," said the event's local organiser, Ronaldo Christofoletti.

Invited by UN/DOALOS, UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission will coordinate a round table and practical communications and messaging exercise during the Santos WOA III workshop. 

“It’s essential for the community engaged around the World Ocean Assessment, whether as members of the Group of Experts, authors, or simply as experts invited to participate in the regional workshops, to understand how an early understanding, integration and time investment in honing communications capacities early on in the preparation process can critically increase the accessibility and use of the WOA III by fellow scientists, decision-makers and the civil society,” said Vinicius Lindoso, IOC/UNESCO Communications Officer.  

Besides Brazil, four other countries will host workshops this year. A joint IOC /DOALOS international symposium will be held in December, at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, to close the year's programme.

The Santos WOA III workshop is restricted to registered participants. See the schedule of the topics under discussion in this link.