Launch of the Steering Committee for the Decade Coordination Office, aimed at bridging the gap between humans and oceans for the upcoming decade.

Launch of the Steering Committee for the Decade Coordination Office, aimed at bridging the gap between humans and oceans for the upcoming decade.

Restoring Society's Relationship with the Ocean: The Decade Coordination Office's Challenge 10

The Decade Coordination Office's (DCO) Challenge 10, within the UNESCO-IOC Ocean Decade initiative, aims to cultivate global understanding and empathy for the ocean, enabling sustainable solutions to its threats. The DCO's Steering Committee, composed of 11 experts and stakeholders, reflects the multi-stakeholder essence of Challenge 10, with balanced geographical and gender representation.

Among the committee members is Roberto Casati, a Senior Researcher at the French National Center for Scientific Research and Professor at EHESS in Paris. He directs the Jean Nicod Institute at ENS/EHESS, a leading cognitive science research center. Nicola Bridge, the Head of Ocean Advocacy and Engagement at the Ocean Conservation Trust, is also a part of the committee. She is a member of the Defra Ocean Literacy Working Group and a founder of the We Are Ocean network.

Diz Glithero, the Executive Director of the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition, co-developed "Land, Water, Ocean, Us: A Canadian Ocean Literacy Strategy" and co-founded Ocean Week Canada. Bodhi Patil, a UN-recognized, award-winning GenZ ocean-climate "Solutionist", is also a member of the committee. His work empowers a generation to build resilience from the inside out for people and planetary well-being.

Leopoldo Cavaleri Gerhardinger, an Adjunct Researcher in Socioecology at the National Institute of the Atlantic Rainforest, and Sonia Levy, a London-based artist and research-led filmmaker, are also part of the committee. Michael Palmgren, the manager and founder of the Marine Education Center in Malmö, and Jarina Mohd Jani, a senior lecturer in human ecology at the Faculty of Science and Marine Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, complete the committee.

Timothy Beatley, a professor specializing in sustainable communities and creative strategies for reducing ecological footprints, is another member of the DCO Steering Committee. Nicola Bridge is Co-Chair of an Ocean Decade Working Group, focusing on global sustainable change in human behavior to support the health of the Ocean.

The Steering Committee engages stakeholders, handles communications, outreach, resource mobilization, and capacity development. It steers the design, implementation, and monitoring of the DCO's portfolio, coordinating endorsed Decade Actions under Challenge 10, pinpointing priorities, and initiating new Decade Actions. The committee provides guidance on the application and potential evolution of the Ocean Decade's Challenge 10, in collaboration with the Decade Advisory Board and the Decade Coordination Unit.

The DCO will lead efforts to coordinate Decade Actions, fostering a society that values the ocean's contribution to human well-being and sustainable development. It will amplify awareness and initiatives linking human health and ocean health, aligning with the Ocean Decade's overall mission to foster ocean science solutions for sustainable development by transforming knowledge and partnerships into societal engagement. The DCO champions Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (JEDI) in ocean science, elevating Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK).

The Ocean Decade is a UNESCO-IOC project aimed at restoring society's relationship with the ocean. Challenge 10 aspires to cultivate global understanding and empathy for the ocean, enabling sustainable solutions to its threats. The Steering Committee, with its diverse and expert membership, is instrumental in guiding priority setting and implementation of actions that rebuild public engagement and trust in ocean stewardship, ensuring transformative ocean science solutions connect people meaningfully with the ocean.

[1] GOOS Steering Committee Composition [2] Ocean Decade Framework for Partnership Building

1. The Decade Coordination Office (DCO) endeavors to foster global empathy for the ocean to devise sustainable solutions for its threats, a goal encapsulated in Challenge 10 of the UNESCO-IOC Ocean Decade initiative.
2. The DCO's Steering Committee is a multidisciplinary group of 11 experts and stakeholders, reflecting the dynamism of Challenge 10, boasting a balanced representation from various geographical locations and genders.
3. Roberto Casati, a cognitive science researcher at the French National Center for Scientific Research and EHESS professor in Paris, is on the committee.
4. Nicola Bridge, the Ocean Conservation Trust's Head of Ocean Advocacy and Engagement, who also serves on the Defra Ocean Literacy Working Group and We Are Ocean network, is part of the committee.
5. Diz Glithero, Executive Director of the Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition and co-creator of "Land, Water, Ocean, Us: A Canadian Ocean Literacy Strategy", is a committee member.
6. A UN-recognized, award-winning GenZ ocean-climate "Solutionist", Bodhi Patil, is a member of the committee, empowering his generation to build resilience for people and planetary well-being.
7. Leopoldo Cavaleri Gerhardinger, an Adjunct Researcher in Socioecology, and Sonia Levy, a London-based artist and research-led filmmaker, joined the committee.
8. Michael Palmgren, manager of the Marine Education Center in Malmö, and Jarina Mohd Jani, a senior lecturer in human ecology at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, completed the committee.
9. Timothy Beatley, a professor specializing in sustainable communities and ecological footprint reduction, also became a committee member.
10. Nicola Bridge is the Co-Chair of an Ocean Decade Working Group, focusing on transformative global changes in human behavior to support the health of the ocean.
11. The Steering Committee plays a vital role in shaping the direction and execution of actions that foster public trust in ocean stewardship.
12. The committee is accountable for stakeholder engagement, communication, outreach, resource mobilization, capacity development, overseeing Decade Actions, and pinpointing priorities for new Decade Actions.
13. The DCO's goal is to lead in coordinating Decade Actions and build a society that values and understands the ocean's contribution to human well-being and sustainable development.
14. The DCO will amplify the link between human health and ocean health, aiming to transform knowledge and partnerships into meaningful societal engagement.
15. The DCO champions Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (JEDI) in ocean science, prioritizing Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK).
16. The Ocean Decade is a UNESCO-IOC endeavor to restore society's relationship with the ocean, with Challenge 10 promising to cultivate a global understanding and empathy for the ocean.
17. Addressing climate change, chronic diseases, respiratory and digestive health issues, eye health, hearing conditions, skin care, and mental health are critical aspects of ensuring ocean sustainability.
18. Workplace wellness, cybersecurity, and technology developments can contribute to ocean health and decarbonization efforts, helping prevent climate change catastrophes.
19. Science, medical advancements, and healthcare systems must collaborate to combat neurological disorders, autoimmune diseases, cancer, and cardiovascular health challenges, all of which can impact ocean stewardship indirectly.
20. As the ocean heals, nations could foster economic growth through finance, medicare, education, and personal finance, focusing on wealth management, investing, and environmental science for long-term sustainability.
21. The relationship between ocean health and food sources like fish and aquaculture, food and drink, and nutrition are vital, ensuring the well-being of consumers while promoting ocean health.
22. Space exploration, space-and-astronomy, and artificial intelligence breakthroughs may offer untapped solutions for climate change, preserving the environment, and monitoring ocean health.
23. Men's, women's, and gender-neutral health and wellness, as well as sexual health, must be incorporated into the larger ocean health conversation, addressing critical aspects that impact overall well-being.
24. Lifestyle, fashion-and-beauty, home-and-garden, and business practices can contribute to ocean health by minimizing waste and pollution, supporting green technologies, and encouraging sustainable materials.
25. Weight management, parenting, and relationships require attention as they impact mental health, which can indirectly influence approaches to ocean conservation.
26. Pets, cars, travel, education-and-self-development, and personal growth should consider the impact on ocean health and invest in sustainable practices to promote long-term ocean wellness and human health.
27. Connecting the industry, technology, data-and-cloud-computing, and artificial intelligence with the ocean health mission will drive innovation, propelling meaningful ocean conservation efforts and fostering ocean literacy.

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