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IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC)

Advancing knowledge and cooperation for a healthy ocean and prosperous society

Fifteenth Intergovernmental Session of the IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC-XV)

Tokyo, Japan, 11-13 March 2025

The Fifteenth Intergovernmental Session of the IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC-XV) will be held from 11-13 March 2025, in Tokyo, Japan, generously hosted by the Government of Japan through its Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). This statutory meeting will gather national competent governmental agencies for ocean, marine science communities, and ocean stakeholders in the region to strengthen the interface between ocean science and policy, foster ocean science cooperation, and enhance technical and institutional capacities across the region.

The session will feature a review of WESTPAC’s intersessional achievements, an update on international ocean developments such as the UN Ocean Decade (2021-2030) and the BBNJ Agreement, and discussions on the Sub-Commission’s engagement with these global frameworks. The session will include the election of officers and deliberations on the program and budget for 2026-2027, serving as a guide for collaborative projects and funding pursuits by Member States.
Key events include a Senior Governmental Officials (SGO) Roundtable (12 March 2025, 09:00-10:40 am) to assess Ocean Decade progress and identify implementation challenges. The Roundtable will enable Member State decision-makers to exchange practices on leveraging scientific knowledge in policy-making. Additionally, a National Decade Committees (NDCs) Forum is planned as a side event on 12 March 2025 at 16:30-18:30 pm, promoting NDC development and collaboration among Member States.
Further details, including the provisional agenda, reports and information for the session will be shared electronically in advance on the WESTPAC website. WESTPAC-XV will also involve elections for Chairperson and Vice-Chairpersons, with nomination details and forms provided in the IOC Circular Letter no. 3009.

Should you have any questions or require any assistance on the logistic arrangements, please feel free to contact Information Desk at info-scwestpac15@convention.co.jp  with a copy to n.saransuth@unesco.org

Agenda
1. Opening
1.1 Welcome Remarks
1.2 Keynote
2. Organization of the Session
2.1 Adoption of the Agenda
2.2 Conduction of the Session
3. Statutory Reports
3.1 Statement of the Chairperson
3.2 Report by the Head of WESTPAC Office on Intersessional Programme Development and Implementation, including the Operation of the WESTPAC Office and Decade Coordination Office
3.3 Recent Developments within UNESCO, IOC, and Their Relevance to WESTPAC
3.3.1 IOC Executive Secretary’s Report
3.3.2 IOC and the Future of Ocean Background note for Informal Working Session, scheduled for 0800-0900am, 13th March 2025 Reference Materials
3.3.3 IOC-wide Strategy on Sustainable Ocean Planning and Management
4. Strategic Development
4.1 The Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement)
4.2 The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF)
4.3 The UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030)
4.3.1 UN Ocean Decade Global Development
Reference Materials
4.3.2 WESTPAC-led Decade Actions and Decade Coordination Office
  • Decade Coordination in the Region
  • UN23: Accelerating Transformations in Capacity Development in the Western Pacific – Regional Network of Training and Research Centers (RTRCs) on Marine Science
  • UN 24: Explore the Strongest Ocean Current in the Western Pacific: the 2nd Cooperative Study of Kuroshio and Adjacent Regions
  • Toward the 3rd UN Ocean Decade Regional Conference & 12th WESTPAC International Marine Science Conference (2027, the Philippines)
4.3.3 Engagement with other Decade Actions, such as CoastPredict
Reference Materials
4.4 Senior Governmental Officials Roundtable (SGOs Roundtable), 12 March 2025, 09:00-10:40 am
5. Review and Evaluation of Regional Programmes, Projects and Working Groups for April 2023 – March 2025
5.1 Ocean-Based Solutions to Climate Change (Mitigation, Adaptation, and Resilience) Reference Materials
5.2 Marine Biodiversity Conservation, Ocean Ecosystems and Human Health, and Blue Economy Reference Materials
Side Event:National Decade Committees Forum, 12 March 2025, 16:30-18:30 pm
NDC Concept Note and programme (as of 28/02/2025 – updated)
5.3 Ocean Literacy and Capacity Development
5.4 Knowledge for Emerging Issues/Demands of Member States
Reference Materials
6. Recommendation of the WESTPAC Advisory Group on the Future Development
7. Establishment of New Programme/Project/Working Group
7.1 Working Group on Seagrass Research in the Indo-Western Pacific
7.2 Working Group on Blue Carbon Ecosystem Restoration with an initial focus on Mangroves
7.3 Predictions of Marine Ecosystem Changes in the Northwest Pacific Ocean
7.4 Methane Fluxes and their Impact on Climate and Ecosystem in the Indo-Pacific Region (2025-2028)
8. WESTPAC Workplan and Budget for the Period 2026-2027
9. Elections
10. Date and Place of the Next Session
11. Other Matters
12. Adoption of Decisions and Recommendations
13. Closure

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