IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC)
Advancing knowledge and cooperation for a healthy ocean and prosperous society
Advancing knowledge and cooperation for a healthy ocean and prosperous society
Introduction
Climate change and intensifying human activities are driving rapid and profound transformations in marine ecosystems across the global ocean, threatening biodiversity, ecosystem services, fisheries, and the livelihoods of coastal communities worldwide. These impacts are increasingly complex, operating across multiple spatial and temporal scales, and require coordinated scientific efforts that link global observations with regional and local understanding.
At the same time, there is growing recognition that sustaining ocean health demands not only conservation, but also science-based and nature-positive approaches that improve the ability to observe, understand, and anticipate marine ecosystem change. Addressing these interconnected challenges calls for advanced, interdisciplinary, and internationally coordinated ocean observations, data integration, and capacity development, spanning physical, biogeochemical, and biological dimensions of the ocean.
In this context, this joint symposium, hosted by WPI-AIMEC, WPI, the Nature Positive Sustainable Development Hub, and ANEMONE, is held within the framework of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030) and under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO, and its Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC). The symposium brings together two UN Ocean Decade Actions — COSMEC, , which advances integrated ecosystem observations in the Northwest Pacific, and ANEMONE Global, which promotes globally coordinated eDNA-based biodiversity monitoring — highlighting their complementary roles in strengthening ocean observation, ecosystem understanding, and capacity development from regional to global scales.
Date and Venue
Format
Hybrid (onsite and online)
Language
Flyer
