IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC)

IOC/WESTPAC Workshop on the Asian Marginal Seas Program
2024-12-06 08:00 - 2024-12-08 17:00 (Asia/Karachi) | Toyama, Japan
2nd UN Ocean Decade Regional Conference
& 11th WESTPAC International Marine Science Conference

“Accelerating Ocean Science Solutions for Sustainable Development”

22-25 April 2024, Bangkok, Thailand

Click here to visit the conference website, where registration and abstract submissions are now open!

Announcement
Call for Proposals:Scientific Session
Call for Proposals:Decade Action Incubator
Call for Proposals:Decade Action Workshop

First Announcement

Call for Proposals for Scientific Sessions, Decade Action Incubators & Decade Action Workshops

Hosted by the Government of Thailand and co-organized with the UNESCO/IOC[1] Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC), the 2nd UN Ocean Decade Regional Conference in conjunction with the 11th WESTPAC International Marine Science Conference will take place on 22-25 April 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand. The ocean is at the heart of the sustainable development. Proclaimed in 2017 by the United Nations General Assembly, the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) (‘the Ocean Decade’) provides a convening framework for scientists and stakeholders from diverse sectors to co-design ocean science solutions to achieve the 2030 Agenda. The ocean, seas, and coastal areas in the Western Pacific are of ecological, social and economic significance. The UN Ocean Decade Regional Kick-off Conference for the Western Pacific and its adjacent areas, 25-26 November 2021, marked the beginning of the region-wide efforts in the development and implementation of substantive Decade Actions. Three years later, the 2nd Decade Regional Conference & the 11th WESTPAC International Marine Science Conference, to be held IN PERSON ONLY, will bring various ocean stakeholders including governments, research communities/academia, private and business sectors, philanthropic foundations, UN agencies, NGOs and civil society, to present the current status of ocean knowledge, take stock of the first three years’ achievements of the Ocean Decade Actions, identify future priorities, and continuously catalyze partnerships and concrete actions for transformative ocean-based solutions to sustainability challenges in this particular region, such as resource depletion, marine pollution, biodiversity loss and habitat degradation, climate change and ocean acidification, and natural hazards. The Conferences will comprise the following three components. We cordially invite you to be part of this exciting event, and submit proposals for Scientific Sessions, Decade Action Incubators, or Decade Action Workshops. PurposeSubmission DeadlineOnline Form1Scientific SessionsTo present the latest science development and knowledge, consisting of oral and poster scientific presentations20 July 2023Click here2Decade Action IncubatorsTo facilitate the development of new UN Decade Action proposals10 September 2023Click here Submission Guideline.pdf 3Decade Action WorkshopsTo enable the UN Decade Actions (Programmes and projects), particularly those which have a focus on the region, to review their implementation progress, develop new partnerships and cooperation, and deliberate on the plans of action over the next period.10 September 2023Click here[1] Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO

Flyer of the First Announcement

Call for Proposals: Scientific Session

Deadline for submission: 20 July 2023

Submit proposal

We are now inviting scientific session proposals from interested parties to present high quality scientific session at the Conferences, to address the following common priority issues of countries in the region. Ocean processes and climate change;Marine biodiversity conservation, seafood safety and security, blue economy;Ocean ecosystem and public health;Knowledge for emerging ocean issues and cross-cutting topics.Scientific Sessions provide opportunities to present, share and exchange latest scientific knowledge, identify knowledge gaps, and, if feasible, explore transformative ocean science solutions for sustainable ocean and livelihoods in the region. Normally a session consists of oral and poster presentations. Responsibilities of proponent (s) If the proposal is accepted, the proponent(s) of Scientific Session, will be responsible for: the organization, execution, and reporting of the session;promoting participation;review of submitted abstracts for consistency with the topic;selection of oral and poster presentations, including the identification of “backup” oral presentations from among the posters in case of last-minute cancellation; editing abstracts accepted for their session;Identification of co-sponsors (organizations with similar interests who are prepared to support the session);Preparation of the session programme, including oral and poster presentation, in close consultation with the Conference Secretariat.For any inquiry, you can send your email to:iocwestpac@unesco.org and iocwestpac2024@gmail.com, with a subject line of “Session proposal inquiry.”

Call for proposals: Decade Action Incubator

Deadline for submission: 10 September 2023

Submit proposal

The Decade Action Incubator serves as an interactive forum to catalyze partnerships, strengthen dialogue from ocean knowledge generators to knowledge users, initiate co-designing processes, facilitate the development of potential Decade Actions such as Decade programmes[1], Decade projects[2], and key crosscutting topics including capacity development and Early Career Ocean Professionals. Each Incubator will run for a period of no longer than three hours. The proposed Decade Action Incubator shall address one or more of the seven Ocean Decade Outcomes as follows: a clean ocean, a healthy and resilient ocean, a productive ocean, a predicted ocean, a safe ocean, a transparent and accessible ocean, and an inspiring and engaging ocean. Ocean stakeholders, including scientists, policymakers, philanthropic foundations, UN agencies, governments, NGOs and civil society, and private and business sectors, are invited to submit their proposals by 10 September 2023. Selection criteria for Decade Action Incubator Each proposal will be assessed both in terms of the quality of running the Incubator session, and proposed potential Decade Action. The basic criteria for selection include the following: Alignment with the vision and mission of the Ocean Decade, and contribution to the societal outcomes and challenges of the Ocean Decade;Generation of transformative ocean science[3] in comparison to what has been done before;Promotion of multidisciplinary, solution-oriented approach;Engagement of broad stakeholders, including private sector and major groups, and promotion of their interactions and actions;Consideration given to gender balance and geographic representation in the choice of speakers and panelists;Responsibility of the Incubator Convenor(s) The Incubator Convenor(s) will be responsible for the following: Identifying conveners, speakers and panelists;Inviting participants from Member States, major groups and other stakeholders;Preparing the event programme and share it with the Conference Secretariat no later than 10 January 2024All queries relating to “Decade Action Incubators” should be addressed to the following contacts, with a subject line of “Decade Action Incubators”. UNESCO/IOC Sub-Commission for the Western PacificEmail: iocwestpac@unesco.org Department of Marine and Coastal ResourcesMinistry of Natural Resources and Environment, ThailandEmail: iocwestpac2024@gmail.com [1] A Decade programmed is typically global or regional in scale and will contribute to the achievement of one or more of the Ocean Decade Challenges. It is long-term (multi-year), interdisciplinary and will consist of component projects, and potentially enabling activities [2] A Decade project is a discrete and focused undertaking. It may be regional, national or sub-national and it will typically contribute to an identified Decade programmed. [3] The notion of transformation is central to the Decade. The Decade, both in terms of action and outcomes, needs to move beyond business as usual to a true revolution in ocean science. The different ways in which the transformative nature of the Decade will manifest include the promotion and facilitation of ocean science that: uses the 2030 Agenda as a central framework to identify and address the most pressing societal questions related to SDG14 and related SDGs;is co-designed and co-delivered in a multi-stakeholder environment to be relevant and responsive across the entire value-chain from knowledge generation, to applications and services to use of science for solutions;is solutions-focused and contributes to a wide variety of potential solutions including policy, decision-making, management or governance frameworks, or technology development and innovation;where needed, is big, audacious, forward-looking, and spans geographies;reaches across disciplines and actively integrates natural and social science disciplines;embraces local and indigenous knowledge as a key knowledge source;is transformative because of who is doing it or where it is being done, including in both less developed and developed countries;strives for generational, gender and geographic diversity in all its manifestations;is communicated in forms that are widely understood across society and that trigger excitement about the ocean and behavior change; andis shared openly and available for re-use.

Call for proposals: Decade Action Workshop

Deadline for submission: 10 September 2023

Submit proposal

The Decade Action Workshops during the Conferences will allow UN Ocean Decade Actions (Decade Programmes and Decade Projects), particularly those which have a focus on the region, to bring together Action partners, review their development progress, catalyze new partnerships, and deliberate on action plans over the next phase. Responsibility of the proponent The logistics of the Decade Action Workshop, such as a meeting room allocation and the setting up of audiovisual equipment, need to be arranged in collaboration with the Conference Secretariat. The proponent of the workshop will be responsible for the following: Inviting the partners of Decade Action to participate in the workshop;Identifying and Inviting participants from Member States, significant groups, and relevant stakeholders;Preparing the event programme and send it to the Conference Secretariat no later than 10 January 2024.Communication Any inquiry relating to “Decade Action Workshop” should be addressed to the following, with a subject line of “Decade Action Workshop”. UNESCO/IOC Sub-Commission for the Western PacificEmail: iocwestpac@unesco.org Department of Marine and Coastal ResourcesMinistry of Natural Resources and Environment, ThailandEmail: iocwestpac2024@gmail.com

Important Dates

Deadline for session proposal submission 20 July 2023 Registration & session abstract submission, ECOPs travel grant application, and ECOPs Best Oral & Poster Presentation Award application open 15 August 2023 Deadline for Decade Action Incubator & Decade Action Workshop proposal submission 10 September 2023 Deadline for session abstract submission, ECOPs travel grant application, and ECOPs Best Oral & Poster Presentation Award application 30 November 2023 Notification for session abstract acceptance and ECOPs travel grant 15 December 2023 The Conferences open 22 April 2024

Conference Secretariat Contact

IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC):Nachapa SaransuthIOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC)Decade Coordination Office for the Western Pacific and Adjacent AreasIntergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCOTel: +66 2 1411288; Fax: +66 2 1439245Email: iocwestpac@unesco.org Host country secretariat contact:Chanakarn ThammavichanDepartment of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR)Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, ThailandTel: +66 2 1414690; Fax: +66 2 1439259Email: iocwestpac2024@gmail.com

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