1st Pacific Islands Conference on Ocean Science and Ocean Management

Sep 11-15 2023 | Nadi, Fiji

The 1st Pacific Islands Conference on Ocean Science and Ocean Management brought together over 200 ocean scientists, technical experts, policy makers, young people and custodians of traditional knowledge to discuss “An Ocean of Knowledge for our Sea of Islands.”

The inaugural conference was the first of its kind in the Pacific and provided a platform to identify national and regional needs, highlight key scientific questions and attract funds to bridge key gaps between ocean science and ocean policy implementation.

The conference was “an unprecedented opportunity for stakeholders across the Pacific to come together and address pressing ocean-related challenges…[to] focus on solutions and the science we need, for the ocean we want for future generations” - Dr. Stuart Minchin, Pacific Community Director General.

Highlights

The Pacific Islands Ocean Decade Collaborative Centre was launched as a new UN Ocean Decade Collaborative Centre (DCC) for ocean science in the Pacific region.

Dr Tainã G. Loureiro from the GOAP Secretariat presented ‘Ocean accounts can leverage ecological ocean data for pragmatic and resilient sustainable ocean development’ during ‘The UN Ocean Decade’ session.

Tainã noted that ocean accounting was referenced in several presentations, including by Alison Clausen (IOC-UNESCO, Decade Coordination Unit), as well as in the ‘Shared vision for the Ocean Decade in the Pacific’ report.