UN Decade of Ocean Science
Although the focus of our work is in Germany, we strongly support the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.
With its decision to establish the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) in 2017, the United Nations wanted to draw attention to the special importance of marine research and the sustainable development linked to it.
Under the leadership of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (IOC-UNESCO), the vision of the Ocean Decade is "the science we need for the ocean we want". The results of research and the fact that we still know very little about our ocean are also the basis for our foundation's actions.
Both at the first Ocean Decade Conference in Barcelona in April 2024 and at a subsequent Ocean Literacy Conference in Venice, experts agreed that raising ocean awareness is by far the most important task of the Decade to fulfill its ten challenges:
Understand and beat marine pollution
Protect and restore ecosystems and biodiversity
Sustainably nourish the global population
Develop a sustainable, resilient and equitable ocean economy
Unlock ocean-based solutions to climate change
Increase community resilience to ocean and costal risks
Sustainably expand the Global Ocean Observation System
Create a digital representation of the ocean
Skills, knowledge, technology and participation for all
Restore society's relationship with the ocean
The UN Decade was born out of the realization that much more needs to be done to reverse the cycle of marine degradation and to create better conditions for the sustainable development of our ocean, seas and coasts, and thus for people too.
The UN Decade provides a policy framework for scientists and stakeholders from many different sectors to disseminate knowledge and develop partnerships that can contribute to a better understanding of the ocean system and thus to science-based solutions to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The ocean as the "common heritage of humankind" is the key to a fair and sustainable planet.
The initiators of the UN Ocean Decade are calling for the following seven goals to be reached:
A clean ocean where sources of pollution are identified and reduced or removed.
A healthy and resilient ocean where marine ecosystems are understood, protected, restored and managed.
A productive ocean supporting sustainable food supply and a sustainable ocean economy.
A predicted ocean where society understands and can respond to changing conditions.
A safe ocean where life and livelihoods are protected from ocean-related hazards.
An accessible ocean with open and equitable access to data, information and technology and innovation.
An inspiring and engaging ocean where society understands and values the ocean in relation to human well-being and sustainable development.
To realize the vision of the Ocean Decade, the IOC-UNESCO has invited the global community to make proposals to address the 10 challenges and seven goals. The proposals for Decade Actions in the form of projects, contributions and activities are reviewed and approved by the IOC in Paris.
Nine of our projects have already been approved by IOC-UNESCO, starting with our research and media ship ALDEBARAN.
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ALDEBARAN: Media and research vessel
Since 1992, the climate-friendly, flexible, shallow-water research and media vessel has sailed over 100,000 nautical miles on more than 250 expeditions in European, Atlantic and Caribbean waters. The ALDEBARAN has helped establish marine protected areas and reach millions of people with qualified scientific results and ocean films and images.
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Marine competition "Research at sea"
The marine competition for young scientists has been taking place since 2005 with more than 80 one-week expeditions on board the research vessel ALDEBARAN.
School students from the 9th grade and above can set sail for a week of research on the Balic or North Sea with the guidance of an experienced marine researcher.
Six teams have so far been awarded state or national prizes in the competition "Jugend forscht". -
Ocean Lovers Education Initiative
The International Ocean Film Tour is the most spectacular ocean film tour in Europe and we organize the corresponding online teaching material, bringing the ocean into the classroom and supporting teachers run projects on selected films.
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German Ocean Festival
Every year in summer, the ocean will take centre stage in the heart of political Berlin, together with representatives from the worlds of art and culture. Partners from society, science and business will present their ideas and innovative projects on the importance of the ocean for society and the economy with bold, tangible visions for our future. After a small pioneering event at Potsdamer Platz in 2022, the event was continued with a parliamentary evening in November 2024 in cooperation with the Planetarium Berlin.
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"love your ocean" - ocean literacy initiative
Curated and organized by the German Ocean Foundation in close cooperation with Messe boot Düsseldorf, the "love your ocean" sustainability initiative has been taking place since 2008 with partners from business, science and society. More than 100 stakeholders present their innovations and pioneering projects and products for a healthy ocean and healthy waters on an area of around 1,000 square meters and under the umbrella of the Decade's content and goals. Workshops, hands-on activities, a stage program and an annual Ocean Forum are the source of information for more than 200,000 trade fair visitors interested in sustainability in water sports.
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Ocean Conference Series
Three online Ocean Dialogues, which focus on the 7 goals of the Decade, take place annually and provide a platform for lively discussions and creative exchange of ideas. The fourth conference and highlight is the Ocean Forum at boot Düsseldorf.
Representatives from science, business, politics and society have the unique opportunity during the dialogues to find out more about the challenges facing the ocean and how interdisciplinary approaches can support ocean protection.
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YOUMARES Conference
The German Ocean Foundation supports and promotes the successful YOUMARES youth conference of the German Society for Marine Research (DGM), which has been organized by its research and teaching working group since 2008. Up to 300 young participants from all over the world meet annually in person in Germany and online for the conference for young scientists. It is currently the leading independent event for young marine researchers in Europe. In cooperation with Springer Verlag, the conference contributions are published in an anthology.
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Ocean Heroes
The "Ocean Heroes" project shows how effective communication can help to publicize marine projects. It features interviews with personalities and ocean heroes from around the world.
If you are involved in a positive project to protect, restore or clean up the ocean or raise awareness for the ocean - either with the support of an organization or on your own - we want to hear from you!
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Miniature Wonderland
The miniature ALDEBARAN sets sail off the coast of Monaco. Miniatur Wunderland, the second most popular tourist attraction in Germany with an average 1.25 million visitors a year, welcomes the UN Ocean Decade and will integrate the seven goals into its exhibits.
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Ocean Knowledge Base
To close the communication gap between science and society, the Ocean Knowledge Base will provide clear and easy-to-understand summaries of scientific publications on pressing ocean issues. The German Ocean Foundation will work with Springer Nature to build a bridge between a database of scientific publications and representatives from politics, civil society and the media.