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Ocean Action Newsletter: Vol. 8
Science catalyses new efforts for the ocean-climate nexus.
event
Sustainable Blue Economy Conference
The Sustainable Blue Economy Conference is the first global conference on the sustainable blue economy. Over 4,000 participants from around the world are coming together to learn how to build a blue economy that:

-Harnesses the potential of our oceans, seas, lakes and rivers to improve the lives of all, particularly people in developing st [more]
Communities of Ocean Action
To follow-up on the implementation of the voluntary commitments registered and announced at The Ocean Conference for implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14); to catalyze and generate new voluntary commitments; and to facilitate collaboration and networking amongst different actors in support of SDG 14, the United Nations have launched nine thematic multi-stakeholder Communities of Ocean Action. Read more
Registry of Voluntary Commitments for Sustainable Development Goal 14
More than 1,400 Voluntary Commitments aimimg to contribute to the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 have been registered by all stakeholders, in the lead up to The Ocean Conference and its follow up processes. Read more
Special Envoy for the Ocean
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Peter Thomson of Fiji as his Special Envoy for the Ocean, aiming at galvanizing concerted efforts to follow up on the outcomes of the United Nations Ocean Conference in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Read more
Communities of Ocean Action
Coral reefs
Implementation of international law as reflected in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
Mangroves
Marine and coastal ecosystems management
Marine pollution
Ocean acidification
Scientific knowledge, research capacity development and transfer of marine technology
Sustainable blue economy
Sustainable fisheries
Special Envoy
Peter Thomson Learn about the latest activities of Peter Thomson, Special Envoy for the Ocean
How are you progressing with your Voluntary Commitment?

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Ocean Action Newsletter
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Activity feed on Ocean Action
Progress updates of Voluntary Commitments
Progress update
Working towards plastic free oceans
In 2017, we have launched the I-CARE campaign aimed at empowering the public to reduce plastic waste. The campaign is mainly directed towards young people and focusses on social media. A campaign song of an environmentally conscious rock band has been integrated. On the campaigns website people are asked to take a pledge to reduce their disposable [more]
Progress update
Addressing the causes of aquatic wild meat for sustainable development
Completed: The Aquatic Wild Meat Working group of the CMS Scientific Council is operating through the CMS Scientific Council Workspace, on which a dedicated discussion area for this issue has been prepared. OceanCare experts are part of this working group and contribute actively to it.\r\n<br>OceanCare has spent the last year and a ha [more]
Progress update
Working through research, conservation projects, campaigns and education to improve the situation for wildlife in the worlds oceans
OceanCare assists the finalization of the development of the certification programme for highly qualified marine mammal observers (MMOs) by the Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans in the Black Sea Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Area (ACCOBAMS). The application round for the first ACCOBAMS Highly Qualified MMOs has been completed a [more]
Progress update
Informing global policies to reduce ocean noise for the benefit of marine life protection and the sustainability of global fisheries
OceanCare contributed to quietMED for the implementation of the second cycle of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) in the Mediterranean Sea.

OceanCare attended the 19th UNICPOLOS meeting on Anthropogenic Underwater Noise and served as a panelist. We held two side events. One on "The Role of Environmental Impact Assessment in Ma [more]
Progress update
Promote information and Implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines for the sustainability of small scale fisheries in the context of food security and poverty eradication.
We were able to organized the I National Congress of small scale fishers and mollusk gatherers in Costa Rica. 100 small scale fishers and mollusk gatherers of which 50 % were fisherwomen, were together to reach common objectives: - To recognize the enormous input given to our country by small scale fisheries towards development, marine conservat [more]
Progress update
Watertrek
During the year passed since our first post here we have continued organizing environmental education activities: SUP clean-ups, outdoor talks about water pollution, and expeditions, collecting data, observing microplastics in rivers, or replanting mangrove trees in Myanmar.
Progress update
Watertrek
During the year passed since our first post here we have continued organizing environmental education activities: SUP clean-ups, outdoor talks about water pollution, and expeditions, collecting data, observing microplastics in rivers, or replanting mangrove trees in Myanmar. Now we want to go further and we are working to develop the Watertrek [more]
Progress update
Annual, public releases of the Surface Ocean CO2 Atlas (SOCAT)
The Surface Ocean CO2 Atlas (SOCAT, www.socat.info) is a synthesis activity by international marine carbon scientists (>100 contributors) with annual public releases. SOCAT version 6 has been made public on 19 June 2018. SOCAT version 6 has 23.4 million quality-controlled surface ocean fCO2 (fugacity of carbon dioxide) observations from 1957 to 201 [more]
Progress update
Data management services for ocean acidification and the Essential Ocean Variable Inorganic Carbon
RI ICOS Ocean Thematic Centre\\\'s online data reduction and quality control software for underway carbon dioxide data (QuinCe) registered as open software was published as 1.0 in mid 2018\\r\\n\\r\\nAnnual data management support for the Global Ocean Data Analysis Project (GLODAP) and for the Surface Ocean Carbon Dioxide Project (SOCAT)\\r\\n- So [more]
New Voluntary Commitments
New Commitment
Goal 14 implementation for the protection of Mediterranean sea's whales and dolphins
Through its activities, Battibaleno association promotes the knowledge of marine mammals to encourage their protection and contributes to the effective creation of protected areas in the Mediterranean sea, as well as providing the scientific community with research data. MONITORING AND CETACEANS' RESEARCH'S SEA EXPEDITIONS: Battibaleno conducts [more]
New Commitment
Clean Coastline (Ren Kustlinje)
Ren Kustlinje Clean Coastline is an innovative EU project (founded through the Interreg resund-Kattegatt-Skagerrak program, Innovation Area) and is ongoing in the period 1/1 2016 - 31/12 2018. The main objective of the project is on marine waste as a common challenge for the countries around the KASK region. 34 partners from Sweden, Norway and [more]
New Commitment
Taking actions towards our ocean through environmental education in Guatemala
To implement education, scientific and community development programs that promote the conservation and correct use of the ocean and its marine life. In this sense, as an organization, we are willing to increase scientific knowledge in the population of Guatemala, this, by doing scientific research and connecting people with the oceans through [more]
New Commitment
Reducing Marine Pollution/protecting ecosystems/sustainable fishing/conservation of coastal and marine areas/implementing and enforcing international sea law
We are a Marine conservation charity based on the Isle of Wight UK acting locally and thinking globally. We have a 3-pronged approach to pollution at sea: 1. "Operation Seasweep" utilises our "MantaRay" seasweep device which can be adapted to any size ocean surface area from harbours, lakes to oceans and which filters the surface for floating deb [more]
New Commitment
CASA DEI PESCI
Fish Home (Casa dei pesci) Project for the preservation and enrichment of the Maremma Sea The Fish Home project is the realization of a dream, the dream of Paolo Fanciulli, fisherman of the Maremma region, whose passion for the sea has inspired many battles for the preservation of the marine environment, attracting the empathy of hundreds of peopl [more]
New Commitment
Bottlenose dolphins in the Sicilian Channel. Increasing knowledge through research activities and People awareness on the marine environment conservation
Goal: Associazione Me.Ri.S. aims to increase dolphins protection in the Sicilian Channel through two coordinated activities. The first, is to increase scientific knowledge about bottlenose dolphins inhabiting waters off Agrigento Province. The second, aims to raise awareness of people about the importance to protect cetaceans and their environment [more]
New Commitment
Bikash Ranjan Rautray
Mangroves are a unique partnership-led initiative to promote investment in coastal ecosystem conservation for sustainable development. MFF provides a platform for collaboration among the many different agencies, sectors and countries which are addressing challenges to coastal ecosystem and livelihood issues. The goal is to promote an integrated oce [more]
New Commitment
Small-Scale Fisheries Academy in Senegal
With active support of different professional associations organising people along all aspects of the value chain in the sector, academic partners and encouraged by other civil society organisations, upon proposal of Mundus maris asbl, the organising committee invited a wide array of sector stakeholders to the inaugural session of the small-scale f [more]
New Commitment
Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators' Clean Seas Project
The Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators (AECO) is an international association for expedition cruise operators in the Arctic and others who support our vision of responsible, environmentally friendly and safe tourism in the Arctic. AECO has signed a memorandum of understanding with the United Nations Environment Programme and is contr [more]
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