The event is taking place in the city of Barcelona from April 8th to 12th. Lectures, presentations, roundtable discussions, and numerous parallel events have been planned where professionals and experts from various fields can share their knowledge about the main threats facing the ocean and possible solutions.
The aim is to develop a roadmap with priority actions to be implemented in the coming years. This will be the “Barcelona Declaration,” which will be issued once the event concludes.
The UNESCO Conference is organized, among others, by the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and involves the participation of numerous researchers from CSIC centers, including the CEAB-CSIC.
Scientists from CEAB will give presentations and participate in parallel events, such as screenings of documentaries based on research work.
One of the researchers participating is Rafael Sardá, who will speak around noon on the 11th about the research project “Business for Ocean Sustainability,” which was awarded by the Financial Times. This project proposes strategies, practices, and innovative technologies for businesses, moving towards an ocean-friendly economy and respecting all nature.
A few days earlier, on April 8th, there will be a discussion about another research project involving Sardá himself, the Biopaís project, which analyzes the environmental and social impacts of implementing large wind farms in protected areas of the Mediterranean.
On the following day, April 9th, from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm, there will be a discussion on effective marine and coastal restoration. This roundtable will include a researcher who regularly collaborates with the CEAB-CSIC’s benthic ecosystems research group. Adriana Vergés will share her expertise on the restoration of kelp forests and other macroalgae.
Other researchers from the center, such as Jordi Boada or Rafa Marcè, will also participate in the event, specifically in parallel events open to the general public.
On the 8th, the Ocean Decade Movie Day will be held at the Filmoteca de Catalunya. Starting at 4 pm, documentaries such as “Memories of a Sea” – directed by Laura Carrau and depicting the scientific expedition to the Aral Sea led by Rafa Marcè – and “MED2050: More Pieces than Plastics in the Sea!” will be screened. This second documentary and the MED2050 initiative by Good Karma Projects reflect on the state of the Mediterranean and actions to improve and protect it. This project, along with a photographic exhibition showcasing it, has the collaboration of CEAB-CSIC researcher Jordi Boada and other members of the benthic ecosystems research group. The Good Karma project to improve the Mediterranean will also be showcased through a photographic exhibition at the ICM-CSIC headquarters.
The Ocean Decade
The United Nations launched the Ocean Decade in 2021 to “restore the ocean’s ability to sustain humanity and regulate the climate,” with a deadline set for 2030. UNESCO has taken on the role of promoting action to “save the oceans” throughout this decade, encouraging participation from all stakeholders: not only scientists and researchers but also businesses, third-sector entities, and the general public.
