Page 29 - Livre_MOW2024_EN

UNOC 2025 - STRENGTHENING OCEAN GOVERNANCE | 27

RESHAPING THE OCEAN
SCIENCE–POLICY INTERFACE

Opening the first panel, Loreley Picourt of the Ocean &
Climate Platform emphasised the importance of a two-
way dialogue between scientists and policy-makers.
Emerging values, such as inclusiveness and demand-
driven governance, have been identified and these
will guide the co-design of IPOS. Charlina Vitcheva
(DG MARE, the European Commission’s Directorate-
General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries) stressed
the importance of acting on the best available science
when making policy decisions. Peter Haugan shared
some useful examples of how experts can engage
with heads of state and policy-makers, highlighting
the need to provide concrete recommendations for MAXIMISING COOPERATION
achieving a sustainable ocean. WITH EXISTING INITIATIVES
Minna Epps (Director of the Global Marine and
Polar Programme, IUCN) spoke of IPOS’s role as an The last panel focused on the future governance,
intermediary, making complex science accessible hosting structure and legal organisation of IPOS.
to policy-makers, and underlined the importance of Ashok Adicéam (French government) highlighted
making consultation and inclusiveness integral to the the responsibility of governments at the science-
mechanism from the outset. policy interface and the need to ensure that IPOS
has the support of a large number of countries by
the UN Ocean Conference 2025 (UNOC), following
RECONCILING EFFECTIVENESS the example of EU leaders and 2025 conference
AND LEGITIMACY co-hosts, France and Costa Rica. Henrik Enevoldsen
(IOC-UNESCO) underlined that effectiveness,
With time of the essence for ecosystem restoration, as legitimacy and acceptance will always depend on the
Patricia Ricard (Paul Ricard Oceanographic Institute) social contract IPOS has with member states. David
pointed out, reconciling international agendas, policy Obura (IPBES) stressed the importance of maintaining
mandates and regional schedules must be at the independence between governance and science to
heart of the process. Laura Pereira (University of the ensure that policy is relevant, not restrictive. Hans-
Witwatersrand) put forward the idea of creating a Otto Pörtner (Alfred Wegener Institute) suggested that
centralised knowledge system, providing access to IPOS focus on regional data to fill gaps in sustainability
not just academic science, but also other sources like assessment. Geneviève Pons (Jacques Delors
marginalised voices, the humanities and the arts. The Institute) shared the experience of the Starfish mission
need for better access to knowledge for Global South to restore the ocean, proposing an international
negotiators was highlighted by Charles Goddard transdisciplinary approach for IPOS.
(Economist Impact). In addition, private sector
engagement must be based on precise indicators and Participants agreed unanimously on one priority: the
global standards that deliver on ocean sustainability, co-design of this ocean platform needs to enter an
emphasised Erik Giercksky (UN Global Compact). acceleration phase.