UNESCO Acknowledge Importance of Our Shared Ocean

Ireland’s commitment to strategic partnership with Small Island Developing States (SIDS), through Our Shared Ocean was highlighted throughout the UN Ocean Decade Conference, which took place in Barcelona last week.

In her opening remarks to the Conference, UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay thanked Ireland for its overall contribution to Small Island Developing States and the growing impact of the Our Shared Ocean Programme within the Ocean Decade in reference to the co-creation of a training course for Caribbean (SIDS) that will focus on the principle Co-Design. 

In the closing plenary session, Director of Policy Innovation and Research Support Services at the Marine Institute, Niall McDonough addressed delegates to introduce the Programme and to pledge further commitments to SIDS in support of existing project teams and initiatives.

During the closing session of the conference, Vidar Helgesen, Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission and Assistant Director-General of UNESCO, unveiled the Barcelona Statement, a crucial roadmap for the coming years which identifies the areas where ocean solutions must be accelerated. He highlighted Our Shared Ocean’s pledge of additional funding through Irish Aid & the Marine Institute, as one of the major commitments of the Barcelona Statement, which places an emphasis on cross-cutting issues that must be addressed to ensure the success of the Ocean Decade.

Through Ireland’s development cooperation programme, Irish Aid, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Marine Institute have established ‘Our Shared Ocean’ to support research, knowledge exchange and capacity building in partnership with SIDS. The programme will run until December 2026 with a total investment of €3.8 million funded by the DFA, and administered by the Marine Institute.

Our Shared Ocean will establish and grow research partnerships between Irish institutions and international counterparts, providing research and technical support to assist eligible SIDS in addressing specific ocean and climate related challenges within one of three thematic pillars:

•             Oceans & Climate Action

•             Inclusive and Sustainable Blue Economy

•             Marine Policy & Ocean Governance

Our Shared Ocean was endorsed as a Decade Action in 2023 and has worked in collaboration with the Ocean Decade team since to develop an online training course in the principles of Co-Design with Caribbean partners. Co-Design is often highlighted as a key barrier to SIDS accessing international developmental Aid. Our Shared Ocean has consistently endeavoured to remove such barriers including, increased eligibility of SIDS nations and Directly Funding projects within SIDS institutions.

While attending the conference, the Our Shared Ocean team co-hosted an event on ‘Co-Design within the Ocean Decade’ to highlight the importance of Co-Design in developing effective solutions to critical ocean and environmental challenges. 

ENDS

For more information, please contact:

Sinéad Coyne, Marine Institute  e. sinead.coyne@marine.ie   m. +353 (0) 87 947 7090

Sheila Byrnes, Marine Institute e. sheila.byrnes@marine.ie     m. +353 (0)87 815 5271

Notes to the Editor:

Marine Institute

The Marine Institute is the state agency responsible for marine research, technology development and innovation in Ireland. It provides government, public agencies and the maritime industry with a range of scientific, advisory and economic development services that inform policy-making, regulation and the sustainable management and growth of Ireland's marine resources. www.marine.ie