The Barcelona International Convention Centre (CCIB), managed by Fira Barcelona, will be hosting the UN’s Ocean Decade Conference from 10th to 12th April 2024, a high-level world event bringing together governments, experts, scientists and civil society with the purpose of finding solutions that will better protect the planet’s oceans. At the same time, there will be a range of activities happening in the city to reflect on the importance of the sustainability of this ecosystem.
The event will draw around a thousand attendees from all over the world and is organised by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO in conjunction with the Generalitat of Catalonia and the Barcelona City Council, through the foundation Barcelona Capital Náutica, and the National Ocean Decade Commission of Spain, led by the Ministry of Science and Innovation, through the CSIC.
The conference will bring together governments, management agencies, the maritime industry, philanthropists, the private sector and civil society to take stock of the first three years of the Ocean Decade and draw a road map to 2030. In this sense, one of main goals will be to create science-based solutions that can meet global challenges such as climate change, food security, preservation of biodiversity, a sustainable ocean economy, pollution and natural hazards.
According to the Executive Secretary of the IOC/UNESCO, Vladimir Ryabinin, “the conference will be a great opportunity for stakeholders all over the world to make a collective reflection on the use of science and knowledge towards the sustainable management of the oceans, and at the same time pave the way for the future of the Decade”.
As for the General Manager of the CCIB, Marc Rodríguez, he assures that “it is an honour to host an event of such international significance and vital importance for the planet”, highlighting the fact that it will be held in Barcelona. “The CCIB, with its first-class facilities, and the city, a hub of knowledge, innovation and talent, make for an ideal location to bring together experts from all over the world to reflect on and debate the necessary solutions to the current and future challenges of our oceans.”
Programme and parallel activities
The conference, which has already opened the pre-registration phase, presents a programme based on the 10 challenges of the Ocean Decade and will be structured around three key moments. An inaugural meeting with the participation of heads of state, leaders of UN agencies and industry representatives, as well as a plenary assembly. A congress whose meetings will be focused on four themes, combining plenary and parallel sessions to present and propose scientific solutions for sustainable development. Finally, the closing session will report the main results of the conference and set out the horizon towards 2030.
Celebrated with the purpose of complementing the main programme will be Ocean Decade Week, which will consist of activities such as workshops, symposiums, dinners and art exhibitions, all starting 8th April in different sites around Barcelona.
Barcelona, 8 June 2023
CCIB Communication
David Jiménez
674033249 djimenez@ccib.es
Barcelona Capital Nàutica Foundation
Esther Gómez
