Spotlight: the Ocean Cities Network Programme

Coastal cities, where the majority of the global population resides, face the most immediate consequences of climate change. Daily, they grapple with risks like rising sea levels, extreme heat events, unsustainable land use, and prolonged droughts.

In response to these challenges, the Ocean Cities Network (OC-NET) emerged as a key initiative of the United Nations Ocean Decade. It serves as the hub for an international network of cities that coexist harmoniously with the ocean. Its primary objective is to foster a profound connection between cities and the sea. This vision entails making the ocean an integral part of daily life in these urban centres, often referred to as the 'ocean dimension.' It involves integrating this dimension into all urban activities, from the everyday habits of residents to urban planning, and harnessing the power of science, both locally and globally, to generate knowledge, scientific and technical capacity, as well as innovative and transformative solutions.

OC-NET endeavours to reshape coastal cities into communities that engage seamlessly and responsively with the ocean and its marine ecosystems. To fulfil this mission, OC-NET has established three core dimensions: health, culture, and justice, all of which contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Within the health dimension, the focus lies on addressing pollution, mitigating coastal ecosystem degradation, and ensuring the resilience of marine ecosystems. This dimension squarely confronts the knowledge gap, aimed at bridging our current understanding of cities' impact on the ocean and their potential to catalyse sustainability. Given the vast, largely uncharted expanse of the ocean, our comprehension of how cities influence it remains in its nascent stages. Science is poised to play a pivotal role in unveiling the untapped potential of urban areas in fostering a healthier ocean.

In the realm of marine culture and territory, the goal is to foster integration between the marine ecosystem and the daily life of cities, with the aim of nurturing sustainable local economies. Within this dimension, the objective is to have cities and their inhabitants wholeheartedly embrace the ocean as an inseparable facet of their identity. This transformation entails a shift in the perception of the coastline, which will cease to be viewed as a city's boundary and instead be recognized as a natural extension of urban life. Ocean awareness will be cultivated through diverse cultural avenues, spanning from artistic expressions to wellness practices and sports, permeating every facet of society.

Lastly, within the realm of sustainability and social justice, OC-NET advocates for global cooperation and equity to attain sustainable development that yields benefits on both local and global scales, acknowledging its potential for fostering blue growth. While currently, only a fraction of its possibilities, primarily tied to leisure, are being tapped into, the initiative seeks a transformative shift towards a more sustainable approach. The convergence of ocean literacy, interdisciplinary science, and social interactions will be instrumental in fostering a profound comprehension of the intricate interconnections within the global ocean. This will empower cities to assume a pivotal role in advancing the cause of ocean sustainability.

Within the framework of the United Nations Ocean Decade's diverse challenges, OC-NET emerges as a guiding compass, committed to fulfilling its mission. It begins with the fundamental principle that ocean science and knowledge should be collaboratively generated and shared by both creators and users. This collaborative approach facilitates the seamless integration of ocean science into policies, decision-making processes, management, and innovation. OC-NET also ensures that the resulting data and knowledge are disseminated openly and accessibly, in accordance with the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and deposited in recognized repositories. Moreover, it actively strengthens collaboration among nations and diverse ocean stakeholders while promoting capacity building and striving to overcome barriers that limit diversity and equity, including gender, generational, and geographic diversity. Additionally, OC-NET engages in close collaboration with local and indigenous knowledge holders, recognizing the invaluable significance of their experiences and perspectives in sustainable ocean management. Together, these principles guide and support OC-NET's mission in its significant contribution to the United Nations Ocean Decade.

The planet's well-being is intricately linked to the health of the ocean. Therefore, the impact of cities should extend beyond their coastal activities. Through collaboration and dialogue, cities should be viewed as integral to the overall balance of the planet's health. This recognition underscores the interdependence between the well-being of urban populations and the health of the marine environment. It also paves the way for effective policies that transcend the city's coastal boundaries. Tackling these challenges necessitates the fusion of scientific knowledge with a profound understanding of our connection to the ocean. Transforming consumption patterns is equally vital. This convergence is the linchpin for nurturing collective awareness, which, in turn, will drive practical solutions in the battle against climate change.