Ocean Decade 24 – Setting the Scene

This week, the Planet Beyond team are recording live at the 2024 Ocean Decade conference in Barcelona. At the event, delegates will focus on delivering essential science for sustainable oceans. This episode is the first of three shorts to be released during the Ocean Decade Conference, to bring you the sounds and ideas from the conference floor. Made in collaboration with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission and UNESCO, as part of the UN Ocean Decade, the podcast aims to provide unique insights into ocean conservation, sustainability, and innovation. The conference serves as a platform for experts, enthusiasts, and changemakers to discuss crucial topics around ocean sustainability. Attendees can expect discussions on the interconnections between science, climate change, and human health, including debates on carbon dioxide removal techniques. Additionally, sustainable ocean planning and participatory approaches in decision-making will be explored, emphasising the integration of science into policy-making processes. Julian Barbière, Sergi Tudela, and Rafael González-Quirós have all been intimately involved in setting up this conference and bringing it to Barcelona. We hear from them about why Barcelona is the perfect host city and what the conference aims to achieve. Host: Jon Baston-Pitt Guests: Julian Barbière, Head of Marine Policy and Regional Coordination at UNESCO and Global Coordinator of the Ocean Decade Rafael González-Quirós, Director of the Oceanographic Centre in Gijón and Director of Instituto Español de Oceanografía Sergi Tudela, Director-General for Maritime Policy and Sustainable Fisheries, Government of Catalonia