On April 10, 2024, the United Nations “Ocean Decade” Conference was held in Barcelona, Spain. Director Fang Yinxia and Academician Li Jiabiao led the delegation of the SIO to participate in the conference, exchanged and discussed with marine scientists from more than 40 countries.

The theme of this conference is “providing the necessary science for the oceans we want”. Focusing on the ten “Ocean Decade” challenges, in-depth discussions were held on topics such as ocean pollution, ecosystems, climate and ocean relations, sustainable ocean economy, ocean observation, prediction and early warning systems, and capacity building. As an important part of the conference, the SIO organized multiple satellite activities to promote the progress of the SIO’s major scientific programs and projects in the United Nations “Ocean Decade”, and set up the “Deep-Sea Habitat” booth at the conference, which received widespread attention from scientists of multiple participating countries. Sun Shuxian, a member of the Party Group of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Vice Minister, and Director of the State Oceanic Administration, as well as leaders from relevant departments and bureaus of the Ministry and the China Deep Ocean Affairs Administration, participated in the satellite activities of the SIO. During the conference, they visited the exhibition booth and listened to the report on the “Digital Deep-sea Typical Habitats Programme”.

With the theme of “Going Deep Into the Ocean, Going Deep Into the Future”, the “Digital Deep-sea Typical Habitats Programme” conference explored the development and application of digital technology in the deep sea field, and promoted the cooperation and exchange in the “Ocean Decade” project-“Digital Deep-sea Typical Habitats Programme”. International organizations, government departments, research and education institutions, and industry representatives from more than 10 countries in the deep sea field, including the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, etc. were attracted. Kouadio Affian, Chairman of the Africa and Neighboring Island States Subcommittee of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, Enrique Curchitse, Chairman of the North Pacific Marine Science Organization, and Tang Dongmei, Deputy Director of the China Deep Ocean Affairs Administration, attended the conference and delivered speeches.

At the conference, Chief Scientist Academician Li Jiabiao gave a keynote speech, introducing the progress of the major scientific program and the plan to carry out international shared voyages in 2024; Professor Qian Peiyuan from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology presided over the roundtable discussion. Experts from the SIO, the University of Oxford, the University of Tokyo, the World Resources Institute and the delegates discussed the future development direction of “Digital Deep-sea Typical Habitats Programme” and the needs of various stakeholders on international voyages in the form of interactive Q&A, and discussed topics such as deep-sea biodiversity and cutting-edge technologies of deep-sea habitats.

With the theme of “Establishing Observation and Prediction Systems to Serve the Healthy and Sustainable Development of Marine Ecosystems”, the “Mitigation of Natural Incidence Towards an Increased Oceanic Resilience” conference had in-depth exchanges and discussions on the work blueprint of the China-Africa Marine Science and Blue Economy Cooperation Center, as well as the multilateral cooperation mechanisms between China and the United States, China and the European Union, China and Africa under the framework of the Ocean Decade. Sun Shuxian, a member of the Party Group of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Deputy Minister, and Director of the State Oceanic Administration, Stephen Thor, Deputy Director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States, attended the conference to guide. Lu Lihua, Deputy Director of the Department of Land and Space Ecological Restoration of the Ministry of Natural Resources, and Chen Qizhen, Deputy Director of the Administrative Center for China’s Agenda 21, delivered speeches.

At the conference, Chief Scientist Wang Yuntao introduced the background, progress and vision of the Ocean Decade project-“Mitigation of Natural Incidence Towards an Increased Oceanic Resilience”. Dai Minhan, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, made a keynote report and proposed potential scientific solutions around the risks faced by offshore ecosystems. Experts and scholars from China, the United States, Spain, Egypt, Cote d'Ivoire, Madagascar and other countries discussed how to conduct interdisciplinary comprehensive research by obtaining multi-source observation data, promote in-depth exchanges and cooperation among all parties involved, jointly enhance marine disaster prevention and reduction capabilities, and serve the sustainable development of the ocean.