Side event @ UN4SIDS

SUMMARY

Ocean health is declining due to rising temperatures, increasing acidification, overfishing and pollution. In addition, specific and multi-layered challenges, such as sea level rise, present existential threats to many Small Island States. Public decision-makers have a key role to play in navigating these challenges, however, they lack the evidence-based knowledge for effective and rapid responses, proportional to the risks faced.

A new mechanism – an International/Intergovernmental Panel for Ocean Sustainability (IPOS) - will be tested with key decision-makers from Small Island States. The IPOS aims to provide a solution to bridge this knowledge to action gap by effectively reconnecting the knowledge and science required to inform appropriate ocean action.

BACKGROUND

Human well-being and planetary health are interwoven with Ocean health. In order to achieve a healthy sustainable ocean in line with SDG 14, scientific and other knowledge need to be effectively transmitted to decision makers. Despite the Ocean’s critical role, there is still no focused global process for the ocean science-policy interface comparable to those which exist for climate and biodiversity.

Accordingly, the European Union (EU), together with other ocean actors, encourages creating an improved science-policy (knowledge to action) interface for the ocean which builds on current ongoing efforts. The IPOS would translate contextually relevant knowledge, based on assimilated best available science (and knowledge), into action-oriented and decision-relevant options. 

On the important occasion of the UN4SIDS Conference, Pacific Ocean Commissioner Manoni and European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen  are pleased to co-host a ministerial dialogue to advance this endeavour towards the UN Ocean Conference, co-hosted by France and Costa Rica in June 2025 in Nice.

SHIFTS NEEDED TO SUPPORT BEST AVAILABLE EVIDENCE FOR SIDS OCEAN ACTION

1. Enhance political backing for collaborative creation and sharing top-tier scientific evidence to guide transformative ocean action.

2. Improve responsiveness to national, regional, and global priorities by fostering an active science-policy dialogue.

3. Communicate science effectively through visually clear policy options, ensuring timely implementation aligned with the urgency to act.

Programme

Arrival screening 	Prior to the event, a special film screening will take place. Created in support of the Towards IPOS initiative, the Oscar award winning SeaChange Project film calls on us to remember the intricate and interconnected relationship between the ocean and humans. We are all Ocean people.
14:00 – 14:10	INTRODUCTION SESSION Moderator: Maxime de Lisle, towards IPOS Carolina Santacruz-Pérez, Latin American and Caribbean Region, International Science Council  Welcome address by the host and co-organizers of the workshop: Filimon MANONI, Pacific Ocean Commissioner Jutta URPILAINEN, European Commissioner for International Partnerships Status update on Towards IPOS: Maxime de Lisle, towards IPOS
14:10-14:55	DAVOS STYLE PANEL    Filimon MANONI, Pacific Ocean Commissioner Jutta URPILAINEN, European Commissioner for International Partnerships Chrysoula ZACHAROPOULOU, Minister of State for International Partnerships, France Ignacio YBANEZ, Special Envoy on SIDS, European Commission Mr. KONJOOL, UN Ambassador, Mauritius Olivier Poivre d'Arvor, Special Envoy for Oceans & Poles, France Q & A
14:55-15:00	CLOSING REMARKS Summary of outcomes and wrap-up

Practical information 

Location: Room 2 - SIDS Conference Venue, St. John's Antigua and Barbuda

Time and date: May 27th, 2PM-3:30PM AST

Language: The meeting will be held in English.

#towardsIPOS

We are looking forward to your participation at this important event to co-construct the IPOS: an important mechanism to reconnect science and knowledge to policy action.

aa