WHOI at the UN Ocean Conference—Nice, France

The United Nations Ocean Conference is a pivotal moment to drive international cooperation and collaboration in order to protect our ocean from the many compounding threats it faces today. The UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water provides a valuable framework for how we can achieve a sustainable ocean and this year’s conference will provide a forum for countries to jointly work towards that goal.

Ocean Action Panel

Conserving, sustainably managing and restoring marine and coastal ecosystems including deep-sea ecosystems
June 9, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm EET (4:00 am to 7:00 am EST)
WHOI President & Director Peter de Menocal joins a high-level panel to discuss ways of fostering global collaboration, leveraging scientific advancements and promoting equity and inclusivity, the international community can chart a path towards the conservation, sustainable management and restoration of the oceans.
Watch live | Concept note

Official Side Event

Unraveling Plankton Biodiversity and Food Security
June 12, 3:45 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. EET (9:45 am to 11:00 am EST)
Blue Zone, Room 3 (Blue Zone credentials required)
Scientists are developing new measurement techniques to study plankton biodiversity in patchy, unpredictable blooms using ship-based sampling of ocean physics chemistry, and biology to better understand marine food webs which is central to coordinated progress of all SDGs.
Organized by: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, CMA CGM, and IFREMER

Official Side Event

Protecting the Ocean Twilight Zone: Driving Global Action for Biodiversity, Climate Stability, and a Sustainable, Healthy Ocean
June 13, 2:00 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. EET (8:00 am to 9:15 am EST)
Blue Zone, Room 5 (Blue Zone credentials required)
This event, sponsored by the Government of Panama, will showcase the ocean twilight zone's (OTZ) dazzling biodiversity and its role in carbon sequestration. It will also highlight the threats posed by marine pollution and the desire to develop new sources of fishmeal and fish oil. With high-level participation from heads of state and the UN Special Envoy for the Ocean, we will present a commitment to the conservation of the OTZ that addresses the global challenges facing our ocean.
Organized by: Ocean Conservancy, Government of Panama, Costa Rica, Ocean Conservancy, Monterrey Bay Aquarium, Environmental Defense Fund, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution