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WG IV – A Safe OceanOutcomes of the First Global Planning Meeting and regional workshops:UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030)

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A safe oceanWhereby human communities are protected from ocean hazards and where the safety of

operations at sea and on the coast is ensured

The Ocean hazards such as storm surges, tsunamis, harmful algal blooms, or coastline erosion can be devastating for coastal communities. The rush for coastal recreation and economic expansion in the maritime domain has increased access to the sea to a multitude of users, producing newly built infrastructures that are increasingly vulnerable to ocean extreme events. Climate change impacts on the ocean will have profound implications for all human societies and most of our activities. The Decade will promote research aimed at reducing and minimizing impacts of various changes (risk reduction) through adaptation and mitigation, at assessing social and physical vulnerability and help clarify interactions between natural and man-induced changes. It will also support the development of integrated multi-hazard warning systems in all basins hence contributing to enhanced preparedness and awareness of society with regards to ocean risks. This could trigger the introduction and use of new technologies through private-public partnerships. Community resilience and adaptive capacity, with elevated education and awareness as regards the use of observations and data, will also contribute to reduced impacts and improved efficiency of early warning systems for natural and man-made hazards.

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A Safe Ocean

Knowledge gaps and research priorities1. Better understanding of the relationship between human health and ocean health (pollutant chemicals and their impacts on health, toxological impacts of nano and micro plastics).

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Working Group 4

Recommended activities in support of the Decade• Partnerships:

§ Develop multi-stakeholder partnerships, including with private sector, to increase observations and data sharing , deployment of instruments

§ Create a data-pool of ship-owners and insurance companies to develop ‘safe ocean’ guidelines;

§ North Pacific: Partnerships and knowledge exchange for emergency management need to be improved

• Capacity-building and TT:

§ Focus on supporting emergency warning systems infrastructure and data provision

§ North Pacific§ Limited capacity for disaster mitigation and

recovery § Building resilient infrastructure§ Sustainability of existing instruments and networks§ Tsunami detection instruments expensive to

maintain

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A Safe Ocean

Knowledge gaps and research priorities2. Impact-based forecasting to better communicate impacts of hazards

Pacific Community:

§ Convert global ocean forecast into localised impacts/Early warning systems that can provide localised forecast and impact information

§ Quantifying risk to strengthen community preparedness and resilience

§ Identify island-based solutions, ecosystems and traditional knowledge that can provide natural resilience and reduce risk

North Pacific:

§ Frequency and magnitude of tsunami needs to be understood

§ Tsunami inundation maps available for all susceptible areas

§ Identification of areas susceptible to volcanic/landslide tsunami

§ Unknown effects of tsunamis in currents in important ports4

Working Group 4

Recommended activities in support of the Decade

• Regulations and planning:

§ Revise the international chemical standards and legislation frameworks

§ North Pacific: Development of risk management plan, including risk acceptance

• Investments/resource mobilization:

§ Engage funds such as World Bank Pro Blue and Green Climate Fund to develop programmesrelated to safety and adaptation.

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A Safe Ocean

Knowledge gaps and research priorities

3. Increase data availability in support of multi-hazard early warning systems including baseline data, real-time dynamic data and data to improve models for tropical cyclones, hurricanes and all extreme events

North Pacific:

§ Use of GNSS crustal movement data for tsunami warning

§ Known landslides and submarine landslides to be monitored for warning systems

4. Increase data availability in support of modelling

North Pacific:

§ Tsunami source modelling and resonant frequency of specific inlets need refining

§ Bathymetry and topography insufficient for accurate inundation modelling

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Working Group 4

Recommended activities in support of the Decade

• Ocean Literacy and science/policy interface:

§ Scientific and technical advice is needed to support international legislation of POP

§ North Pacific: § How to convince the public (and

regulators) to take the risk seriously, how to mitigate against false alarms,

§ Guidance for communities on conducting risk assessment

• Social sciences: § Connecting hazards and impacts will require a

multi-disciplinary approach, including social sciences

§ North Pacific:§ How to evaluate local governments (and

public) response§ Economic risks not well know in most

cases and impacts to society not well elaborated

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A Safe Ocean

Knowledge gaps and research priorities

5. (Pacific Community) Integration of local and traditional knowledge into early warning systems, and (North Pacific) in emergency protocols/plans

6. Focus increasing hazards in Polar regions and requirements for effective adaptation strategies for food security, Blue Economy and adaption to environment pressures in this regional context

7. Requirement for a Harmful Algal Bloom prediction and warning system – from observation (in situ and remote) to prediction: Develop a global HAB observation and prediction system, divided into regional systems, and making best use of coastal GOOS infrastructure.

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Working Group 4

Recommended activities in support of the Decade

• Innovative technologies/solutions:

§ Pacific Community: Investigate what individuals, governments, and industry must do to reduce their impacts which have exacerbated the frequency and effect of extreme events

§ North Pacific: Effective use of scientific knowledge in practical (scientific) apps, particularly on coastal communities