News 18 Nov, 2024

IUCN and ODISEA partner for ocean conservation solutions in the Western Indian Ocean

For Immediate Release. IUCN announces a strategic #BluePartnership for marine conservation in Western Indian Ocean at COP29.

Baku, Azerbaijan, 18 November 2024 (IUCN) — IUCN will be partnering with the ODISEA expedition to explore and protect biodiversity in the Western Indian Ocean, IUCN’s Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office announced at the COP29 in Baku today. The joint work is aimed at strengthening the Great Blue Wall – a network of conserved and restored ecosystems that shelter communities from the impacts of climate change, and help biodiversity recover – and documenting conservation success stories in the Western Indian Ocean.

Aboard the 39-meter sailing vessel S/Y ODISEA, the expedition will bring together local researchers, community members, and government officials to monitor biodiversity baselines, explore remote seamounts, and identify key habitats for threatened species. Together, they will develop innovative financial solutions and share conservation successes with local stakeholders. This collective effort aims to protect marine biodiversity, which is essential to the health of our planet and the well-being of all people.

“This exciting expedition is a unique opportunity to unite the strength of governments & civil society, the wisdom of communities, and the insight of researchers. This expedition seeks to foster collaboration and innovation in safeguarding the treasures of the West Indian Ocean for future generations," said Luther Bois Anukur, Regional Director for IUCN Eastern and Southern Africa Region.

“ODISEA’s mission is to uncover and share impactful marine conservation success stories, and the community-centric Great Blue Wall initiative stands as an incredibly successful movement that provides a model for the regenerative blue economy. We are honored to provide ODISEA as a research platform that enables local researchers and coastal community leaders to amplify their voices, deepen our understanding of the drivers behind successful conservation management, and serve as a catalyst for the expansion of marine protected areas,” said Tom Sparke, Head of Impact at ODISEA. The expedition’s research work will be led by a regional scientific advisory board, while communication will be led by award-winning producer Filipe DeAndrade and National Geographic Explorer Ghaamid Abdulbasat.

Ghaamid, who is also the IUCN´s regional Ocean Communications Officer for the Great Blue wall Initiative, said: “It’s crucial that our scientific insights reach the hearts of those who shape policies and steward these ecosystems. Through this expedition we’re not only documenting the incredible biodiversity of the Western Indian Ocean but also creating narratives that resonate with communities and decision-makers alike. As we connect science with stories, we hope to inspire sustainable actions that safeguard these marine environments for generations to come in the Western Indian Ocean and beyond.”

“The 20th century should have been the century of sustainability. It wasn’t. Now, the21st century must be the century of regeneration. If the industrial revolution is what led us to where we are today, then a new kind of revolution is what will lead us to the world of tomorrow. The Great Blue Wall partnering with the ODISEA expedition is about giving a voice to the unheard and bringing a light to the unseen. It's about telling their stories. It's about enabling them to produce the science that will inform their decisions and unveiling the local knowledge that will guide their actions. This expedition will bear witness and be an actor in what will be remembered as the Rise of our Blue Guardians.” said Thomas Sberna, IUCN Regional Head Coastal and Ocean Resilience Eastern and Southern Africa.

Key objectives of the expedition:

Support local research: The S/Y ODISEA will serve as a platform for local researchers to conduct ecological monitoring, baseline assessments, and projects like acoustic tagging of marine megafauna. Research efforts will be guided by a dedicated Scientific Advisory Board.

Digital media outreach: The expedition will produce digital content to highlight GBW’s success stories, featuring local conservation heroes and engaging local and global audiences to inspire actionable conservation solutions.

Stakeholder collaboration and community engagement: Roundtable discussions will bring together community leaders, marine scientists, government officials, and teams from ODISEA and GBW to foster cooperation and build capacity for all interested stakeholders.

Innovative blue finance: The expedition will showcase regional success stories of scalable blue economy solutions, from community-managed octopus’ fisheries to the transformative potential of blue bonds.

Dissemination of findings: All data gathered during the expedition will be shared openly among partners and local networks, with discoveries communicated in near real-time and published in open-access scientific journals.

Replicable methodologies: The expedition will develop both scientific and social methodologies to evaluate and protect seascapes within and beyond the Western Indian Ocean region.

About IUCN

IUCN is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations. It provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together.

Created in 1948, IUCN is now the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network, harnessing the knowledge, resources and reach of more than 1,400 Member organisations and around 16,000 experts. It is a leading provider of conservation data, assessments and analysis. Its broad membership enables IUCN to fill the role of incubator and trusted repository of best practices, tools and international standards.

IUCN provides a neutral space in which diverse stakeholders including governments, NGOs, scientists, businesses, local communities, indigenous peoples’ organisations and others can work together to forge and implement solutions to environmental challenges and achieve sustainable development.

Working with many partners and supporters, IUCN implements a large and diverse portfolio of conservation projects worldwide. Combining the latest science with the traditional knowledge of local communities, these projects work to reverse habitat loss, restore ecosystems and improve people’s well-being.

www.iucn.org

About ODISEA

ODISEA is a six-year global voyage aboard a classic wooden exploration sailboat. ODISEA’s mission is to investigate and document marine biodiversity hotspots to support a global network of marine protected areas. Through enabling innovative financial mechanisms, ODISEA aims to empower local stakeholders to preserve and enhance ecosystem resilience.

www.odisea.earth

About the IUCN’s Great Blue Wall Initiative

The Great Blue Wall initiative is establishing a first-of-its-kind connected network of seascapes to benefit people and nature. The initiative will help protect 30% of the ocean by 2030; achieve net gain of critical blue ecosystems by 2030 (e.g. mangroves, corals, seagrasses); develop a regenerative blue economy and create millions of jobs by supporting local communities through funding, training and technical assistance.

Seascapes will be connected by the “great blue wall”: composed of conserved and restored ecosystems that shelter communities from the impacts of climate change, and help biodiversity recover. Participating in the initiative will help countries meet commitments made under three international frameworks: the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

High-level representatives from the governments of Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, Seychelles, United States of America, France, Ireland, United Kingdom, Sweden and Portugal endorsed the initiative during its global launch. The UN and civil society organizations also expressed their support.