Progress report for
Science for deep-ocean sustainability
Achievement at a glance
The efforts of DOSI and INDEEP have been combined into a united approach, with the mantle of deep-ocean scientific discovery taken on by a new programme, Challenger 150, proposed by DOSI to fulfil the needs of the UN Ocean Decade. The programme requires participants to provide data, samples, and knowledge generated to appropriate open access archives in line with the IOC requirements, and the management structure of the programme will monitor this aspect. Furthermore, DOSI has established a new Open Access task force to seek to inform the deep-sea community of best options and best practice for open access publication of their work, and to enhance the accessibility of deep-sea research to policy makers and the wider scientific community.DOSI has contributed to UNFCCC AR 6 WG II to ensure that climate impacts on deep-ocean ecosystems are considered and addressed. DOSI has contributed to an IPCC/IPBES joint report on the interaction of Climate and Biodiversity. DOSI workshops have generated peer-review publications and policy briefs on how to mainstream climate change into international deep-sea policy, including regulations, guidelines and instruments related to deep-seabed mining (ISA), biodiversity (BBNJ treaty), and fishing (FAO). DOSI has submitted recommendations to the UNFCCC Dialogue on Ocean and Climate Change and organized a UNFCCC Ocean Dialogue side event for the ocean community (Dec. 2020). A summary of submissions was prepared and a synthesis paper is nearing submission for peer reviewed publication.
DOSI continues to operate with impact at the science-policy interface, despite delays to major events posed by the global pandemic. This has been achieved in a number of ways, including through hosting webinars, producing policy briefs, participating in stakeholder consultations and contributing to intersessional works for the BBNJ treaty.
Challenges faced in implementation
While the global pandemic has had an impact on progression of key policy fora, it has not hindered our ability to push forwards a scientific agenda for deep-ocean sustainability at ongoing negotiations. Indeed, the enforced delay has bought our community a little more time to identify gaps in our scientific knowledge and strengthen our robust scientific underpinning.Beneficiaries
Deep-sea researchers are benefiting from the creation of the global scientific cooperative that is Challenger150. It acts as an umbrella under which individual research projects can operate, and in doing so contribute to a much larger global research effort, in turn enhancing humankinds knowledge and stewardship of the deep ocean. Scientists and policy makers alike will benefit from the efforts of the open access task force which will provide advice and best practice guidance on the publication of deep-ocean research. Decision-makers will benefit from access to the latest relevant deep-sea science in accessible and succinct formats. The general public will benefit from a drive to improve deep-ocean literacy.
Actions
The creation of Challenger150, and its formal submission to the IOC for endorsement as an official Ocean Decade ProgrammeCreation of regional science committees to feed into the global Challenger150 project
The formation of a DOSI Open Access Task Force, which is now in operation
Creation of a new DOSI webinar series delivering high-level content in a jargon-free manner, available open access on YouTube