In late August 2020, IOC-UNESCO published Version 2.0 of the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-30 Implementation Plan. This new version is the product of a comprehensive review between June and July 2020.

From the Decade website: “Version 2.0 of the Plan builds on discussions held in a series of global, thematic, and regional planning meetings that convened over 1900 participants from the scientific community, governments, UN entities, NGOs, private sector, and donors across ten ocean basins between June 2019 and May 2020. The Plan also reflects submissions from over 50 leading ocean institutions that informed the development of the scientific priorities of the Decade, and over 230 written submissions received in response to the peer review of the zero draft in March and April 2020.

The 150 Member States of UNESCO’s IOC and the UN bodies comprising the UN-Oceans inter-agency mechanism further contributed to version 2.0 of the Implementation Plan.”

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This plan incorporates several additions and listed challenges – including those that directly affect heritage sites (both natural and cultural). There is no call for feedback.

Following Resolution 74/19, UNESCO’s IOC submitted Version 2.0 of the Implementation Plan to the 75th session of UNGA (General Assembly), set to open on Tuesday, 15 September 2020.