Preparations for a major scientific conference on the ocean are underway

What is the objective of the One Ocean Science Congress (OOSC) to be organised in Nice from June 4th to 6th next year?

Jean-Pierre Gattuso: The OOSC organised by the CNRS and Ifremer will take place just before the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), planned from June 9th to 13th and also in Nice. UNOC3 aims to move international discussions forward on protecting our oceans in the framework of Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources).

2000 scientists will be attending the OOSC to discuss the major challenges our oceans are facing. The focus will be on plenary lectures and parallel sessions on UNOC3's ten major themes1 , all involving high-level researchers. The objective is to construct a solid scientific basis for discussions at UNOC3 to help negotiations advance on crucial issues like plastic pollution and overfishing.

François Houllier: Our aim is actually for the OOSC to act as a genuine scientific pillar for UNOC3, so the latter can come to tangible political decisions, even if it isn't a COP in the strictest sense of the term. The international scientific committee will draw up and formulate the OOSC's recommendations before UNOC3 so they can be integrated into international discussions. There will be a broad geographical representation at the OOSC, including small island states that are particularly affected by marine issues. The OOSC will be an action-oriented scientific congress with time scheduled for dialogue that is open to society. Two calls opened on September 15th and 22nd - a call for scientific papers and a call for 'town halls'. The latter are forums or round tables dedicated to the relations between science and action, science and decision-making and finally science and governance. The OOSC website gives details of these two calls. 

So, the OOSC was designed to support UNOC3's political decision-making process and enhance its impact. How are the CNRS and the Ifremer contributing to the upcoming United Nations conference as well as to The OOSC? 

J.-P. G.: The CNRS and the Ifremer are jointly organising the OOSC to support the political decision-making process at UNOC3. The CNRS is also involved in a number of activities alongside this. Firstly, there's our support for the IPOS (International Panel on Ocean Sustainability) led by Françoise Gaill, a scientific advisor at the CNRS, which will have an important role to play at UNOC3. The CNRS's contribution to the Manifesto for a Moratorium on Deep Sea Mining is also worthy of note as this is a prime issue at UNOC3 and then there's our participation in the French steering committee for UNOC3 or organising side events there, particularly on observation and social equity. Finally, the CNRS is also strongly involved in Mercator Ocean Internationalwhich will also have a presence at UNOC3.

F.H.: The Ifremer wishes to highlight several projects with an international scope at UNOC3. One example is the development of the ocean's digital twin in the framework of Mercator Ocean International's transformation into an intergovernmental organisation. In parallel, there's work on structuring ocean observation systems because observation and modelling are intrinsically complementary. Another subject the Ifremer considers important is bolstering international cooperation between national oceanographic fleets, particularly within Europe. 

As you said, IPOS and MERCATOR will be key events for the OOSC and UNOC3. How are these two projects progressing?

J.-P. G.: IPOS is currently being set up. The idea was for a transdisciplinary interface designed to strengthen the knowledge flow between science, society and policy to help drive about real, sustainable and transformative change for the future of our oceans. The aims are to bring together a wide range of ocean sustainability stakeholders from a variety of fields and initiatives and to develop relevant indicators for public decision-makers. The Congress will serve as a framework and sounding board for IPOS, which will also be present at UNOC3.

F. H.: The 'digital twin of the ocean' project supported by Mercator Ocean International was launched in February 2022 at the One Ocean Summit in Brest, the first international summit dedicated to the preservation of the oceans. This project will also be promoted at the OOSC and involves coupling ocean simulation systems (digital models) with ocean observation data (space and in situ data) to describe, analyse and predict the oceans' physical and biogeochemical state at the surface or at depth and at any given time. The project also aims to make these models and data accessible to help find the right answers to questions about the ocean's future. In this way the digital twin of the ocean is actually an essential tool for enhanced ocean governance. 

How did the ocean become a central issue for the society of today?

F. H.: Ocean issues have become increasingly important on the international stage in the last ten years or so - within the G7, the United Nations and in Europe through the Horizon Europe framework programme for research and innovation, particularly 'Mission Starfish 2030: Restore our Ocean and Waters'. In France, before 2020 the Investments for the Future Programme (PIA) included very few projects linked to the ocean but now, a number of projects have been launched in the framework of the France 2030 plan. These notably involve several Priority Research Programmes and Equipments (PEPRs)2 , which all reflects the growing importance of ocean issues. 

J.-P. G.: France is organising UNOC3 in collaboration with Costa Rica as part of this dynamic. The 'Year of the Sea'3  is a perfect fit in this context as the aim is to bolster international action to protect the oceans.

Which major scientific challenges are facing the world's oceans today?
J.-P. G.: There are many ocean-related issues and problems. However, though it's essential to draw up a list of threats, we also need to find sources of solutions and the subtitle of the conference is actually 'Science for Action'. Among the major challenges we're facing, there's the overexploitation of resources, the impacts of climate change like global warming, acidification and the loss of oxygen, rising sea levels, plastic pollution, the possible exploitation of mineral resources and so on. There are multilateral conventions, agreements or treaties for many of these issues and these absolutely need to be based on science. For example, scientific knowledge is essential to help define fishing quotas and ensure the effective governance of fishing resources. 

F. H.: The interactions between the ocean and the climate are a central issue with two main segments - firstly, the impacts of climate change and the ocean's capacity to regulate the planet's climate and secondly ocean-based solutions, particularly developing marine renewable energies. Another key issue is that marine biodiversity remains a scientific frontier, particularly in relatively unexplored deep sea environments. Alongside this, the overexploitation of resources and pollution with continental origins like 'eternal pollutants'4  are major challenges. Sometimes, more effective solutions can be found on land than in the ocean as the management of terrestrial ecosystems has a direct effect on the health of our seas. The science is clear - there's an unprecedented threat to the oceans. However, there is also hope in protecting the oceans, which is precisely the OOSC's aim.

How is scientific research dealing with these issues?

F. H.: Many challenges remain but considerable work is being done by scientists to develop solutions and make the right recommendations. The international scientific community is very active in marine issues and there's a long tradition of cooperation. Marine research is expensive and funding marine science, like observation systems for example, remains a key issue.

Investment in ocean research is still low compared with other areas despite the scale of ocean-related challenges. SDG 14 (the Sustainable Development Goal on the Ocean) has the least funding from public and private sectors alike with a recent study estimating the missing funding required at $149 billion a year.  

J.-P. G.: French oceanographic research is among the most important in the world, behind the United States and China. This research is organised through close collaboration between France's National Research Organisations (ONRs) and universities. Over 7000 scientists, researchers, engineers, PhD students and technicians from French universities, the CNRS, the Ifremer, the IRD and the French National Natural History Museum work on ocean issues. Also, the Ifremer runs the French Oceanographic Fleet, one of Europe's three largest oceanographic fleets5 , for the benefit of the whole national scientific community.

F. H.: There is very robust collaboration between the Ifremer and the CNRS, with several large-scale programmes like the Ocean and Climate PPR and the BRIDGES PEPR and the Deep Sea PEPR which also involve the IRD. At international level, marine biology research programmes are very active, particularly in the North Atlantic. European framework programmes like Horizon 2020 have also helped drive marine research and foster collaborative networks. Research has focused on the ocean and how to preserve it for many years now and this year, we hope these converging initiatives, projects and events will contribute to tangible decisions being taken in this direction.

• 1Fostering sustainable fisheries management; Conserving, sustainably managing, and restoring marine and coastal ecosystems; Harnessing and supporting all forms of cooperation; Preventing and considerably reducing tackling marine pollution of all kinds; Leveraging ocean, climate, and biodiversity interlinkages; Advancing sustainable ocean-based economies; Promoting the role of sustainable food from the ocean; Increasing and strengthening ocean-related scientific cooperation; Enhancing the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law; and Mobilising finance for ocean actions.
• 2At the CNRS, four PEPR/PPRs focus on the theme of the Ocean namely Bridges, AtlaSea, Deep Sea and Ocean and Climate.
• 3The Year of the Sea has benefited from President Emmanuel Macron
• 4These substances are non-stick, waterproof and heat-resistant and do not break down in the environment thus polluting water, air, soil and sediment.
• 5The French oceanographic fleet is made up of four deep-sea vessels (the Marion Dufresne, the Pourquoi pas?, Atalante and Thalassa) which can operate for 2-5 weeks non-stop, hosting up to 40 scientists; 6 coastal and semi-coastal vessels, 4 working from mainland France and 2 from the French overseas territories, which can carry out campaigns lasting around ten days; 7 station ships run by the CNRS on a daily basis; and underwater or sampling devices like Victor 6000 - a ROV used for observation and intervention missions at depths of up to 6000 metres.