Ocean

The International Science Council (ISC) is committed to advancing ocean science and sustainability through global initiatives, partnerships, and policy efforts. By supporting interdisciplinary research and promoting science-based solutions, the ISC works to address critical ocean challenges such as plastic pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss, contributing to a healthier, more sustainable ocean for future generations.

The ISC ocean community

The ISC co-sponsors science initiatives and programmes that strengthen global scientific efforts in ocean science and sustainability. Through ISC Affiliated Bodies and Members whose work focuses on ocean-related issues (see Involved Affiliated Bodies and Members below), the ISC connects a broad range of scientific expertise in areas like ocean circulation, observation, climate impacts, and marine ecosystems.

The UN Ocean Decade

The United Nations Ocean Decade provides an unprecedented framework to advance ocean science in support of sustainable development. As a key partner, the ISC champions interdisciplinary research, capacity-building, and knowledge-sharing to address urgent challenges such as ocean warming, extreme events, and ecosystem degradation. By supporting inclusive, solutions-oriented science, the ISC ensures that ocean knowledge serves both people and the planet.

UN Ocean Conferences

Building on its contributions to previous UN Ocean Conferences in 2017 and 2022, the ISC is preparing for an active role in UNOC 2025. By convening expert groups and facilitating science-policy dialogues, the ISC ensures that the latest scientific evidence informs key discussions and agreements.

In 2025, the ISC has prepared written inputs to the Zero Draft of the Political Declaration, identifying key gaps and providing recommendations to strengthen its science-based foundation. Built on insights from the ISC ocean expert group, the analysis emphasizes the critical role of science in understanding ocean challenges and developing effective, evidence-based solutions, while highlighting the need for a more integrated and equity-driven approach to ocean governance.

To help ensure the Declaration reflects the latest scientific knowledge, the ISC ocean expert group has also identified science-based priorities to inform negotiations and support coordinated action that addresses the scale and urgency of the challenges facing the ocean.

The ISC is also advising Member States on the Ocean Action Panels, helping shape thematic discussions and integrate scientific insights into actionable recommendations.

Related work

Elevating the voice of Small Island Developing States (SIDS)  

Small Island Developing States are at the frontline of ocean change, facing rising sea levels, extreme weather, and marine resource pressures. The ISC’s SIDS Liaison Committee brings together experts from these regions to ensure their knowledge and priorities shape global ocean discussions. By integrating local expertise with global science, the ISC helps strengthen resilience and adaptive strategies for island nations.

Plastic pollution, including in the marine environment

Plastic pollution is a growing crisis with severe impacts on marine ecosystems. The ISC continues to actively support the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on Plastic Pollution, ensuring that scientific evidence informs the development of an effective, legally binding treaty. By connecting scientific expertise with policy processes, the ISC contributes to global efforts to reduce plastic waste and protect the ocean.

Resources

The ISC’s global network generates vital knowledge, reports, and tools to advance ocean science and inform decision-making. This section features key ocean-related resources from ISC members and expert networks, ensuring that cutting-edge research is accessible to policy-makers, researchers, and stakeholders working to protect and restore the ocean.

Involved Affiliated Bodies and Members

• Caribbean Academy of Sciences (CAS)
• The Centre Scientifique de Monaco (C.S.M.)
• Future Earth
• Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS)
• Indian National Science Academy (INSA)
  • Sectional Committee – IV: Earth & Environmental Sciences
• International Geographical Union (IGU)
  • Commission on Islands,
  • Commission on Toponymy
• International Union for Quaternary Research (INQUA)
• International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG)
  • The International Association for the Physical Sciences of the Oceans (IAPSO)
• International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS)
• National Research Council (CNR), Italy
• National Research Council of Canada (NRC)
  • Ocean, Coastal and River Engineering Research Centre
• Nigerian Academy of Science
  • Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR)
• Royal Irish Academy (RIA)
• Royal Society, the United Kingdom
• Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR)
• Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR)
• The University of the Arctic (UArctic)
  • The Ocean Food Systems Thematic Network
• The University of the South Pacific (USP)
• The University of Bergen (UiB), Norway
• World Climate Research Programme (WCRP)

Peer-reviewed scientific papers & reports

• Advances in understanding of air–sea exchange and cycling of greenhouse gases in the upper ocean (submitted by the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR)) emphasizes the need for a coordinated, interdisciplinary approach to better understand the oceanic cycling of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and their response to ocean changes, crucial for addressing climate and environmental impacts.
• Anomalous DOC signatures reveal iron control on export dynamics in the Pacific Southern Ocean (submitted by SCOR) examines how deep ocean particle export in the Southern Ocean is stimulated by iron from deep frontal mixing and sea ice melt, with implications for long-term carbon sequestration and the impact of climate change.
• Are we underestimating the ecological and evolutionary effects of warming? Interactions with other environmental drivers may increase species vulnerability to high temperatures (submitted by SCOR) emphasizes the importance of considering additional global change stressors when studying thermal performance curves (TPCs) in ectotherms, as failing to do so may lead to underestimating the risks of warming on ecosystems.
• Bioaccumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from leachates of waterpipe tobacco wastes on Peronia peronii species from the Persian Gulf region (submitted by the Integrated Marine Biosphere Research (IMBeR), a Large-Scale Ocean Research Project under SCOR and a Global Research Network under Future Earth) reveals how toxic chemicals from waterpipe tobacco waste accumulate in marine life in the Persian Gulf.
• A Blueprint for an Inclusive, Global Deep-Sea Ocean Decade Field Program (submitted by SCOR) outlines a global deep-sea biological research program, ‘Challenger 150,’ aimed at addressing critical scientific questions on deep-sea ecosystems to inform sustainable management, with a focus on data collection, capacity building, and inclusivity to support the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.
• Building Successful International Summer Schools to Enhance the Capacity of Marine Early Career Researchers (submitted by IMBeR, under SCOR and Future Earth) explores the impact of the ClimEco marine summer school series and offers guidance on designing effective informal science learning programs to empower early career researchers in advancing ocean sustainability.
• Carbonate chemistry and CO2 dynamics in the Persian Gulf (submitted by IMBeR, under SCOR and Future Earth) provides crucial data on the status of the seawater carbonate system of the Persian Gulf.
• A Decade of Incorporating Social Sciences in the Integrated Marine Biosphere Research Project (IMBeR): Much Done, Much to Do? (submitted by IMBeR, under SCOR and Future Earth) highlights the importance of interdisciplinary global research networks, using the IMBeR project as a case study to examine how collaboration across diverse regions and disciplines can address complex marine socio-ecological challenges.
• Distribution, environmental risks, and conservation challenges of chemical pollutants in Persian Gulf marine protected areas (submitted by IMBeR, under SCOR and Future Earth) analyzes the distribution of pollutants in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Persian Gulf, deepening our knowledge of MPA effectiveness and highlighting the critical need for more robust management approaches.
• Evaluation of landfill sites on Pašman Island and islanders’ perceptions regarding waste management issues (submitted by the Commission on Islands, International Geographical Union (IGU)) provides data-driven insights and community-informed recommendations to improve waste management in isolated coastal regions.
• Fish-Killing Marine Algal Blooms: Causative Organisms, Ichthyotoxic Mechanisms, Impacts and Mitigation (submitted by SCOR) reviews the socio-economic impacts of fish-killing microalgal blooms, highlighting their significant threat to aquaculture and marine ecosystems, and calls for improved research, mitigation strategies, and management approaches to ensure seafood security.
• Five social science intervention areas for ocean sustainability initiatives (submitted by the Commission on Islands, IGU) outlines how integrating social knowledge from five key areas (ethics, governance, human behavior, impact, and co-transdisciplinary partnerships) can guide and strengthen the impact of ocean sustainability initiatives.
• Fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in interdisciplinary marine science (submitted by IMBeR, under SCOR and Future Earth) highlights the ethical imperative of embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion in interdisciplinary marine research and offers ten recommendations to strengthen DEI in advancing ocean sustainability.
• The GEOTRACES Intermediate Data Products: Rich Resources for Research, Education, and Outreach (submitted by SCOR) provides interactive, web-based data resources, including trace element and isotope data and visualizations, to support research, education, and outreach, with hands-on guidance for creating publication-ready figures.
• A Global Ocean Oxygen Database and Atlas for Assessing and Predicting Deoxygenation and Ocean Health in the Open and Coastal Ocean (submitted by International Ocean Carbon Coordination Project (IOCCP), joint activity of SCOR and the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) calls for a coordinated international effort to develop GO2DAT, an open-access, FAIR-compliant Global Ocean Oxygen Database and Atlas, to advance understanding, monitoring, and forecasting of ocean deoxygenation and support ocean health, policy, and sustainable management.
• Heavy metal and persistent organic pollutant profile of sediments from marine protected areas: the northern Persian Gulf (submitted by IMBeR, under SCOR and Future Earth) assesses the distribution, sources, and ecological risk of heavy metals and pollutants in the MPAs in the Persian Gulf, highlighting the need for stronger pollution control.
• Hypoxia in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz (submitted by IMBeR, under SCOR and Future Earth) examines seasonal oxygen depletion in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz.
• Implementation of marine CO2 removal for climate mitigation: The challenges of additionality, predictability, and governability (submitted by SCOR) outlines a framework for evaluating marine carbon dioxide removal methods, focusing on their additionality, predictability, and governability to inform their potential for contributing to net-zero CO2 emissions.
• Integrated actions across multiple sustainable development goals (SDGs) can help address coastal ocean acidification (submitted by SCOR) suggests that tackling coastal ocean acidification by aligning it with multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can promote effective, localized actions and partnerships for achieving both SDG targets and improved ocean health.
• Integrating human dimensions in decadal-scale prediction for marine social–ecological systems: lighting the grey zone (submitted by SCOR) explores the challenges and advancements in decadal-scale marine predictions, emphasizing the need to integrate human dimensions into prediction systems and co-produce tools to support sustainable ocean stewardship and management.
• The Missing Layers: Integrating Sociocultural Values Into Marine Spatial Planning (submitted by IMBeR, under SCOR and Future Earth) highlights the importance of integrating sociocultural considerations into Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) to enhance adaptability, promote environmental justice, and improve decision-making, ultimately proposing a more inclusive definition of MSP that balances economic, ecological, and social goals.
• A Modified Stommel-Arons Model of the Abyssal Ocean Circulation (submitted by the Royal Irish Academy (RIA)) presents a modified version of the Stommel-Arons model, refining abyssal ocean circulation dynamics by incorporating depth- and latitude-dependent temperature variations.
• Multiple climatic drivers increase pace and consequences of ecosystem change in the Arctic Coastal Ocean (submitted by SCOR) highlights the need for greater focus on the rapidly changing Arctic coastal ecosystems, which are experiencing amplified climate impacts that may have broader implications for both ecology and human communities.
• Non-CO2 greenhouse gases (N2O, CH4, CO) and the ocean (submitted by SCOR) highlights the need for a global ocean observing network to enhance understanding of non-CO2 greenhouse gases (N2O, CH4, and CO) and their role in ocean and climate science.
• Nutrient regimes in a semi-enclosed marginal sea: The Persian Gulf (submitted by IMBeR, under SCOR and Future Earth) examines the distribution of nutrient concentrations across different locations and seasons and identifies the limiting nutrient in the region.
• Ocean acidification has a strong effect on communities living on plastic in mesocosms (submitted by SCOR) reveals that ocean acidification significantly alters prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities on single-use drinking bottles in the East China Sea, potentially modifying nutrient cycling and affecting food chains in subtropical eutrophic waters.
• Patterns of carbonate chemistry in mangroves of the Northern Persian Gulf (submitted by IMBeR, under SCOR and Future Earth) assesses the impact of industrial activities on carbonate chemistry in mangroves in the Persian Gulf, offering valuable data for understanding coastal ocean acidification.
• Resources on the valorization of Sargassum seaweed (submitted by the Caribbean Academy of Sciences (CAS)) highlight innovative ways to repurpose invasive Sargassum seaweed, such as transforming it into bioplastics and eco-friendly water treatment solutions, reducing reliance on fossil-based materials, addressing plastic pollution and advancing the circular economy.
  • Alginate extraction from Sargassum seaweed in the Caribbean region: Optimization using response surface methodology
  • The environmental impact and economic feasibility assessment of composite calcium alginate bioplastics derived from Sargassum
  • Multistage extraction and purification of waste Sargassum natans to produce sodium alginate: An optimization approach
  • On the performance of Sargassum-derived calcium alginate ion exchange resins for Pb2+ adsorption: batch and packed bed applications
  • Sargassum inspired, optimized calcium alginate bioplastic composites for food packaging
• Soils of Accumulative Coasts of the East Siberian Sea (submitted by the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS)) explores the formation of Thalassosols on the East Siberian Sea’s coasts, providing insights into coastal soil dynamics.
• Spatial and temporal characterizations of seawater quality on marine waters area of the Persian Gulf (submitted by IMBeR, under SCOR and Future Earth) explores seawater quality factors across the Persian Gulf.
• Spatial distribution of nutrients and chlorophyll a across the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman (submitted by IMBeR, under SCOR and Future Earth) examines nutrient and chlorophyll patterns in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, describing recent trends in the physical and chemical properties of the water column.
• Toward the Integrated Marine Debris Observing System (submitted by SCOR) outlines the design of the Integrated Marine Debris Observing System (IMDOS), a future monitoring framework combining remote sensing and in situ observations to track oceanic plastic pollution and support mitigation efforts.
• A Vision for Capacity Sharing in the Ocean Sciences (submitted by SCOR), a special March 2025 issue of Oceanography, presents a global vision for equitable capacity sharing in ocean sciences, spotlighting collaborative initiatives, regional programs, and inclusive training efforts that empower the next generation of ocean professionals.
• A vision for FAIR ocean data products (submitted by SCOR) emphasizes the need for an advanced, machine-compatible data system to effectively quantify and monitor the ocean’s role in absorbing excess carbon dioxide and mitigating global warming.
• Visiting Scientists Provide Capacity Development: Lessons Learned by POGO and SCOR (submitted by SCOR) highlights the benefits of in-country ocean science training through SCOR and POGO’s visiting scientist programs, offering lessons to strengthen global capacity development under the UN Decade of Ocean Science.

Policy briefs & reports

• Can coastal and marine carbon dioxide removal help to close the emissions gap? Scientific, legal, economic, and governance considerations (submitted by SCOR), a policy bridge, highlights the need for urgent development of governance frameworks, research, and monitoring to safely implement coastal and marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) for climate change mitigation.
• Conserving the high seas: Policy note (submitted by the Royal Society) presents the scientific consensus on identifying sites for marine protected areas under the UN Biodiversity Beyond Natural Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, emphasizing the need for strategic coordination and adaptive site selection.
• The Legacy Plastics report (submitted by the Royal Society) presents technologies and other solutions available to eliminate plastic pollution from aquatic environments, focusing on their effectiveness, feasibility, and environmental impact.
• Marine Ecosystem Assessment for the Southern Ocean: Summary for Policymakers (submitted by SCAR, IMBeR, under SCOR and Future Earth, SOOS) synthesizes key findingson how climate change is impacting Southern Ocean ecosystems, offering science-based advice and research priorities to guide conservation and resilience strategies.
• Multiple Ocean Stressors: A Scientific Summary for Policy Makers (submitted by SCOR) provides a conceptual overview of multiple ocean stressors, their controls, and effects, aiming to shift from passive observation to proactive solutions for marine life impacts.
• Ocean Futures 2030: Science and diplomacy for ocean governance – our common ocean (submitted by the University of Bergen) provides a summary of outcomes of the Ocean Futures 2030 event held in February 2024 in Brussels with recommendations on how science diplomacy can be an instrument for ocean equity.
• Ocean Observing System: Report Card 2023 (submitted by GOOS) and its operational centre OceanOPS, provides insights on the state, capacity and value of the Global Ocean Observing System. It highlights its value across climate, operational services, and ocean health, while showcasing progress, challenges, and opportunities in observing networks.
• Ocean Sound Essential Ocean Variable Implementation Plan (submitted by SCOR) provides guidance for integrating acoustic observations into GOOS, aiming to standardize the collection, analysis, and reporting of ocean sound data.
• Southern Ocean Action Plan for the UN Ocean Decade (submitted by SCOR) provides a community-driven roadmap to mobilize science, policy, and industry around shared priorities that support the UN Ocean Decade and safeguard the unique ecosystems and governance of the Southern Ocean.
• The UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030: Mediterranean Workshop: The Mediterranean Sea We Need for the Future We Want (submitted by the National Research Council (CNR), Italy) provides reports and presentations from working groups on marine pollution, ecosystem resilience and sustainable resource management.
• Voices of the Pacific: Climate crisis, adaptation and resilience: This Pacific Ocean and climate crisis assessment report (submitted by the University of South Pacific (USP)) provides an interdisciplinary analysis of climate change impacts, community adaptation, and Indigenous innovations in the Pacific Islands.

Case studies & best practices

• Guidelines for the study of climate change effects on HABs (submitted by SCOR) provides best practice guidelines for studying the impacts of climate change on harmful algal blooms (HABs), aiming to standardize research methods and promote international collaboration to address the growing threat to aquatic ecosystems and human health.
• Ocean data use cases (submitted by GOOS) showcase success stories from different countries and ocean data users, demonstrating the value of information coming from sustained ocean observations.

Other resources

• A Global Library of Underwater Biological Sounds (GLUBS): An Online Platform with Multiple Passive Acoustic Monitoring Applications (submitted by SCOR), an open-access, web-based platform proposed by the GLUBS working group aims to integrate and expand passive acoustic monitoring resources, enhancing the standardization and broadening scientific and community knowledge of underwater soundscapes.
• The BioEcoOcean Podcast, launched by GOOS, highlights how marine life observations advance ocean science and sustainability.
• INTIMATE (submitted by the International Union for Quaternary Research (INQUA)) is an international community of palaeoclimatologists integrating ice, marine, and terrestrial records to understand abrupt climate changes.
• ONSEA (submitted by INQUA) is an interdisciplinary community investigating geomorphological evolution and the human occupation of the coastlines during the Holocene.
• PALSEA_next (submitted by INQUA) brings together geoscientists and archaeologists to improve our understanding of past sea-level changes and ice-sheet dynamics, informing predictions of future evolution.
• The University of Bergen leads initiatives advancing ocean research, collaboration, and capacity-building for sustainable marine development and policy.
  • Norway-Pacific Ocean-Climate Scholarship Programme (N-POC) funds PhD scholarships to advance interdisciplinary ocean-climate research and strengthen Norway-Pacific academic collaboration.
  • Ocean: The University of Bergen is Norway’s largest marine university, with high-quality marine education and world-class research environments. UiB has taken a leading role in the work on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 14 – Life below water.
  • Ocean Futures 2030 connects scientists, diplomats, and key stakeholders to advance sustainable ocean development.
  • Shaping European Research Leaders for Marine Sustainability (SEAS) is a career and mobility fellowship programme, supporting postdoctoral researchers in marine sustainability. It addresses global marine challenges by integrating diverse perspectives across various fields and sectors.