UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Under Norwegian Leadership

0
504
UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Under Norwegian Leadership

Former minister Vidar Helgesen (H) is the new UN Chief of Ocean Affairs. He believes Norway is in a better position than most to take global leadership for the ocean. UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission is now under Norwegian leadership.

Vidar Helgesen brings to UNESCO a rich professional experience, having served in a variety of senior governmental and private sector positions, including as Minister of Climate and the Environment of Norway and Executive Director of the Nobel Foundation. As Norway’s Special Representative for the Ocean he initiated and led the work of the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy.

UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Under Norwegian Leadership
As Norway’s Special Representative for the Ocean Helgesen initiated and led the work of the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy.

The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO) promotes international cooperation in marine sciences to improve management of the ocean, coasts and marine resources. The IOC enables its 150 Member States to work together by coordinating programs in capacity development, ocean observations and services, ocean science and tsunami warning. The work of the IOC contributes to the mission of UNESCO to promote the advancement of science and its applications to develop knowledge and capacity, key to economic and social progress, the basis of peace and sustainable development.

UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Under Norwegian Leadership
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO) promotes international cooperation in marine sciences to improve management of the ocean, coasts and marine resources.

“We have the highest density of marine scientists in the world. We have more experience than most countries with comprehensive and largely knowledge-based ocean management. We have world-leading ocean industries, and some of them are part of the solution the planet needs,” said Helgesen to the Norwegian newspaper VG.no

Prior to his appointment, Mr Helgesen had already been actively contributing to the work of the IOC as co-Chairperson of the advisory board of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030. Leading the IOC Secretariat as Executive Secretary and Assistant Director-General of UNESCO, Mr Helgesen will steer the Ocean Decade through the coming years.

UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Under Norwegian Leadership
Prior to his appointment, Mr Helgesen had already been actively contributing to the work of the IOC as co-Chairperson of the advisory board of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030.

Proclaimed in 2017 by the United Nations General Assembly, the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) (‘the Ocean Decade’) seeks to stimulate ocean science and knowledge generation to reverse the decline of the state of the ocean system and catalyze new opportunities for sustainable development of this massive marine ecosystem. The vision of the Ocean Decade is ‘the science we need for the ocean we want’.

The Ocean Decade provides a convening framework for scientists and stakeholders from diverse sectors to develop the scientific knowledge and the partnerships needed to accelerate and harness advances in ocean science to achieve a better understanding of the ocean system, and deliver science-based solutions to achieve the 2030 Agenda. The UN General Assembly mandated UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) to coordinate the preparations and implementation of the Decade.

Helgesen will also become Assistant Director-General of UNESCO (the UN Educational and Cultural Heritage Organization).

UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Under Norwegian Leadership, written by Tor Kjolberg

Previous articleThe Road to Net Zero in Stockholm
Next articleFoodie Adventures: Exploring Beer Culture Around The World
Avatar photo
Journalist, PR and marketing consultant Tor Kjolberg has several degrees in marketing management. He started out as a marketing manager in Scandinavian companies and his last engagement before going solo was as director in one of Norway’s largest corporations. Tor realized early on that writing engaging stories was more efficient and far cheaper than paying for ads. He wrote hundreds of articles on products and services offered by the companies he worked for. Thus, he was attuned to the fact that storytelling was his passion.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.