Revolution in ocean research: COSMARINDO sets new standards!

Revolution in ocean research: COSMARINDO sets new standards!

On July 15, 2025, the COSMARINDO project was officially recognized as part of the UN Ocean Decade. It was created to systematically record coral spawning events in Indonesia's shallow and deep-water reefs. Under the direction of Dr. Mareike Huhn, who works at the Chair of General Zoology and Neurobiology at the Ruhr University Bochum, the project aims to use the collected data for restoration measures. In this way, COSMARINDO particularly supports the goals of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 14, which is dedicated to life under water.

The project includes several core elements, including the development of standardized monitoring methods, the training of local students and researchers, and the creation of an open coral spawning database. In addition, digital tools for science and citizen science are being developed. A detailed report on Mareike Huhn's activities appeared in “Rubin”, the science magazine of the Ruhr University Bochum, in the summer of 2023.

UN Ocean Decade and its goals

The UN Ocean Decade, which runs from January 2021 to 2030, aims to usher in a revolution in ocean research through collaboration among diverse stakeholders. Loud oceandecade.org The initiative aims to generate data, information and knowledge to support evidence-based policies at global, regional and local levels. Hundreds of concrete initiatives are already in the works around the world, with the expectation that more will follow in the coming years.

The coordination of this extensive initiative is the responsibility of UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), which is dealing with the challenges of the Ocean Decade. This mobilizes a network known as the Ocean Decade Alliance, which provides both financial and non-financial resources. The members of this alliance include patrons and institutional members from the public and private sectors, NGOs and educational institutions.

Important questions for the future and upcoming conference

The year 2024 marks the fourth year of implementation of the UN Decade of Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development. The first major conference, the 2024 Ocean Decade Conference, will take place April 10-12, 2024 in Barcelona, ​​Spain. This conference aims to celebrate progress, take stock of achievements to date and identify future priorities. Key challenges such as climate change, food security and the sustainable management of biodiversity are also addressed.

Initiative partners can organize satellite events prior to the conference, with the registration deadline being October 30, 2023. The conference aims to create a new basis for the sustainable management of the oceans and promote science-based innovation. Information about all planned activities is available via kelpforestalliance.com available.