Launch Symposium – UNESCO Chair “Ocean and Sustainable Coastline”

Mobilize interdisciplinary scientific knowledge (natural sciences, humanities and social sciences, law and engineering) to better understand ocean systems, coastal vulnerabilities and governance issues, and demonstrate how ocean science generates innovation and adaptive capacity.

Engage younger generations (high school students, students) as active participants in the reflection process, recognizing their role as future decision-makers and primary actors in long-term ocean transformations. This commitment is a direct response to UNESCO’s commitments to youth education and empowerment in the context of the Decade of Ocean Science.

Explore how scientific knowledge, legal instruments and governance mechanisms can support fairer, proactive and adaptive responses to coastal and ocean risks, while strengthening the science-policy interface at local, national and international levels.

This goal explicitly aligns with major global commitments, including the Sustainable Development Goals (in particular SDG 14 on ocean conservation and SDG 13 on climate action) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (which sets targets for the protection and restoration of marine and coastal biodiversity).

Use imaginaries, narratives, and forward-looking approaches as tools to reimagine ocean futures, inform long-term public decision-making, and co-create visions of transformative ocean governance aligned with the principles of ecological solidarity and intergenerational justice.

The symposium draws on established scientific knowledge of ocean systems and coastal dynamics, combined with international legal and governance frameworks, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as the fundamental legal regime governing ocean spaces and the management of marine resources; the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (2022), setting targets for the conservation and restoration of marine biodiversity; the European Union’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive; International Maritime Organization conventions; Regional Seas Programmes and regional legal instruments.

Particular attention is paid to the emerging principles of climate justice, environmental justice, the doctrine of the common heritage of mankind applied to shared ocean resources, and intergenerational equity, recognizing that governance frameworks must take into account the rights and responsibilities of future generations in the sustainable management of marine systems. This framework recognizes that good ocean governance must incorporate rigorous empirical knowledge and normative commitments to equity and sustainability.

The younger generations are not seen as passive recipients of knowledge, but as active contributors capable of questioning assumptions, proposing alternative visions and enriching scientific and political debates. This dialogue reflects the urgency of addressing the transformations that will materialize in the next two decades, a time horizon that concerns only those currently under the age of 35.

In this regard, the symposium operationalizes UNESCO’s principle regarding the participation of young people in decision-making processes on issues affecting them, as set out in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), the Recommendation on Youth (1992), the UNESCO Declaration on the Responsibilities of Present Generations to Future Generations (1997), the United Nations Youth Strategy “Youth2030” (2018) and the UNESCO Strategy for the Protection of Youth. Early life (2014–2021).

Imaginaries and narratives are approached as strategic resources that shape collective representations and political choices. By reconnecting science, ethics, and responsibility to future generations, the symposium aims to open pathways to transformative ocean governance that moves beyond incremental adaptation to systemic change.

Analysis of coastal vulnerabilities, exposure to cumulative climate and environmental risks, and intergenerational responsibilities. This axis explores how scientific understanding of vulnerability can inform more equitable and anticipatory policy responses.

Exploring legal, technical and institutional tools supporting adaptation and resilience. The focus is on comparing different governance models and identifying barriers and factors that promote effective coastal management.

Ocean science as a driver of anticipation, prevention and informed decision-making. This axis highlights how marine research, technological innovation and real-time observing systems contribute to strengthening societal resilience.

Rethinking the relationship between humanity and the ocean through renewed ways of living, using and governing coastal and marine spaces. This axis addresses the cultural, social and ethical dimensions of sustainability, recognizing that transformation requires a shift in collective values, practices and imaginaries.