Members of EarlyFoods co-organized the side-event “Towards IPOS” in the Ocean decadse Conference in Barcelona. The Towards IPOS initiative arose in recognition of the need to build-up ocean knowledge and exchange to inspire global progress towards SDG 14 and other global targets. This echoes the vision for the UN Decade of Ocean Science and will contribute to creating a shared vision for developing a sustainable approach to ocean management and protection. The workshop was set to critically assess and refine these key design elements for an improved science-policy interface, actively integrating valuable insights and perspectives from Global South experts, practitioners, and decision makers. Their input will play a pivotal role in shaping the framework, main objectives, procedures, and communication strategies for a new global ocean synthesis initiative. This collaborative effort is aimed at generating comprehensive and reliable knowledge, providing a strong foundation to inform sustainable ocean use and protection. In addition, the Towards IPOS Consortium will seize this opportunity to progress the draft terms of reference for an IPOS, to ensure that the priority topics and best practices are included, in particular those from the Global South.
