A Safe Ocean

5 – 7 April 2022

A safe ocean where people are protected from ocean hazards.

The ocean is immensely powerful. It is capable of devastating coastal communities, ocean users, ecosystems and economies. To mitigate the ocean’s hazards, make it safer and enhance community resilience, evenly distributed higher-density ocean data and reliable forecasting systems are urgently needed.

Coastal communities and ocean users, ocean ecosystems and blue economies are exposed to devastating, unsustainable impacts on land and at sea. The frequency and intensity of weather- and climate-related hazards are changing, which makes their impact even more extreme. Tools and processes for evaluating and mitigating priority risks, and formulating adaptive responses are needed. Higher-density ocean data and improved forecasting with data on sea level, marine weather, climate, etc. are needed on a scale from real time to decades in order to maximize safety on the coast and at sea and minimize risk. Linking this data feed to education, outreach and communication will inform policy and decision-making and mainstream resilience.

The fifth Ocean Decade Laboratory “A Safe Ocean” brought together participants from 116 countries across the world. The Core Event on 5 April 2022 introduced two eyewitnesses of one of the most ferocious natural events in recent history: the outbreak of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano in the southern Pacific Ocean. The discussions at this panel involved experts on disaster preparedness, geologists and many other stakeholders and offered unique insights and ideas on how to save lives and create a safe ocean for all.

In the short documentation below, you can see a summary of the Core Event.

The Core Event and the Wrap-up of the fifth Ocean Decade Laboratory “A Safe Ocean” can be watched in their entirety here : Core Event and Wrap-up.

Ocean Decade Laboratories “A Safe Ocean”

The Ocean Decade Laboratories are a creative, interactive platform supporting global action for the Ocean Decade which the UN proclaimed 2021-2030. From 5 to 7 April, participants from across the globe came together for the Laboratory “A Safe Ocean”.
Copyright: BMBF

6 April, 8:00 – 9:00 am CEST

SMART Subsea Cables Contributing to a Safer Ocean

Learn how an envisioned planetary observing array based on sharing the global submarine telecom network with environmental sensing can be used for earthquake and tsunami warning and climate and ocean monitoring.

6 April, 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm CEST

Can we Rely on Natural Ocean Processes for Climate Mitigation?

This Activity proposes a multidisciplinary international panel of experts to study the oceanic solution to the ecological & socio-economic impacts of climate-related changes in the ocean, which includes blue carbon & the Chilean Blue BOAT Initiative.

Activity will happen twice (two different topics): Part 1: 6 April, 2:00 – 4:30 am CEST ; Part 2: 7 April, 9:00 – 11:30 am CEST

Further Challenges for Tsunami Warnings

This online activity will bring scientists and disaster managers together to further our knowledge on deadly tsunamis generated by non-seismic and complex sources. It will build a pathway to also detect and warn coastal communities of these tsunamis.

6 April, 3:00 – 5:30 pm CEST

Safety for Fishers

Safety at sea is paramount to all ocean stakeholders, especially artisanal fishers in West Africa who lack early-warning information. This Activity provides fishermen with forecasts on ocean conditions prior to their fishing expeditions.

6 April, 4:00 – 5:30 pm CEST

NOAA Sea Level Rise Viewer

This interactive session explores visualization tools used to help communities identify their risks to sea level rise and the increased frequency and severity of high-tide flooding.

6 April, 4:00 – 5:00 pm CEST

Establishing a Blue Line: Jamaica Case Study for Tsunami Inundation Extent

Join this activity to learn about the development of the first Blue Line in the Caribbean and how its methodology using GIS tools can integrate multiple coastal hazards in the Tropical Americas and the Caribbean.

6 April, 5:00 – 6:00 pm CEST

Disaster risk communication on Social Media

Acquire tips for routine weather & science communication on social media, as well as on disasters like Hurricane Maria, earthquakes and the climate crisis, from Ada Monzón, meteorologist, broadcaster, founder & CEO of EcoExploratorio Science Museum.

6 April, 7:00 – 8:00 pm CEST

Rio de Janeiro: Smart City for a Safe Ocean

This webinar will discuss how data science integrated with technology such as sensors can improve public policies for a safer ocean, showing the case of the Rio de Janeiro City Hall Operations Center.

ALL SATELLITE ACTIVITIES

PROGRAM (DOWNLOAD)

5 April, 10:00 pm – 6 April, 1:15 am CEST

MODERATOR

Monika Jones, International TV and Conference Host, Germany

10:00 pm CEST

OPENING

— Co-Chair of the Laboratory “A Safe Ocean”
Burkard Baschek, Director, German Ocean Museum, Stralsund, Germany

— Co-Chair of the Laboratory “A Safe Ocean”
Christa von Hillebrandt-Andrade, Deputy Director, International Tsunami Information Center, Caribbean Office, Puerto Rico, USA

— Anne Parge, Policy Officer, Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Germany

— Vladimir Ryabinin, Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO, France

PREPARE FOR THE UNEXPECTED – EXAMPLE OF HUNGA TONGA–HUNGA HAʻAPAI VOLCANO ERUPTION AND TSUNAMI

10:20 pm CEST

Impulse Lectures

Local eyewitnesses will share their impressions of the Tonga volcano eruption and tsunami as an ongoing example of a disaster, with its co-occurring and cascading events and devastating impacts on life and livelihoods. The situation highlights how ocean hazards affect the sustainability of nations, communities, and the environment.

— Iliesa Tora, Consultant, Nuku'alofa Times Media, Tonga

— Ofa Fa’anunu, Director of Metereology, Tonga Meteorological and Coast Radio Services, Tonga

10:40 pm CEST

Panel Discussion

How do we prepare for the unexpected? Discussion on social perception and new approaches and opportunities for international cooperation and coordination for monitoring submarine and island volcanoes and forecasting all tsunamis.

Co-moderation

— Silvia Chacon-Barrantes, Coordinator, National Tsunami Monitoring System (SINAMOT) and Professor, National University of Costa Rica

Panelists

— Monitoring submarine and island volcanoes
Geoff Kilgour, Senior Volcanologist, GNS Science, New Zealand

— Detecting tsunamis from all sources
Esline Garaebiti Bule, Director General of the Ministry of Climate Change, Vanuatu

— Disaster Risk Communication
Irina Rafliana, Researcher, Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional (BRIN) Indonesia & German Development Institute (DIE), University of Bonn, Germany

11:00 pm CEST

Q&A with audience/online participants

11:10 pm CEST

BREAK

11:20 pm CEST

INTEGRATED COASTAL HAZARD EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS AND SERVICES IN THE CARIBBEAN

Panel Discussion

The integration of coastal hazard early warning systems and services in the Caribbean will be key for addressing the increase in frequency, intensity and duration of weather, water and climate events. Core elements of risk knowledge, warning, communication and response capability will be addressed.

Co-moderation

— Christa G. von Hillebrandt-Andrade, Deputy Director, International Tsunami Information Center, Caribbean Office, Puerto Rico, USA

Panelists

— Key Initiatives for Multi-hazard Early Warning in the tropical Americas and Caribbean
Raul Salazar, Chief, United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), Regional Office for the Americas and the Caribbean, Panama

— Risk Knowledge
Albert Martis, Director, Meteorological Department Curaçao, Second Vice President of WMO, Curaçao

— Monitoring and warning (including co-occurring and cascading impacts)
Arlene Laing, Coordinating Director, Caribbean Meteorological Organization (CMO), Headquarters Unit, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago

— Warning dissemination and communication
Jacqueline Rivera, Impact Forecast Specialist, Coordinator, Salvadorean Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN), El Salvador

11:55 pm CEST

Q&A with audience/online participants

12:05 am CEST

BREAK

12:15 am CEST

ENDORSED OCEAN DECADE PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS: SOLUTIONS FOR A SAFE OCEAN

12:25 am CEST

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND RIGHT

Panel Discussion

A Safe Ocean for everybody – today and tomorrow: Integrating traditional knowledge, gender and generational considerations to ensure equal and fair access to warning systems, information and disaster relief, while weighing societal resilience against political and economic priorities.

Co-moderation

— Debra Lekanoff, Washington State Representative (Position 1, 40th Legislative District), Skagit Valley, USA

Panelists

— Equal and fair access to warnings
Ria Sen, Lead Preparedness Officer, Global Emergency Telecommunications Cluster, World Food Programme, Italy

— Traditional knowledge
Claudia C. Baron-Aguilar, Ph.D. student, University of South Florida (USF) & Member of the Wayuu indigenous community, Colombia

— Gender and generational considerations
Shulqwilum, Co-Chair, First Nations Summit & Member, Chemainus First Nation, Vancouver Island, USA

12:55 am CEST

Q&A with audience/online participants

1:05 am CEST

OUTLOOK AND EXPECTATIONS

Summary/Closing and outlook on Satellite Activities and Networking Table

— Christa G. von Hillebrandt-Andrade, Deputy Director, International Tsunami Information Center, Caribbean Office, Puerto Rico, USA
— Burkard Baschek, Director, German Ocean Museum, Stralsund, Germany

PROGRAM WRAP-UP (DOWNLOAD)

7 April, 10.00 pm – 11.30 pm CEST

Throughout the common program items of the Wrap-up, insights of the southern pacific islands will be presented by different stakeholders, including local islanders as well as research professionals.

MODERATOR

Monika Jones, International TV and Conference Host, Germany

CO-MODERATOR

Mere Nailatikau, Communication Consultant, Storyteller and Development Professional, Fiji

10.00 pm CEST

OPENING

— Co-Chair of the Laboratory “A Safe Ocean”
Burkard Baschek, Director, German Ocean Museum, Stralsund, Germany

— Co-Chair of the Laboratory “A Safe Ocean”
Christa von Hillebrandt-Andrade, Deputy Director, International Tsunami Information Center, Caribbean Office, Puerto Rico, USA

10.15 pm CEST

Panel discussion: KEY MESSAGES OF THE CORE EVENT

Co-moderation

— Mere Nailatikau, Communication Consultant, Storyteller and Development Professional, Fiji

Panelists

— Co-moderator of Panel 1 of the Core Event
Silvia Chacon-Barrantes, Coordinator, National Tsunami Monitoring System (SINAMOT) & Professor, National University of Costa Rica

— Co-Chair of the Laboratory “A Safe Ocean”/Co-moderator of Panel 2 of the Core Event
Christa von Hillebrandt-Andrade, Deputy Director, International Tsunami Information Center, Caribbean Office, Puerto Rico, USA

— Co-Chair of the Laboratory “A Safe Ocean”
Burkard Baschek, Director, German Ocean Museum, Stralsund, Germany

10.30 pm CEST

REPORTS OF SELECTED SATELLITE ACTIVITIES

— Vaka Moana: A Sustainable & Safe Blue Pacific Ocean
Jerome Aucan, Head of the Pacific Community Center for Ocean Science, The Pacific Community (SPC), Fiji/New Caledonia

— Safety for Fishers
Bennet Atsu Foli, Oceanographer, University of Ghana, Regional Marine Center, Ghana

— Importance of Multi-annual Tsunami Exercises for a Safe Ocean
Silvia Chacon-Barrantes, Coordinator, National Tsunami Monitoring System (SINAMOT) & Professor, National University of Costa Rica

— Rio de Janeiro: Smart City for a Safe Ocean
Simone Pennafirme, Manager, Marine Life Center, Secretariat for Environment of the City Hall of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

— “SMART Subsea Cables for Monitoring the Earth and Ocean, Mitigating Environmental Hazards and Supporting the Blue Economy”
Bruce Howe, Research Professor, Joint Task Force for SMART Cables, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Hawaii, USA

— Booth: The Girl and The Tsunami: An Animated Documentary
Emiliano Rodriguez Nuesch, Director, Pacífico Risk Communications Agency & Consultant, Risk Communications and Behavioral Science, Argentina

11.15 pm CEST

ARTISTIC SESSION WITH A PACIFIC POET

— Inspiring speech about a safe ocean
Amelia Rigsby, TV Producer and Host, FBC TV, Fiji

11.20 pm CEST

CLOSING

— Closing remarks of the Wrap-up
Cameron Diver, Deputy Director General, The Pacific Community (SPC), New Caledonia

— Co-Chair of the Laboratory “A Safe Ocean”
Burkard Baschek, Director, German Ocean Museum, Stralsund, Germany

— Co-Chair of the Laboratory “A Safe Ocean”
Christa von Hillebrandt-Andrade, Deputy Director, International Tsunami Information Center, Caribbean Office, Puerto Rico, USA

11.25 pm CEST

OUTLOOK: OCEAN DECADE LABORATORIES 2022

Upcoming Lab “An Accessible Ocean”, 10–12 May

— Co-Chair of the Laboratory “An Accessible Ocean”
Sebastian Unger, Head of Ocean Governance Research Group, Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studie (IASS), Germany

— Co-Chair of the Laboratory “An Accessible Ocean”
Anna-Katharina Hornidge, Director, German Delevopment Institute (GDI), Germany