ECNU SKLEC’s Mega-Delta Program endorsed by UN Ocean Decade-East China Normal University

On June 8, 2021, State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research (SKLEC)’s Mega-Delta program was listed as one of the first round of the 65 programs endorsed under the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. It is the only program that has been currently accepted from the Chinese mainland.

The Mega-Delta program is based on the “Mega-Delta Workgroup” of Future Earth Coasts. It aims to provide solutions to the problems faced by different types of deltas in different regions with different levels of social-economic development. All the deltas are faced with challenges caused by climate change and human activities. Thus, combined efforts from different organizations and multi-disciplines are required to fulfil the task.

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 against the declining status 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.