Ana Cristina Pellegrino - Director of Research
The ocean is the largest ecosystem on our planet. In addition to sustaining incredible biodiversity, offering food, mineral and energy resources, it also contributes to the stabilization of the climate, stores carbon and produces oxygen. However, much of the ocean is seriously degraded by impacts associated with human activities. In addition, the impacts on the ocean are projected to increase as the human population reaches the expected 9 billion by 2050.
In April 2021, the United Nations proclaimed the Ocean Science Decade for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) to support efforts to reverse the cycle of declining ocean health and bring ocean stakeholders around the world together behind a common framework which will ensure that ocean science can fully support countries in creating better conditions for sustainable development. Aligned with the Ocean Decade, Vikela.earth aims to stimulate, value and integrate ocean research to deepen knowledge and, mainly, to work with policy makers and resource managers so that policies are built based on science.
It is through ocean science that it will be possible to investigate the impacts generated by marine pollution and degradation of marine and coastal environments, by the loss of marine species and the impacts of climate change, such as acidification of the oceans. Adaptative strategies and science-based policy responses to global change are urgently needed.