COP28
Convening international leaders to boost ocean observation globally.
The annual United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP) will be held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from November 30 to December 12, 2023.
The Ocean Frontier Institute (OFI), led by Dalhousie University, will elevate the role of the ocean in the fight against climate change by convening events and meetings with leaders in science, industry, policy, and philanthropy.
Armed with our new $400 million Transforming Climate Action research program that will investigate the role of the ocean in climate change, OFI will push to expand and improve ocean observations worldwide to:
The strategic place to start is with our proposed North Atlantic Carbon Observatory (NACO). The Observatory would provide permanent and urgently needed ocean observations in the North Atlantic Ocean.
The ocean plays a critical role in regulating Earth’s climate. It has absorbed more than 90 per cent of the excess heat and almost 30 per cent of the excess carbon dioxide caused by human activity.
Consequences of these changes include extreme weather events, rising sea levels, ocean acidification, coral reef mortality, and an increase in low-oxygen zones. Despite this, international investment in ocean observing systems has not kept pace with the need for critical information to guide decision-making.
As the planet continues on a path to exceed 1.5°C increase over pre-industrial temperatures, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has concluded that society will need to bolster emissions cuts with carbon dioxide removal to meet the goals laid out in the Paris Agreement.
To achieve this responsibly and successfully, the world needs baseline ocean data, which can only be achieved through robust and integrated ocean observation.
For any media or event inquiries, please reach out to:
Greg Hanna
Manager, Communications and Public Relations
greg.hanna@dal.ca
1.867.444.8850
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