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PML researchers at COP25

3 December 2019

This year, the UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP25) has been named 'the Blue COP', prioritising the connection between the ocean and climate. Delegates are convening in Madrid over two weeks (2nd-13th December 2019), and PML scientists are taking part, as they have for the last decade, continuing to highlight the enormous role the ocean plays in sustaining life on Earth and the consequences of a high CO₂ world for the ocean and society.

This event features the 25th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP25) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and is designed to guide the next crucial steps in the UN climate change process.

A key objective for this year is to complete several matters relating to the full operationalisation of the Paris Climate Change Agreement, for which implementation guidelines were agreed at COP24 in Poland last year. COP25 will take place under the Presidency of the Government of Chile with logistical support from the Spanish Government.

PML scientists will present, lead and partner in more than ten important ocean-focused events at COP25, several of which will be broadcast live. PML events will include special high-level addresses from Peter Thomson, UN Secretary General Special Envoy for the Ocean, Vladimir Ryabinin, Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission and Assistant Director General of UNESCO, and government officials from Chile, the Seychelles and the UK.

PML is also one of the organisers of the Oceans Action Day at COP25, partnering with the EU Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (EU DG MARE) for the EU Ocean Day and leading an event on Polar Ocean Day in the Cryosphere Pavilion.

PML's Head of Science for Sea and Society, Professor Melanie Austen, will focus on how healthy blue ecosystems support healthy blue communities, while Dr Ana Queirós, Senior Benthic Ecologist, will present on climate-ready marine spatial plans. Dr Helen Findlay, an Executive Council member of the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON), will focus on polar ocean acidification as well as the GOA-ON North East Atlantic Hub, which is coordinated by PML.

Dr Carol Turley will cover the connections between ocean, climate and society, as well as the Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC), recently published by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), for which she was a Review Editor. Dr Marie-Fanny Racault, who is a lead author in the upcoming IPCC 6th Assessment Report, will focus on Satellite Earth Observation representing both PML and the National Centre for Earth Observation.

With the ocean experiencing substantial changes including ocean acidification, rising seawater temperature, ocean deoxygenation and sea level rise caused by increased greenhouse gas emissions, it is crucial that international decision-makers understand the consequences of a high CO₂ world on ocean ecosystems and the people that depend on them.

You can find the schedule of PML events below.

Please note: All times were CET (Central European Time)

Tuesday 3rd December 15:00 - 16:15 WWF Pavilion, Hall 6	The Ocean, Climate and Biodiversity: the evidence is clear for raising ambition. Oceans are undergoing rapid change due to increasing CO₂emissions resulting in serious risks to marine biodiversity and ecosystems, and subsequent impact on global society. This will continue unless unprecedented action is taken. Here we bring together experts and policy makers on Earth Information Day to summarise the findings of the IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC) and to make recommendations and summarise initiatives for sustaining this unique habitat and Earth’s essential life support system. Dr Carol Turley (PML) moderated this event and Prof Mel Austen (PML/GCRF Blue Communities) was a panelist with a talk entitled: 'Healthy blue ecosystems support healthy blue communities'. Download the flyer View live broadcast
Tuesday 3rd December 17:00 - 18:30 UK Pavilion, Hall 8	Earth Observation and Climate Change: A Critical Capability in Understanding Our Changing World Dr Marie-Fanny Racault from PML gave a talk entitled: 'Blue Planet: Earth Observations of the Oceans' : Earth Observation provides a unique capability to monitor the oceans on both global and local scales and lengthening time periods. Climate Data Records, produced by the European Space Agency, can be used in combination to observe the influence of climate on marine ecosystem health. Ocean Observations are a growing resource for informing mitigation, adaptation and resilience strategies.
Wednesday 4th December 11:30 - 12:45 UK Pavilion, Hall 8	The ocean, CO₂ and society: challenges, opportunities and science responses for seas and society Rising CO₂ is impacting ocean ecosystems and dependent coastal communities through multiple climate-related changes to ocean physics, chemistry and biology. The ocean is also a source of adaptation and mitigation responses. The session showcased how action-driven transdisciplinary science can help understand and manage the challenges placed on the ocean and so improve sustainable development. Dr Carol Turley (PML) moderated this event and Prof Mel Austen (PML/GCRF Blue Communities) was part of the panel with a talk entitled: 'What the ocean provides society' Download the flyer
Wednesday 4th December 16:45 - 18:15 Room 4	Carbon Removal and Return - Can CCS Decarbonise Industry in South America and help the oceans? Dr Carol Turley (PML) presented a talk entitled: 'IPCC Special Report on Oceans and the Cryosphere Download the flyer View Live Broadcast
Thursday 5th December 10:00 - 11:00 Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion	Special Report on Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC): A Pacific perspective PML co-organised this event. Dr Carol Turley (PML) presented key messages from SROCC. Prof Mel Austen (PML/GCRF Blue Communities) was a key speaker with a talk entitled: 'Case study: on-the-ground story of experience how communities adapt to the current and future challenges of ocean change in the Pacific.'
Friday 6th December 10:00 - 11:30 Cryosphere Pavilion, Blue Zone (Hall 8)	Changing Arctic Ocean - Evidence of change, global implications, policy response This event focused on the Changing Arctic Ocean, and the efforts to understand the changes taking place by scientists in an international research programme funded by the UKRI Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), with discussion of the policy response to mitigate the global consequences of Arctic warming. Dr Carol Turley (PML) presented at this event with a talk entitled: 'Cycling of key climate reactive trace gases in a changing Arctic Ocean' Download the flyer View Live Broadcast on Facebook View Live broadcast on YouTube
Friday 6th December 13:00 - 14:15 UK Pavilion	Oceans Action Day View the Oceans Action Day program Click here to download the postcard which details the events related to Oceans Action Day. Ocean Acidification: Managing and Adapting to the Challenge of Ocean Acidification: Strategies from around the World Dr Helen Findlay (PML) was part of the panel for this event with the title: 'The central role of oceans in climate and the implications of possible changes, focusing on ocean acidification (as part of the GOA-ON NE Hub). This session was followed by a special high level closing address by H.E. Andrés COUVE, the Science, Technology, Knowledge & Innovation Minister, Chile. Dowload the flyer
Friday 6th December 15:00 - 16:30 Room 4, Blue Zone	Oceans Action Day Connection oceans, science, society and the UNFCCC - raising ambition on climate mitigation and adaptation Dr Carol Turley (PML) was part of the panel for this event with the title of 'The ocean-climate-society nexus: raising ambition' Download the flyer View Live Broadcast
Saturday 7th December 10:00 - 11:00 UK Pavilion	Oceans Action Day Blue carbon: Can it tackle climate change and boost resilience? This session explored the role of blue carbon ecosystems – like mangroves, seagrasses and tidal marshes – in both reducing carbon emissions and helping coastal areas adapt to climate change, by boosting protection against floods, storms and sea level rise. It considered how to integrate marine ecosystem management into policy. Prof Melanie Austen (PML/GCRF Blue Communities) spoke at this event with a talk entitled: 'Blue carbon: an ecosystem service with co-benefits for coastal communities' View the program
Saturday 7th December 11:15 - 12:45 EU Pavilion	Oceans Action Day - View the program EU Ocean Day - Oceans and Climate: From Science to Policy The ocean plays a central role in regulating the Earth’s climate. CO₂ and other GGE are giving rise to changes in the ocean: T° rise; Ocean acidification; Sea level rise; Expanding of oxygen minimum zones; Increasing in marine heat waves. Implementing MPAs, sustainable fisheries, enhancing adaptation and mitigation strategies in the oceans will be some of the scope areas for this Blue COP. The IPPC Special Report on the Ocean and the Cryosphere in a Changing Climate was released in September 2019, and it is expected to further raise attention on the ocean-climate link. This session will explore current challenges and opportunities to address the climate-ocean link, and associated adaptation & mitigation strategies over a range of socio-economic contexts. This session discussed emerging and challenging ocean adaptation issues and analysed how various countries and institutions could integrate their experience in the 2020 NDC review for ocean-climate indicators. Dr Carol Turley (PML) was a moderator for this event. Dr Ana Queirós (PML) spoke at this event with a talk entitled: 'Climate ready marine spatial plans: end-use demonstrator using COPERNICUS Climate Data Store modelling data.' View the program
Monday 9th December Cryosphere Pavilion	Polar Ocean Acidification - highlighting issues and raising ambition Dr Helen Findlay (PML) was part of the panel for this event with a talk entitled: 'Overview of Polar ocean acidification in context of changing oceans' Download the flyer View Live Broadcast on YouTube View Live Broadcast on Facebook
Monday 9th December 13:00 - 14:30 Cryosphere Pavilion	Tackling Polar Ocean Acidification - Arctic Council lunch briefing The Arctic Council’s COP25 side event discussed: how should we employ scientific knowledge that scientists have accumulated in recent decades, and address ecosystem impacts? Dr Helen Findlay (PML) was part of the expert panel for this event with a talk entitled: 'The impacts of ocean acidification on Arctic species and ecosystems'. View Live Broadcast on YouTube View Live Broadcast on Facebook

PML researchers at COP25

Oceans Action Day

Oceans Action Day

Oceans Action Day - View the program

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