The Western Pacific and its adjacent areas are the most densely populated region and home to the highest level of marine biodiversity and endemism in the world. As its position as the growth engine of the world economy has intensified in recent years, escalating human activities have been putting the ocean under the risk of irreversible damage. It is crucial to achieve ocean sustainability in this area for the survival and prosperity of not only the region but the entire world.

To ensure ocean science can fully support countries in achieving sustainable development of the ocean, seas, and marine resources, the United Nations proclaimed a Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) (the ‘Ocean Decade’) in 2017, which offers all ocean stakeholders a unique and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shape a better ocean science agenda and connect ocean science more closely to our society. Responding to the global call for actions, the UN Ocean Decade Regional Kick-off Conference for the Western Pacific and its adjacent areas was held on 25-26 November 2021, marking the beginning of the region-wide efforts in the development and implementation of substantive Decade Actions.

To continuously catalyze and accelerate ocean science solutions for sustainable development, the Government of Thailand and UNESCO/IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC) cordially invite you to join the 2^nd UN Ocean Decade Regional Conference in conjunction with the 11^th WESTPAC International Marine Science Conference, 22-25 April 2024, Bangkok, Thailand. The Conference will comprise:

• Keynotes
• Scientific Sessions and Special Forum
• Decade Action Incubators
• Decade Action Workshops

The Conferences will bring various ocean stakeholders, including governments, research communities/academia, private and business sectors, philanthropic foundations, UN agencies, NGOs and civil society, to present the current status of ocean knowledge, take stock of the first three years’ achievements of the Ocean Decade Actions, identify future priorities, and continuously catalyze partnerships and concrete actions for transformative ocean-based solutions to sustainability challenges in this particular region, such as resource depletion, marine pollution, biodiversity loss, habitat degradation, climate change and ocean acidification, and natural hazards.