Implementing and Monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals in the Caribbean: The Role of the Ocean

Workshop Overview


2030 Agenda and Earth Observations

Many governments are working on the execution of the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The implementation and monitoring of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda pose wicked problems to society. Wicked problems are social or cultural problem that are difficult or impossible to solve because of incomplete or contradictory knowledge, the number of people and opinions involved, the large economic burden associated with progress towards a solution, and the interconnected nature of these problems with other problems. All of this applies to making progress towards the SDGs: Knowledge on how to make progress towards the SDGs is incomplete and contradicting, reaching the SDGs even on a local level involves the whole of society, making progress requires a rethinking of economy (UNRISD, 2016), and the goals are strongly interconnected and there are many interactions between the individual goals that are variable across different economic, social, and cultural settings. For example, poverty (SDG 1) is linked with education (SDG 4), nutrition (SDG 2) with poverty, the economy (SDG 8) with nutrition, and so on. Poverty in California is grossly similar but discretly different from poverty in Angola, and there is no practical set of characteristics that defines poverty.

Monitoring progress towards the SDG Targets presents its own challenge: It is hard and maybe impossible to measure success with wicked problems because they impact one another. However, in the case of the SDGs, a crucial input for assessing progress is geospatial data of the both the human and non-human environment. Likewise, the (iterative) development of transformational policies that can facilitate progress towards the SDGs hinges on knowledge derived from data related to the state and trajectory of the Earth system. Responding to this need, one of the three engagement priorities of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) is the support of the 2030 Agenda. At the core of this engagement priority is the GEO Initiative “Earth Observations in Service of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” (EO4SDGs). The GEO Initiative “Oceans and Society: Blue Planet” (see also the description in the GEO Work Programme) has a focus on the SDGs, particularly SDG 14. Other GEO Initiatives, Community Activities and Foundational Tasks support the 2030 Agenda in various ways, and they are in need of a better understanding of the observational requirements to serve the 2030 Agenda. Identifying the observation needs for the co-creation of the knowledge for policy development and monitoring of SDGs can build on approaches developed to address wicked problems (e.g., Conklin, 2006; Brown et al., 2010). Within this setting, a transdiciplinary systems approach that considers the data needs of all SDGs provides a basis for compiling those observation needs that are essential for executing the 2030 Agenda.

Implementing the SDGs in Small Island States

The governments cannot implement the SDGs without the people, and they cannot implement them for the people; they have to implement them with the people. This necessitates to bring the SDGs to the people in a way that demonstrates the benefits of the 2030 Agenda to the people. The government in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) uses a “geospace for SDGs” concept to create ownership for the SDGs in communities. Earth observations, knowledge derived from Earth observations, and other data are fundamental in this effort. Most of the knowledge relevant to SDG implementation in the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) relates in one way or another to the surrounding ocean.

The Ocean and SDGs

The challenges faced by the SIS in the execution of the 2030 Agenda are closely linked with the ocean surrounding these states. In these locations, for almost all of the SDGs, there is a strong interconnection with SDG 14. Moreover, in the SIS, reaching most of the SDGs requires ocean-related policies and actions.

Human interactions with the Earth’s life-support system (ELSS) have impacted the physical, chemical, and biological state of the ocean and triggered distinct trends in the ocean system and its functional position in the ELSS. The trends in marine ecosystems, ocean circulation, the global water cycle, and sea level have many impacts on human communities and influence progress towards most of the goals. For SIS, the changing ocean poses a particular challenge.

Workshop Scope and Participation

The workshop aimed at a dialogue between the governments and people of the Caribbean Small Island States about their efforts to implement and monitor the SDGs and, by monitoring this dialogue, to extract knowledge needs, which then can be related to data needs. The collaborate effort brought together governments and people of the Caribbean Small Island Developing States, Earth observation providers, scientists, United Nations Agencies active in the region, and regional non-governmental organizations with the goal to link on-going efforts to implement and monitor the SDGs in the Caribbean Small Island Developiong States to required ocean observations and engage in the co-creation of the knowledge needed by those engaged in SDG implementation. The overarching goal was to fully map the requirements for ocean observations serving the implementation and monitoring of the SDGs. Working with, and monitoring the dialogue of those engaged in implement the 2030 Agenda is a novel avenue to better understand what ocean observations are required and what products are available to inform their decisions. In a co-usage effort with the SIS governments, these requirements will be used to match existing data sets and services to the requirements and to engage in a co-creation process for the required knowledge.

The workshop was organized in the context of a project supported by NASA that aims to engage with governments to identify knowledge needs and ocean observation requirements related to SDG implementation and monitoring, match these needs and requirements to existing products, identify gaps, and inform relevant GEO components about the findings. It also had the goal to initiate the development of a demonstration pilot for the 2018 GEO Plenary.

Workshop Outcomes

The main outcomes of the project includes a workshop report documenting the deliberations, a white paper detailing the relevance of ocean observations for the implementation and monitoring of SDGs in Caribbean SIS, and a demonstration project for the GEO Plenary in 2018.

The Workshop Report summarizes and analyses the deliberations and the outcomes of the workshop. It also includes technical details develop for and during the workshop. It is expected that the workshop led to new collaborations across the boundaries of the societal sectors and between the SIS and international organizations engaged in providing relevant products and knowledge. The workshop report aims to further facilitate and support such collaborations.

The white paper is informed by the workshop outcomes. It will provide details on how to ensure support of SDG implementation and monitoring in Caribbean SIS with data and products and how to facilitate the co-usage of the products and the co-creation of knowledge. These outcomes are of central importance to the GEO Blue Planet Initiative and contribute to EO4SDGs. They also are of value to all other GEO components that are engaged in supporting the 2030 Agenda. Funding agencies will be able to make use of the outcomes for the prioritization of resources made available for GEO Work Programme activities in service of the 2030 Agenda.

The identified demonstration project will be based on the ``geospace forSDGs'' that has been identified in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The project will be developed over the next months and will be featured at the GEO Plenary in 2018 with the goal to illustrate how products and knowledge derived from Earth observations can support SDG implementation and monitoring in the geospace.

An additional post-workshop outcome can focus on further exploring synergies among SDGs via evidence-based examples (positive and negative). Developing a feedback tool that will help capacity build is also desirable. Lastly, specific examples of how Earth Observing data can address SDGs at broader extent (i.e., at Goal or Target level), and how it can inform policies would be beneficial.

Workshop Program Committee

  • Hans-Peter Plag, Old Dominion University, IEEE, GEO Blue Planet Initiative (Co-Chair)
  • Paul DiGiacomo, NOAA, GEO Blue Planet Initiative (Co-Chair)
  • Emily Smail, NOAA, AquaWatch, GEO Blue Planet Initiative (Co-Chair)
  • Hon. Saboto Caesar & Jai Rampersad, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Lorna Inniss, Monica Borobia-Hill, Christopher Corbin, Caribbean Environment Programme - UN Environment
  • Danielle Evanson, UNDP, Lorenzo Harwood UNDP and OECS
  • Rose Alabaster, GEOGLOWS
  • Douglas Cripe, GEO Secretariat
  • Argyro Kavvada, NASA, EO4SDGs
  • Frank Muller-Karger, University of South Florida, MBON/GEOBON
  • Gabrielle Canonico, NOAA, MBON/GEOBON
  • Rene Garello, OES/IEEE
  • Alan Evans, International and Strategic Partnerships Office, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton
  • Martin LeTissier, Shona Paterson, FutureEarthCoasts

Local Organizing Committee

  • Hon. Saboto Caesar (Chair)
  • Jai Rampersad
  • Louise Mitchell
  • Hans-Peter Plag

Partners

The Workshop is organized with a number of partners supporting the effort:

  • International Organizations:
  • Other Partners:
    • Mitigation and Adaptation Research Institute (MARI), Old Dominion University (ODU), USA
    • Tiwah UG, Germany.

Participation

The workshop aims to bring together stakeholders representing the governments of the Small Island States (SIS), Earth observation providers, scientists, and private businesses with the goal to support the implementation and monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Caribbean SIS. The main focus is on linking those engaged in implementing and monitoring SDGs to ocean-related knowledge derived from Earth observations and to Earth observation-based products of value for these efforts. The workshop is open to all stakeholders who can contribute to this goal. Those interested in participating in the workshop should indicate their interested by sending an email to info at gstss.org

Registration

To indicate your interest in participating in the workshop, please complete the Application Form and submit it to info@gstss.org. Onced you have received a response from the organizaers, you will need to pay the registration fee at Eventbrite. The registration fee of $210 covers the costs of meeting rooms as well as coffee breaks and meals.

Travel and Subsistence Support

We have limited funding to support selected participants to cover travel, accommodation, and registration fee. The request for support has to be made when submitting the Application Form to info@gstss.org.

Accommodation

Accommodation is available at the workshop venue at group rates. The group rates for Garden Deluxe rooms are $125 for single use and $164 for double occupancy including breakfast, service fees and tax. Booking requests can be made on the Beachcombers Hotel Contact page. To get the group rate, use the code "ODU". Bookings will have to be made by December 15, 2017 to ensure group rate and room availability.

Abstracts

The workshop aims to identify knowledge needs and requirements for ocean observations related to the implementation and monitioring of the SDGs and to match the needs and requirements with existing products. This goal will be achieved in a co-creation of the knowledge needs and observation requirements and a co-usage of the available products. Therefore, the number of presentations will be very limited. However, abstracts for potential presentations or posters can be submitted. A page for abstract submission will be available here in the near future.

White Paper Contributions

One of the outcomes of the workshop and subsequent work will be a White Paper on the ocean observation requirements related to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The White Paper is open for community input. A web workspace will be made available here for those who would like to engage in the production of the White Paper as contributors, advisors, or reviewers.


Logistics


Venue

The workshop will take place on January 17-19, 2018 in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG). The venue will be the Beachcombers Hotel near Kingstown. More information on the venue will be made available here in the near future.

Travel Logistics

SVG can be reach with LIAT flights from Barbados (Bridgetown), St. Lucia (Castries) and Trinidad and Tobago (Port of Spain) with several flights per day (see routes). These three islands are well connected to international airports in North America and Europe. Flights arrive at the new Argyle Airport opened in Spring 2017. It is recommended to make bookings as soon as possible. Note that on the flight out, sufficient time for the transfer from the Liat flight to another airline should be planned in since Liat flights have a tendency to have significant delays.

Transfer from the airport to the hotel should be prearranged. It is possible to arrange shared rides. Recommended is to provide arrival times and flight numbers to Samuel Taxi Service at dessam2@hotmail.com, phone +1-784-593-2188, who will then pool as many travelers as possible.

Accommodation

Accommodation will be available at the Beachcombers Hotel. There are also other nearby hotels that offer rooms at reasonable rates. See here for more details.

Restaurants

The Beachcombers Hotel has a restaurant that offers breakfast, lunch and dinner. The "French Veranda" is another restaurant in walking distance. Information on other restaurants close to the workshop venue will be made available in the near future.

Workshop Dinner

A workshop dinner will take place at the venue (Beachcombers Hotel) on Wednesday evening, January 17, 2018.

Electricity

Standard electricity is at 220 V with a grounded BS 1363 plugs (U.K. Plugs). Some hotels have additional U.S. 110 V plugs in the room or offer adaptors for U.S. plugs. However, to be safe, it is recommended to bring adaptors to connect your equipment for U.K. plugs.

Time Zone

The time zone of Saint Vincent and the Grenadine is Atlantic Standard Time (AST). See Time in Kingstown for the time difference to your time zone.

Currency

Currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar. ATMs are available at the airport, at major supermarkets and at banks in Kingstown.

Climate and Weather

A brief overview of the climate in SVG can be found at http://traveltips.usatoday.com/climate-st-vincent-grenadines-16953.html.

A report on climate change in SVG prepared by the SVG government in 2000 for the UNFCCC is available at http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/natc/svgnc1.pdf.

What to do and visit in SVG

For information on places to visit in SVG see the official tourism information available here. Information on the SVG government and its activities in SVG can be found on the official web page of the SVG government.

Useful Information

A Yellow Fever vaccination certificate is required for travellers over 1 year of age arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. For recommended and routine vaccinations, see IAMAT.org.

Last, it is illegal to wear or import camouflage clothing in St Vincent and the Grenadines.


Left: View to Bequai. Right: Kingstown

Schedule and Program


Schedule

Time
Session Description
January 17, 2018
09:00-10:30

Opening Session

Co-Chairs: Dr. Hans-Peter Plag and Danielle Evanson.

The opening session introduced the different parts of the workshop with brief keynote presentations on the view of the governments on SDG implementation and monitoring, the view of NGOs on the efforts made to implement the 2030 Agenda, and the potential contributions providers of EO-based products can make in support of the governmental and non-governmental efforts to implement and monitor the SDGs.

January 17, 2018
11:00-13:30

Session 1: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Caribbean Small Island States

Co-Chairs: Jai Rampersad, Dr. Julian Roberts.

This session facilitated a dialogue between governments and people of the Carribbean SIS about the challenges of executing the 2030 Agenda in each of the SIS. Linking to “Geo space for SDGs” (GSSDG) for the implementation brought a local perspective into the deliberations. The first two presentation presented the efforts made by the governments in Montserrat and the British Virgin Islands, and the next presentation gave an overview of the work of a local NGO in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Subsequently, the three panelists provided insight into the challenges and efforts from the point of view of UN agencies and regional intergovernmental organizations.

The presentations and panelist statements provided answers to questions including: What are the core challenges? Who is doing what? What are the responsibilities? What knowledge is needed? Where is knowledge on the ocean needed? What data is used and what gaps are known? What science support is available?

At the end of the session, a common understanding of the core problems started to emerge, and knowledge needs to address these problems were identified.

January 18, 2018
09:00-12:30

Session 2: Interdependencies and interactions of SDGs, Targets and Indicators in Caribbean Small Island States

Co-Chairs: Danielle Evanson, Dr. Hans-Peter Plag

This session addressed the wicked problem presented by SDGs and focus on the interconnected nature of the SDGs and the potentially large economic burden associated with progress towards the Targets, as well as the challenge that those attempting to solve the problem are to some extent causing the problem. In a transdisciplinary dialogue, the role of the ocean for the interconnected SDGs was characterized taking into account the many interdependencies between the SDGs. The session considered that most of the SDGs address the socio-economic and environmental systems based on land, and that both the human and non-human environment in SIDS is crucially dependent on the surrounding ocean. While this dependency is grossly similar it is discretly different in the different SIDS, and both the similarities and differences were elaborated on. The goal was to identify those applications and tools that are used in generating knowledge addressing the interdependencies across boundaries between SDGs, government departments and societal sectors.

In two initial presentations, the interdependencies of SDGs were discussed and a framework for the implementation of SDG 14 was presented. The next presentation provided local examples of issues that hamper preservation efforts. In the subsequent panel discussion, the panelist addressed different aspects of SDG implementation from the viewpoints of trade, GEO initiatives, international science organizations and regional NGOs. The participants then split up for a table discussion round.

The first table discussion round focused on the contribution of various stakeholders to the SDG implementation. For each table topic and topical area, the participants were asked to consider the following questions:

  1. What are the major sustainability challenges in your country or area/region, and which of those relate to the ocean?
  2. Which of the SDGs are of highest priority in your country or area/region, and in which way are these linked to ocean?
  3. Are there specific entities in your country or area/region that are responsible for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs?
  4. To what extent is your country or group engaged in monitoring and reporting the SDGs and which entities are responsible for the monitoring?
  5. How are you communicating the SDGs to the general public and ensuring that they are received in a positive manner to gain community support?
  6. What are the challenges in implementing SDGs in a coordinated manner and how are interdependencies between the SDGs addressed?
  7. What information is needed by your country or group to develop, amend, and implement policies and action plans for the SDGs and to monitor and report on the SDGs?
  8. What ocean-related national, regional and international policies and agreements is your country or group participating in?

The participants grouped into five tables with the topics:

  1. Science Support for SIS Governments
  2. NGO and Private Sector Contributions to SDG Implementation
  3. Fisheries, Food Security, and Life Under Water: SDGs 2 Versus SDG 14
  4. Blue Growth and Poverty: SDG 1 versus SDG 14
  5. Education for Sustainability, Justice, and Equality.

The outcomes of the discussions were reported back to the plenary.

January 18, 2018
13:30-15:30

Session 3: Ocean-related variables and indicators essential for SDG implementation and monitoring in Caribbean Small Island States

Co-Chairs: Zahidah Afrin Nisa and Milton Haughton

This session aimed to merge existing scientific knowledge with the understanding of the societal problem of making progress towards the SDGs in Caribbean SIS developed in the first two sessions. The goal of the session was to use the knowledge needs identified in the first two session to co-create a prioritized inventory of those ocean-related variables and indicators that can inform the development and validation of sustainability policies in the SIS, and can help to engage the people in the implementation of these policies. The inventory aimed to include those variables and indices that characterizing the phycial, chemical, and biological state and trends of the ocean that are essential for both the development and validation of policies in support of SDG implementation and needed for the monitoring of progress towards the targets and more sustainability. The initial presentation gave an overview of work done by experts to identify essential ocean variables and showed examples of observation efforts to monitor these variables. Subsequently, the a table discussion round took place.

The second table discussion round focused on the variables, and specifically ocean-related variables, that need to be known in order to generate knowledge in support of SDG implementation. The participants at each table were asked to consider the relevant questions from the following list:

  1. Is science support available to your government or your group to assist in decision making related to the implementation, monitoring and reporting of the SDGs?
  2. Are scenario-based approaches used to assess policy options and their potential impacts and to evaluate the policy impacts?
  3. In your thematic area, what data are used to address the challenges for SDG implementation and to monitor progress?
  4. What ocean-related data are available and accessible and what data are missing or not fit-for-purpose?
  5. Are you aware of knowledge and capacity gaps impacting your efforts to make progress towards the goals?
  6. What practical steps would you recommend to address the knowledge and capacity gaps identified?
  7. What ocean-related variables should be monitored to support your efforts to implement and monitor the SDGs?

The participants grouped into five tables with the topics:

  1. Supporting a Sustainable Blue Economy - SDGs 8, 9, 10, 12, 13
  2. Food and Water Security, Health, Poverty - SDGs 1, 2, 3, 6
  3. Maritime Transportation, Fisheries, Pollution, Marine Biodiversity - Implementing SDGs 14, 15
  4. Ocean and Safe and Thriving Communities - SDGs 7, 10, 11, 12, 13
  5. Climate Change, Biodiversity, and the Ocean SDGs 13, 14, 15

The outcomes of the discussions were reported back to the plenary.

January 18, 2018
16:00-18:00

Session 4: Observational requirements for ocean-related variables and indicators

Co-Chairs: Francisco Chavez and Emily Smail

The goal of this session was to use the knowledge needs identified in the first two sessions together with applications to create this knowledge in the development of observational requirements for the prioritized ocean-related variables collected in Session 3. The original goal was to have a set of requirements for high-priority variables that specify the spatial and temporal resolution and coverage, accuracy, and latency that are consistent with what those applications require that could make use of the observations. After an initial presentation introducing the ``GEO Blue Planet Initiative'', in the following four presentations, observational needs were addressed in the areas of health and safety, ecosystem health, industry activities, and fisheries. The final presentation provided insight into the role local businesses can play in making progress towards the SDGs.

January 19, 2018
09:00-14:30

Session 5: Matching users, requirements and products

Co-Chairs: Chris Corbin and Doug Wilson

In a novel co-usage effort, the participating experts in Earth observation worked with the stakeholders engaged in SDG implementation to match, where possible, observational requirements to existing data and products. The main purpose of this session was to explore approaches to the co-usage of products and the co-creation of knowledge with these products. The participants were split into three moderated groups focusing on the knowledge and information needs of decision makers, information providers and those engaged in monitoring, regulations and enforcements. Other main stakeholder groups identified included educational institutions, industry, and local resource users, but the needs of these groups were not yet addressed. The orginal goal was to demonstrate the use of the data and products to generate relevant knowledge. In cases were no matching products were known, the goal was to indicating gaps in obervation, processing or capacity. The group deliberations focused more on the process of matching that the actual matching. It was also realized that a more ``neutral'' moderation of the deliberations by experienced indepedant moderators would have been an advantage compare to moderation by either Earth observation providers or societal stakeholders.

January 19, 2018
14:30-16:30

Session 6: Improving availability of Earth observations in service of SDG implementation in Caribbean Small Island States

Co-Chairs: Dr. Douglas Cripe and Dr. Hans-Peter Plag.

The experience of Session 5 provided a basis to discuss options for improving the service Earth observations and derived products can provide to the execution of the 2030 Agenda. The main questions addressed was how regional an international organizations can collaborate to ensure that governments and the people have access to the required ocean-related Earth observations and the capacity to utilize these observations for the creation of the needed knowledge. Concerning the local action, the implementation of the Geo Space for SDGs was at the center of the deliberations. Demonstrating the relevance of Earth-observation derived information for this Geo Space was identified as the candidate for a demonstration project to be presented to the GEO Plenary in Fall 2018.

Program

January 16, 2018

1800 - 1900:Registration
1900 - 2100:Informal No-Host Ice-Breaker

January 17, 2018

0730 - 0830:Registration
0830 - 1020:Session 0: Opening Session
Co-Chairs: Dr. Hans-Peter Plag and Danielle Evanson
0830 - 0840:Hon. Saboto Caesar: Welcome
0840 - 0845:Dr. Douglas Cripe: Welcoming Message from GEO (presentation)
0845 - 0850:Dr. Hans-Peter Plag: Goals of the Workshop (slides)
0850 - 0910:Chad Blackman: Implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Developments in the Caribbean Small Island States: Challenges and Opportunities (write up
0910 - 0935:Dr. Clare Morrall: Science Support for Policy Development for the Implementation of the SDGs (presentation)
0935 - 1000:Dr. Irena Zubcevic (remotely): The Potential of the Blue Economy: Increasing Long-term Benefits of the Sustainable Use of Marine Resources for Small Island Developing States and Coastal Least Developed Countries (presentation)
1005 - 1025:Dr. Argyro Kavvada (remotely): Earth Observations in Service of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (presentation)
1025 - 1045:Coffee Break
1045 - 1245:Session 1: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Caribbean Small Island States
Co-Chairs: Jai Rampersad, Dr. Julian Roberts
1045 - 1050:Co-Chairs: Introduction to the Session
1050 - 1110:Alwyn Ponteen: It Takes A Global Village — Strengthen SDG Implementation in the Caribbean: Turning Passion for the Ocean into Powerful Partnerships (presentation, abstract)
1110 - 1130:Joseph Smith Abbott: SDGs in British Virgin Islands (presentation)
1130 - 1145:Dr. James Lord: NGOs and SDGs: The Example of SusGren (presentation)
1145 - 1245:Panel: Regional challenges in SDG implementation and monitoring
Panel members: Lorenzo Harewood, UNDP (Cristopher Corbin, UN-CEP; Milton Haughton, CRFM
1245 - 1330:Lunch Break
1330 - 1730:Fieldtrip
Chair: Louise Mitchell
1330 - 1730:Field trip: Living on a Small Island State and Interacting with the Ocean.
  1. Visit to the site of Serenity Dive in Calliaqua, South Coast.
  2. Sans Souci beach - major nesting site for leatherback turtles.
  3. Visit a natural farm at Sans Souci.
1900 - 2100:Workshop Dinner

January 18, 2018

0930 - 1000:Doug Wilson, Emily Smail: Introduction to Matching Framework (Framework Description)
1000 - 1040:Session 2: Interdependencies and interactions of SDGs, Targets and Indicators in Caribbean Small Island States
Co-Chairs: Danielle Evanson, Dr. Hans-Peter Plag
1000 - 1005:Co-Chairs: Introduction to the Session
1005 - 1035:Dr. Julian Roberts and Alan Evans: Interdependencies between SDG's and their implementation: The Challenges faced by Small Island State Governments and across the region (presentation)
1035 - 1100:Lucia Fanning and Dr. Robin Mahon: Implementing the Ocean Sustainable Development Goal in the Wider Caribbean: State of Play and Possible Ways Forward (presentation)
1100 - 1115:Coffee Break
1115 - 1245:Session 2: continued
Co-Chairs: Danielle Evanson, Dr. Hans-Peter Plag
1115 - 1130:Louise Mitchell: Sustainable use of natural resources: preservation and conservation
11:30 - 1215:Panel: Towards responsible consumption and production in thriving and healthy communities: The link to the Ocean
Panel Members: Chad Blackman (International Trade), Rose Alabaster (GEOGLOWS, presentation), Dr. Shona Paterson (Future Earth Coasts, presentation), Sade Deane (CYEN)
1215 - 1245:Table discussions: Stakeholders and SDG Implementation
Questions to be considered
Table Topics for Round 1:
  1. Science Support for SIS Governments (Dr. Clare Morrall, Dr. Robin Mahon)
  2. NGO and Private Sector Contributions to SDG Implementation (Dr. James Lord, Kate Charles)
  3. Fisheries, Food Security, and Life Under Water: SDGs 2 Versus SDG 14 (Milton Haughton, Zahidah Afrin Nisa)
  4. Blue Growth and Poverty: SDG 1 versus SDG 14 (Dr. Julian Roberts, Celeste Jules)
  5. Education for Sustainability, Justice, and Equality (Stina Herberg, Shelley Jules-Plag)
1245 - 1330:Lunch Break
1330 - 1430:Session 2 continued
Co-Chairs: Danielle Evanson, Dr. Hans-Peter Plag
1330 - 1400:Table discussions: Stakeholders and SDG Implementation continue
1400 - 1440:Table reporting
1440 - 1540:Session 3: Ocean-related variables and indicators essential for SDG implementation and monitoring in Caribbean Small Island States
Co-Chairs: Zahidah Afrin Nisa and Milton Haughton
1440 - 1510:Laura Lorenzoni: Ocean and sustainability-related variables: The example of ocean biology and biochemistry (presentation)
1510 - 1520:Discussion
1520 - 1610:Table discussions: Ocean variables relevant to sustainability and 2030 Agenda Implementation
Questions to be considered
Table Topics for Round 2:
  1. Supporting a Sustainable Blue Economy - SDGs 8, 9, 10, 12, 13 (Alan Evans)
  2. Food and Water Security, Health, Poverty - SDGs 1, 2, 3, 6 (Rose Alabaster, Emily Smail)
  3. Maritime Transportation, Fisheries, Pollution, Marine Biodiversity - Implementing SDGs 14, 15 (Attish Kanhai, Thema Ward)
  4. Ocean and Safe and Thriving Communities - SDGs 7, 10, 11, 12, 13 (Dr. Shona Paterson, Artie Dubrie)
  5. Climate Change, Biodiversity, and the Ocean SDGs 13, 14, 15 (Dr. Laura Lorenzoni, Cesar Toro)
1610 - 1620:Coffee Break
1620 - 1700:Session 3 continued
Co-Chairs: Zahidah Afrin Nisa and Milton Haughton
1620 - 1700:Table reporting
1700 - 1830:Session 4: Observational requirements for ocean-related variables and indicators
Co-Chairs: Francisco Chavez and Emily Smail
1700 - 1715:Dr. Emily Smail: Summary of ocean and sustainability-related variables (presentation)
1715 - 1735:Dr. Joaquin Trinanes: Observational requirements for variables related to human health and safety (presentation)
1735 - 1750:Cesar Toro: Observational requirements for variables related to ecosystem health (presentation, Hurricane Maria annimation, Hurricane Irma annimation, Hurricane Harvey annimation)
1750 - 1810:Nazeer Gopaul: Observational requirements for variables related to industry activities (presentation)
1810 - 1825:Milton Haughton: Observational requirements for variables related to fisheries applications (presentation)
1825 - 1840:Vaughn Martin: Supporting observations with citizen science and crowd-sourcing (presentation)

January 19, 2018

0900 - 1030:Session 5: Matching users, requirements and products
Co-Chairs: Chris Corbin and Doug Wilson
0900 - 0915:Dr. Emily Smail and Doug Wilson: Matchmaking (Matchmaking groups)
0925 - 0945:Dr. Hans-Peter Plag: Gaps in sustainability-related knowledge, products, and observations (presentation)
0945 - 1030: Matchmaking supporting SDG Implementation and Monitoring:
  1. Information Providers. Moderator: Chris Corbin
  2. Monitoring, Regulation and Enforcement. Moderator: Doug Wilson
  3. Decision Makers. Moderator: Dr. Emily Smail
1030 - 1100:Coffee Break
1100 - 1230:Session 5: continued
Co-Chairs: Chris Corbin and Doug Wilson
1100 - 1230:Matchmaking supporting SDG Implementation and Monitoring
1230 - 1330:Lunch Break
1330 - 1400:Session 5: continued
Co-Chairs: Chris Corbin and Doug Wilson
1330 - 1400:Summarizing Matchmaking Experience
1400 - 1630:Session 6: Improving availability of Earth observations in service of SDG implementation in Caribbean Small Island States
Co-Chairs: Dr. Douglas Cripe; Dr. Hans-Peter Plag
1400 - 1420:Jai Rampersad: SDGs in the Caribbean (presentation)
1420 - 1440:Artie Dubrie: Integrating geography and statistics to assist public policies for SDG implementation (presentation)
1440 - 1500:Lorenzo Harewood: UN: Supporting national actions through regional collaboration (write up)
1500 - 1520:Rose Alabaster: Water, Food, and Safe Environment: The Role of the Ocean (presentation)
1520 - 1540:Dr. Douglas Cripe: GEO: Facilitating the creation and use of knowledge (presentation)
1540 - 1600:Dr. Laura Lorenzoni: Opportunities for new and improved observations (presentation)
1600 - 1620:Hon. Saboto Caesar: What would help us most: The view from the Small Island State Governments
1620 - 1630:Dr. Hans-Peter Plag: Closing Remarks: Where do we go from here?

Other Information



This workshop was sponsored by:


under grant 80NSSC17K0241