The coastal city of Qingdao in Shandong province. [Photo/WeChat account: qd12301]

The first meeting of the preparatory working group for the Ocean Cities Network Program, which is hosted by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, was held online on Nov 13.

Qingdao, a coastal city in East China's Shandong province, was invited to join the network and its preparatory working group. It is one of the 11 founding cities of the Ocean Cities Network Program and the only Asian city among them.

The Ocean Cities Network Program, which is part of "The Ocean Decade" initiative, aims to develop a network of communities along coastlines around the world. Through unique partnerships between city councils, harbor authorities, research institutions and other diverse stakeholders this program seeks to revitalize the ocean identities of coastal cities. 

The program will be launched at the 2024 Ocean Decade Conference in Barcelona, Spain next April and will continue to grow during the implementation of the Ocean Decade.

"Cities should not end at the shoreline. Cities heavily impact the shoreline and nearshore waters and affect the entire continental shelf and slope. Cities should be aware that the health of their marine surroundings is critical to the health of the entire population," said the leaders of the program.

By showing community members how their city is intertwined with the marine environment, a shift from exploitation to sustainable management of marine resources can take place, they added.

The Ocean Decade is the most important ocean initiative launched by the United Nations in recent years. The initiative aims to deeply integrate ocean science and technology innovation with comprehensive management to promote the formation of transformative ocean science solutions and promote the sustainable development of oceans, climate, and human society.

Qingdao is home to the only "Ocean Decade" international cooperation center in China and the only "Ocean Decade" ocean and climate collaboration center in Asia.