The 9th Youth Geosciences Forum was held in Xiamen, China, during May 17th – 20th, 2024. The forum featured various outreach events in line with the objectives of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (Ocean Decade), including the Ocean Outreach Art Exhibition and the Youth Workshop on Sustainable Development. Notably, Coastal-SOS actively engaged in these activities.
Addressing the ongoing environmental challenges of coastal eutrophication and hypoxia is at the forefront of Coastal-SOS. In a recent review published by Coastal-SOS titled "Persistent Eutrophication and Hypoxia in the Coastal Ocean," we provided insights into the evolution of these issues over the past 40 years across six model coastal systems.
Drawing from this publication and related work, Coastal-SOS presented outreach posters on coastal eutrophication and hypoxia for the Ocean Outreach Art Exhibition. These posters simplified complex concepts like the ocean's oxygen cycle, and highlighted the causes and current status of coastal eutrophication and hypoxia. The aim was to educate a diverse audience, particularly students, about this pressing environmental concern.
During the forum, Dr. Hongmei Chen, the Deputy Director of Coastal-SOS International Project Office, delivered a speech on coastal eutrophication and hypoxia in the context of climate change. Prof. Chen underscored how climate change has exacerbated these threats in recent decades. The speech sparked lively discussions among attendees, including high school students, significantly raising awareness of the issue, especially among the younger generation.
Furthermore, various other programs and projects related to the Ocean Decade in China participated in the outreach event. Notably, Dr. Yuntao Wang from the Second Institute of Oceanography presented the Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOP) programme, while Dr. Pengbing Wang introduced the Digital Deep-sea Typical Habitats (Digital DEPTH) programme. Valuable exchanges of ideas regarding project implementation took place between Coastal-SOS and these initiatives.
Outreach posters on coastal eutrophication and hypoxia for the Ocean Outreach Art Exhibition
Dr. Hongmei Chen delivering a speech on coastal eutrophication and hypoxia in the context of climate change
Lively discussion with audience and the host
