UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission has endorsed ACTFAST as an official Decade Action of the UN Ocean Decade, recognising its contribution to climate transition and sustainable development in aquaculture.
The European project ACTFAST (Actions for Climate Transition in Aquaculture), in which Leitat leads the Sustainability Work Package, has been officially endorsed by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) as a Decade Action under the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021–2030 (UN Ocean Decade).
The endorsement recognises ACTFAST’s contribution to advancing transformative ocean science solutions that support sustainable development and climate resilience within the aquaculture sector. The project has been designated as “Decade Action No. 156.9 – Actions for Climate Transition in Aquaculture”, joining a global portfolio of initiatives working towards the Ocean Decade vision of “the science we need for the ocean we want”.
According to the endorsement letter issued by the IOC Executive Secretary, ACTFAST has been recognised for its alignment with the objectives of the Ocean Decade, which seeks to strengthen the connection between science, society and policy-making to ensure the sustainable management of ocean resources.
As an endorsed Decade Action, ACTFAST will engage with the wider Ocean Decade community through dedicated Communities of Practice, fostering collaboration, knowledge exchange and synergies with other international initiatives. The project is also expected to promote key Ocean Decade principles, including co-design and co-delivery approaches, stakeholder engagement across the ocean science value chain, and open and accessible data management.
For Leitat, this recognition highlights the relevance of the sustainability activities being developed within ACTFAST and reinforces the organisation’s commitment to supporting the transition towards more sustainable and climate-resilient aquaculture systems. Through its leadership of the Sustainability Work Package, Leitat contributes to ensuring that the project’s innovations generate measurable environmental, social and economic benefits.
The endorsement also provides an opportunity to increase the international visibility of ACTFAST and its outcomes, strengthening its potential impact and paving the way for future collaborations that contribute to the sustainable development of aquatic ecosystems and coastal communities.
ACTFAST’s inclusion in the UN Ocean Decade represents an important milestone for the consortium and further demonstrates the project’s commitment to delivering science-based solutions that address global environmental challenges while supporting a more sustainable future for aquaculture.
