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WOW 2021 to promote new decade of marine development
The 2021 World Ocean Week, or WOW, will get underway on Nov 18 in the city of Xiamen in East China's Fujian province.
Highlights from previous WOW events. [Photo/WeChat account of Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Ocean Development]
There are expected to be three highlights at this year's World Ocean Week.
Focus on cutting-edge trends to create "ocean plus" events
This year's WOW will continue to innovate and integrate new concepts to create "ocean plus" activities, including oceans with ecological civilization and carbon sinks.
In the field of ocean plus eco-civilization, it will hold the 2021 International Forum on Island Ecological Conservation and the "Ocean Super Year – 2021 Global Progress in Ocean Health" conference, which is being held for the first time.
An ocean carbon sink, or blue carbon – the processes and mechanisms that use marine activities and organisms to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in oceans – has become an important global strategy for climate change mitigation and adaptation.
In the field of ocean plus carbon sink, a blue carbon international summit will be held during the 2021 WOW for the first time. Ten presentations on the themes of "progress in international blue carbon science and policy" and "blue carbon science research and management for climate change in East Asia" will be given.
In the field of ocean plus partnerships, the PEMSEA Network of Local Governments (PNLG) for Sustainable Coastal Development and PEMSEA study center (PNLC) will hold a joint PNLG-PNLC seminar for the first time during WOW.
PNLG will also see the addition of a new member – Busan in South Korea, increasing its membership to 55.
The week will also witness the first Chinese Ocean Culture Xiamen Forum, as well as a national map knowledge contest.
In addition, there will be an art exhibition on themes related to the ocean.
Innovation empowers marine development
The 2021 Seafood Summit, for example, will offer insights into new trends and potential areas of growth in the marine industry from the upstream and downstream parts of the supply chain.
The 11th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Blue Economy Forum will explore blue economy practices based on ecological products via video link.
Online and offline events to create never-ending WOW
During this year's WOW, 16 activities are being held online.
Xiamen International Boat Show, taking place from Nov 19 to 30, is showcasing more than 440 products provided by 200 companies from 15 countries and regions at its online exhibition.
Jimei University will take visitors on a "cloud tour" of the university's natural science museum and display more than 2,600 types of aquatic organisms and 290 types of terrestrial organisms.
They include some of China's most unique, rare, endangered and extinct species. Also, the university will host a live broadcast on Nov 21 via Douyin, an online short-video platform also known as TikTok, to showcase the colorful world under the sea, with the aim of promoting knowledge and understanding of ocean life.
Xiamen University will offer "cloud classes" from Nov 19 to 25 to present efforts to restore underwater mangroves.