March 23–27, 2015

Santos, Brazil

The strong linkage between ocean dynamics and societal needs, underlined by the role of science, represents the background for a series of climate change meetings coordinated by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), the North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES) and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO).

 

The first international symposium took place in 2008 (Gijón, Spain) responding to the urgent need for an assessment of the consequences of climate change on the world’s oceans. The second symposium in the series was convened in 2012 (Yeosu, Korea), and explored in detail the many interconnected ways in which climate change affected ocean ecosystems and their living resources, from physical, chemical, biological and ecological perspectives. Both meetings attracted about 400 scientists from almost 50 countries.

 

The Third International Symposium on “Effects of climate change on the world’s oceans” will be held in Santos (Brazil) by invitation of the Oceanographic Institute of the University of São Paulo (IOUSP) demonstrating the engagement and commitment of Brazil to the recommendations of the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20. This symposium will provide opportunities for the international science community to bring the latest information, understanding and assessment of the impacts of climate change on our oceans. Twelve sessions covering different but interconnected themes have been selected, from physical processes and their interaction with ecosystem dynamics, to resource provision and ocean governance. The latest developments in predicting changes in biodiversity, phenology, fisheries and ecosystems as well as in the physical systems that sustains these, will inform discussions on the risks and opportunities that climate change will bring to coastal communities and to society at large. The symposium will also highlight knowledge gaps to stimulate the development of the new generation of science of climate change impacts on our oceans.

The scientific community is also invited to propose workshops (from half-day to 2 full days) to be held March 21–22 (Saturday and Sunday immediately prior to the symposium) or March 28 (Saturday immediately after the symposium).  A proposal must be sent to the PICES Secretariat (secretariat@pices.int) by April 14, 2014, and include the following information:

 

(1) title,

(2) convenors,

(3) rationale,

(4) description and objectives,

(5) anticipated outcomes/products (e.g., manuscripts, white papers, forecasts, workshop report),

(6) anticipated number of participants,

(7) workshop format (e.g., invited talks, selected talks, breakout session groups, working groups), and (8) AV requirements.

 

Notification of proposal acceptance will be sent by May 12, 2014.

 

More information on the symposium can be found at http://www.pices.int/climatechange2015.aspx.

Please mark your calendar and plan to attend the symposium and associated workshops. It would be much appreciated if you could circulate this message widely to your colleagues and regional networks to ensure that information about the symposium is received by everyone and everywhere.

We look forward to seeing you in Santos!

 

On behalf of the symposium convenors and the Scientific Steering Committee, and with kindest regards,

 

Alex Bychkov, Adi Kellermann and Luis Valdés

(symposium coordinators)