National Decade Committee for Belgium

The National Decade Committee for Belgium (NDC‑BE) was officially launched in May 2023 as Belgium’s national coordination body for the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021‑2030). It is chaired by a core group of formal national institutions that have substantial contribution to the Ocean Decade challenges and supported by an open group of stakeholders whose participation is voluntary. The Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) is the secretariat to the National Decade Committee (NDC). Currently it has 18 active stakeholder members from various Belgium’s ocean stakeholders.

The (NDC‑BE) connects Belgian ocean stakeholders with global Ocean Decade networks to advance national contributions to SDG14 and other sustainability goals. This connection is supported through coordination with the Decade Collaborative Centres (DCCs) and Decade Coordination Offices (DCOs), which collaborate directly with the Decade Coordination Unit (DCU), other National Decade Committees, and recognized Decade Implementing Partners (DIPs).

Aligned with the Ocean Decade vision “The science we need for the ocean we want” NDC‑BE seeks to catalyze ocean science that contributes to sustainable development, through national coordination, partnerships, outreach, and tangible actions. It focuses on decade outcomes such as ocean health, hazard resilience, biodiversity, data accessibility, and public engagement.

Functions of NDC-BE

Support national members to co-design and co-deliver decade actions
Mobilize resources and in‑kind contributions, including facilitating access to funding and capacity-building schemes.
Engage with other NDC internationally
Communications & outreach, promoting the Ocean Decade, raising awareness, and ensuring inclusivity, especially for ECOPs and under‑represented groups

Key Highlights and NDC-BE activities (2023)

Launched 51 Ocean Decade Actions in 2023, expanding to 69 actions including those scheduled into 2024. These engaged 11 ECOPs and built partnerships across six countries and three continents.
Five new endorsed Belgian actions:
- Acoustics to Assess Reef Health (ULiège)
- Downscaling Climate & Ocean Change Services (ULiège)
- Marine Regions & Sea Level Station Monitoring Facility (VLIZ – Marine Data Centre)
- ARTPORT – We are Ocean Global Program (Mundus Maris)
Provided support to central Ocean Decade initiatives: Capacity Development Facility, and others under FUST-supported projects.
Participation and sponsorship at the 2024 Ocean Decade Conference, with active multiple presentations and outreach by NDC‑BE/VLIZ representatives.
Offered travel grants for ECOPs, including those from the Global South, to enhance inclusivity in international Ocean Decade participation.

Governance & Funding

Governance of NDC-BE follows that of the IOC‑UNESCO operational guidelines and NDC‑BE’s Terms of Reference. Annual and per project duration membership review of the core group. VLIZ acts as the secretariat to National committee formally endorsed as an Ocean Decade Implementing Partner (DIP) in 2022, with the alignment of strategies ensures the NDC‑BE’s maximum impact. The Flanders government provides dedicated support which covers staffing and “seed” resources to enable sustained action delivery.