Summary

    Founded by the Shimoda Marine Research Center of the University of Tsukuba (Japan), the IRD (New Caledonia) and the University of Palermo (Italy), the International CO2 Natural Analogues (ICONA) network aims to facilitate innovative research on the ecosystem-level effects of ocean acidification using natural analogues from temperate, sub-tropical and tropical regions.

     

    © Nicolas Job

    ICONA has newly been endorsed as a "Decade Action".

    This project is hosted by Ocean Acidification Research for Sustainability (OARS)

    Within ICONA, the reserach focuses on natural analogues in Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, Palau and Japan which can be both semi-enclosed lagoons and underwater CO2 vents. These ecosytems are studied because of the presence of high CO2 levels which are similar to future projections regarding ocean acidifciation. 

    © Nicolas Job

    The scientists of this consortium are studying the impact of ocean acidification on marine ecosystems using standardized methods on various natural analogues. Comparing their results in different environments will provide a better understanding of the real effect of climate change.

    ICONA has the ambition to become an established network of experts working on the effect of climate change on coral reefs ecosystems.

    © Nicolas Job

    Efficient dissemination of the findings will facilitate the development of adaptive management strategies to mitigate the impacts of rapidly changing ocean conditions.

    These goals will be achieved through the organisation of workshops, symposiums and joint expeditions to natural analogues for ocean acidification research.

    ICONA experts will work together with local communities to accompany stakeholder decisions in managing reef ecosystems for the future.

    Founding

    • Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)
    • French National Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD)

     

    Partners of the projet

    • AORI University of Tokyo
    • National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Japan
    • Industrial Science and Technology, Japan
    • Nara Women University, Japan
    • OIST, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology
    • Kochi University, Japan
    • University of Hong Kong
    • Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche,Italy
    • Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Italy
    • University of New Caledonia 
    • Ifremer, New Caledonia

    Contacts

    An official "Decade Action" to boost the Ocean Decade global movement on the road to 2030 !

    On the occasion of the global celebration of World Oceans Day on 8 Juin 2023, the Ocean Decade announces the official endorsement of 47 new Decade Actions, strengthening the momentum for ocean knowledge-based solutions.

     

    With the aim of achieving the Ocean Decade vision of ‘the science we need for the ocean we want’, the newly endorsed Decade Actions address priority ocean science issues such as community resilience to ocean hazards, creation of a digital representation of the ocean, sustainable ocean economy, ocean literacy and capacity development.

     

    Spanning all continents from Canada and Liberia to France and the Philippines, these initiatives are led primarily by governmental and research institutions as well as non-governmental organizations, and constitute a direct contribution to the 10 Ocean Decade Challenges towards ocean sustainability.

     

    The ICONA project is part of this new wave of transformative decade actions.

    Suintements volcaniques, site à haute teneur en CO2, île d’Ambitle en Papouasie Nouvelle-Guinée.

    © IRD - Jean-Michel Boré