The full results of the 2nd Capacity Development Needs Assessment Survey are now available at https://surveys.ioc-cd.org. 

In total, 1005 responses were received from 118 countries. The gender breakdown was 61% male, 37% women, and the rest preferred not to say. 72% of the respondents answered in their personal capacity, while 21% were official representatives; 4% were IOC focal points, 1% were IOC CD Focal Points and 2% others. As for the stakeholder groups breakdown, 30% of the respondents were ocean researchers and research service providers, 23% were Higher Education Institutions and Learning Service Providers academic staff, 16% national government officials, 10% students, while the rest of the groups were below 10% (local government officials, policy-makers, industry, private sector, NGOs).

Responses were received from 25 IOC focal points and 10 CD focal points. The data presented were from an overall analysis, involving all stakeholder groups, and a regional analysis that involved all regions and all capacity groups, as well as country reports for summary of responses with focal points and substantial number of stakeholders responding to the email. 

Overall, the top critical capacity development needs that were not available in their countries, were funding and investment, access to communities of practice, increased awareness, ocean literacy and public outreach, ocean observation equipment, and access to remotely sensed satellite data. 

On questions related to the UN Decade of Ocean Science, Challenge 7 (Ensure a sustainable ocean observing system across all ocean basins that delivers accessible, timely, and actionable data and information to all users) and 5 (Generate knowledge, support innovation, and develop solutions for equitable and sustainable development of the ocean economy under changing environmental, social and climate conditions) were top challenges where CD needs were greatest. And similar question on which Decade objectives are capacity development greatest resulted to objective 3 (Increase the use of ocean knowledge and understanding, and develop capacity to contribute to sustainable development solutions  which was ranked consistently as greatest capacity development needs across regions and groups.

Other worth noting results from the survey included almost a general agreement of the IOC focal points that SDG14 is a national priority among their countries (96%) and that majority of the countries believe they have significant and partial capacity to achieve related goals (87%). Unanimously, the IOC focal points agreed that ‘capacity to translate science to policy’ (100%) was the most lacking aspect of capacity in their countries. More than half of the IOC focal points indicated absence of national ocean science strategy (54%) and the lack of capacity needs assessment in their country (63%). 64% of respondents from government officials group indicated that national plan or institutional mechanisms are in place to support the development of ocean science capacity in their country. About 80 to 90% agreed that research institutions, followed by international organizations and regional organizations were some non-governmental stakeholders that are mostly involved in decision- making processes to come up with action plans to implement ocean policies. Lastly, when asked about the most frequent obstacles to implementing ocean related policy, they identified limited financial resources, lack of technical capacities and lack of access to data and information as the top three reasons.

In view of the low respondent numbers, it was difficult to draw general findings from the results, so only partial conclusions were subsequently presented to various meetings and events such as the IOCARIBE assembly, and pre-assembly thematic webinar on CD. What can be logically drawn from the analysis however was the strong expression of a need for capacity enhancement all across the board. Aside from presenting the 2nd CD survey results to various regional meetings and assembly, where regional bodies may infer from the survey results and reflect them in their CD workplans, the outcomes of the survey were also used by other initiatives as a component for their CD strategies, such as for the Baltic and North Sea Strategic Research Innovation Agenda. In spite of the gaps (in country responses and in thematic areas) the survey was also used to promote and engage the Focal points to engage in responding to the survey and use it for strategic purposes.