To deliver on the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, promote the implementation of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and the realization of its seven major outcomes, namely, to build a clean, healthy and resilient, productive, predicted, safe, accessible, and inspiring and engaging ocean, and build Qingdao into an international ocean city and a leading modern ocean city, the Qingdao Initiative is hereby proposed:

1. Building an International Platform for Marine Cooperation and Expanding the Blue Partnership Network. We will support the Ocean Decade International Cooperation Center and the UN Ocean Decade Collaborative Centre on Ocean-Climate Nexus to gather the advantages of global maritime institutions for creating a high-level international marine cooperation and exchange platform, thus continuously expanding the Blue Partnership Network, and promoting and deepening international cooperation in areas such as marine sci-tech innovation, development of blue economy, marine biodiversity protection and ecological restoration, and global ocean governance.

2. Strengthening Innovation in Marine Technology and Adopting New Solutions for Ocean Governance. Focusing on major global issues such as addressing global climate change, protecting marine biodiversity, promoting the healthy development of marine ecosystems, and pursuing sustainable utilization of marine resources, we will launch the Ocean Decade China Action and Youth Programme to improve the level of marine sci-tech innovation and governance capabilities, and promote the transformation of outstanding sci-tech achievements into solutions, implementation paths, policies and measures, as well as public goods.

3. Developing the Blue Economy to Boost Economic Growth. We will strengthen the research on the high-quality development strategy of the blue economy to optimize its industrial structure and development mode, utilize marine resources in economical and intensive manners, and drive its high-quality development through technological innovation based on clean technology, renewable energy, and material recycling, thus lending new impetus to the global economic recovery.

4. Maintaining Healthy Marine Ecosystems and Promoting Harmonious Coexistence Between Humans and Oceans. We will optimize the spatial layout of the ocean, strengthen integrated management of the ocean based on ecosystems, and promote synergistic development of ocean development and utilization along with ecological protection. We aim to enhance gradually the diversity, stability, and sustainability of the ecosystems, implement protection and restoration of typical marine ecosystems, enhance marine pollution prevention and control, and promote the establishment of a harmonious relationship between humanity and the ocean.

Let us join hands under the Ocean Decade to promote the transformation from “the ocean we embrace” to “the ocean we envision,” implement the goal of sustainable ocean development, and improve maritime wellbeing.