In the Pacific, a zone boasting exceptional biodiversity that is particularly threatened by global changes, IRD covers numerous disciplinary fields: oceanography, terrestrial and marine natural resources, mines and natural risks, health, society and environment, etc. Two representatives work there, in New Caledonia in French Polynesia.
In the context of the international year of coral reefs and the celebration of 10 years on the UNESCO World Heritage List, a work titled “Lagoons and coral reefs, pillars of society and sources of bio-inspiration” was published, and there were around 10 events on the theme of reefs in 2018.
In October 2018, IRD and the University of French Polynesia helped to organise this event, which brought together over 130 people from 15 universities and 11 different territories, to consider the theme: “Traditional knowledge, academic knowledge and the direction of university research in the Pacific region”.
A workshop to study the feasibility of science-based recognition of the Pacific Ocean as a legal person was launched in New Zealand on 19 and 20 November 2018. This initiative was proposed by IRD and its partners on World Oceans Day 2017.