United Nations Decade Research Articles

Integrated outcomes of large-scale ecological restoration projects on biodiversity–eco-environment–society in China

China has executed large-scale ecological restoration projects (ERPs) to meet the goals of environmental protection and economic development. Yet, the integrated outcomes of these projects on the biodiversity–eco-environment–society dimensions remain unclear, but when available could be insightful for adaptation and adjustments, particularly in this United Nations decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030). Based on multi-source data, we identified the categories and quantities of large-scale ERP implementation in the county-level. By comparing the time-series multiple factors of implemented vs unimplemented counties, we quantify the contributions and compare the relative effects of up to six different ERPs. Combining random forest, spatial autocorrelation, and network analysis, we explore the key factors that affect the contributions of ERPs. Here, we show that the triple dimensions in the low ERP group (regions implementing 0–2 projects) produced better outcomes than the high ERP group (regions implementing 3–5 projects) in relatively developed regions, while the high ERP group has more gains than the low ERP group in relatively less-developed regions. Notably, regional characteristics and different social assets mediate the ERP contributions, while human capital and financial capital have important roles. Overall, the ERPs generated positive contributions and could increase the network stability of multi-dimensions in relatively less-developed regions, but it may lead to imbalances in some factors (i.e., mammal species conservation, and human capital). To continue to minimize the negative effects from past, and to improve the returns of ERP policy and investments, more timely and adaptive management of ERPs are needed, especially in relatively less-developed regions.

The international multi-system OSEs/OSSEs by the UN Ocean Decade Project SynObs and its early results

“Synergistic Observing Network for Ocean Prediction (SynObs)” was launched in 2022 as a project of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development to evaluate the importance of ocean observation systems and co-design the future evolution of the ocean observing network. SynObs is currently leading the flagship OSEs/OSSEs, an internationally coordinated activity in which observing system experiments (OSEs) and observing system simulation experiments (OSSEs) are conducted using a variety of ocean and coupled atmosphere–ocean prediction systems to evaluate ocean observation impacts consistent across most prediction systems. The flagship OSEs/OSSEs comprises the ocean prediction (OP) OSEs for high-resolution ocean predictions, the subseasonal-to-seasonal (S2S) OSEs for long-term lead-time coupled ocean–atmosphere predictions, and the OP OSSEs for evaluating new and future observing systems. SynObs plans to use the results of the flagship OSEs to contribute to the reports on the ocean observing network design made by international organizations and projects. Here, we introduce this initiative, and we report on some initial results. Some observation impacts consistent across four ocean prediction systems are found by a preliminary analysis of the analysis runs for the OP OSEs. For example, impacts of the altimetry data on the assimilated sea surface height (SSH) field are generally large in the westerly boundary current regions and around Antarctic Circumpolar Currents where SSH has large variability but are small in the tropical regions, despite the relatively large SSH variability there. The analysis also indicates the possibility that there are some characteristic differences in the observation impacts between low-resolution and eddy-resolving ocean prediction systems. Although OSE outputs of only four ocean prediction systems are available now, we will make further investigation, adding OSE outputs of other prediction systems that will be submitted in the near future.

Conservation translocations in urban environments: State of the knowledge and future directions

Cities are important for biodiversity conservation and are a central focus in the United Nations Decade of Ecosystem Restoration. Species reintroductions and population reinforcements (i.e. conservation translocations) are an important component of conservation, yet are rare in urban environments, possibly because of perceived risks in highly modified and complex social-ecological urban systems. Here we review the literature describing urban conservation translocations to provide guidance for their effective implementation. We find that urban translocations have been performed for a variety of aims including focal species conservation, improvements in ecosystem functions in the later stages of restoration projects (e.g. seed dispersal in revegetated sites) and for site remediation (e.g. organic pollution removal), and enhancing human-nature connections. Conservation translocations were found in a range of urban habitat types including formal and informal greenspaces, grey spaces, streams, ponds, and marine environments, ranging from near-historic conditions (e.g. remnant/restored sites) to highly modified novel/designed systems. Barriers and enablers varied between terrestrial and aquatic release sites, with predators, habitat suitability, and leaving release sites being more important in terrestrial sites and disturbance (flooding) regime and pollution being more important in aquatic sites. A range of techniques have been applied to mitigate these barriers. Success rates in urban translocations are high (>90 %) and comparable to conservation translocations in general, suggesting they can contribute to urban biodiversity conservation by assisting species to overcome dispersal barriers and occupy otherwise suitable urban habitats. However, evaluation methods vary widely between urban translocation studies. There is also a need for longer-term monitoring of translocation success that might be achieved simultaneously while enhancing human-nature connections through citizen science programs.

The impact of education for sustainable development on university students’ sustainability behavior: a case study from undergraduate students in Somalia

Education plays a crucial role in moving towards a sustainable future. The United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development has advocated education for sustainable development (ESD) to promote global sustainability. UNESCO supports ESD as a way to provide society with the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes needed for sustainable living. While considerable progress has been made in many developed countries, particularly in higher education institutions, and to some extent in developing countries, similar success has not been observed in Somalia’s higher education establishments. This study examined the influence of ESD on university students’ conduct in Somalia. Through cluster sampling, 251 students from SIMAD and Hormuud Universities in Mogadishu were chosen to participate by completing a questionnaire. The research revealed a significant positive connection between ESD and students’ behavior. The findings emphasize the importance of integrating ESD into higher education curricula to encourage cultural norms that endorse environmentally friendly practices. This investigation offers valuable insights for academics, policymakers, and businesses seeking to advance sustainability within educational settings and beyond.

The Evolution of Educating for Sustainable Development in East Asia: A Bibliometric Review, 1991–2023

This systematic review addressed the need for documentation and analysis of the scope and topical foci of research on education for sustainable development (ESD) in East Asia. The review used descriptive, content, and keyword co-occurrence analyses to synthesize features of 1915 Scopus-indexed journal articles published between 1991 and 2023. The authors found that research interest in ESD in East Asia has grown rapidly, accelerated by the pronouncement of the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development in 2005 and the Sustainability Agenda 2030 in 2015. Researchers in China, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, and Thailand have been the leading contributors to this regional knowledge base. Consistent with global ESD reviews, content analysis revealed that this literature emerged from studies of environmental education and gradually expanded to include sociocultural, economic, and integrated perspectives on sustainability. Keyword co-occurrence analysis revealed three thematic clusters: Environmental Sustainability in Education, Social Sustainability in Education, and Teaching and Learning for Sustainability. Temporal co-word analysis highlighted the research front, which includes environmental research focusing on carbon/energy issues, technology-enhanced learning for sustainability, empirical research methods for studying ESD, and, to a lesser degree, studies of the economic pillar of sustainability in education. Recommendations are offered for future research.

Factors associated with attitudes toward death and dying in the second half of life: A scoping review

How we think and feel about death and dying affects how we live our lives and our opportunities for healthy aging. This scoping review, using the PRISMA guidelines and drawing on the World Health Organizations public health framework for healthy aging, examined the personal, health and environmental factors associated with attitudes toward death and dying in persons 50 years and older. Most of the 74 eligible studies focused only on negative attitudes to death and few studies investigated the comprehensive range of factors that influence attitudes to death and dying. In the context of population aging and the United Nations Decade of healthy aging (2021–2030) attention to death attitudes and the factors that influence them are imperative to enable current and future generations to age and die well.

Deepening the Decade: Collaborative Action for Advancing Deep‐Ocean Science and Policy in the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development

AbstractThe current United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030; hereafter, the Decade) offers a unique opportunity and framework to globally advance ocean science and policy. Achieving meaningful progress within the Decade requires collaboration and coordination across Decade Actions (Programs, Projects, and Centres). This coordination is particularly important for the deep ocean, which remains critically under‐sampled compared to other ecosystems. Despite the limited sampling, the deep ocean accounts for over 95% of Earth's habitable space, plays a crucial role in regulating the carbon cycle and global temperatures, and supports diverse ecosystems. To collectively advance deep‐ocean science, we gathered representatives from 20 Decade Actions that focus at least partially on the deep ocean. We identified five broad themes that aim to advance deep‐ocean science in alignment with the Decade's overarching 10 Challenges: natural capital and the blue economy, biodiversity, deep‐ocean observing, best practices in data sharing, and capacity building. Within each theme, we propose concrete objectives (termed Cohesive Asks) and milestones (Targets) for the deep‐ocean community. Developing these Cohesive Asks and Targets reflects a commitment to better coordination across deep‐ocean Decade Actions. We aim to build bridges across deep‐ocean disciplines, which encompass natural science, ocean observing, policy, and capacity development.

A transdisciplinary co‐conceptualisation of marine identity

Abstract Challenge 10 of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030) calls for the restoration of society's relationship with the ocean. Research suggests that the relationship people have with marine environments can influence their depth of engagement in marine citizenship action, and the important role for ‘marine identity’ in driving that action. Although identity is well‐researched, marine identity is a concept novel to academia and a baseline understanding is required, both to grasp the scope of the concept, and to support research into its role in transforming the human‐ocean relationship. Here, a transdisciplinary study, endorsed as a UN Ocean Decade Activity and by the EU Mission Ocean & Waters, brought together a multinational community of marine researchers and practitioners to co‐produce a baseline conceptualisation of marine identity, drawing on photovoice and deliberative methodology. This paper presents the findings of the co‐production process and offers a first introduction in the literature of the multiple variations and formations of marine identity. We find marine identity to be a complex and multidimensional concept, suffused with individual experiences and understandings of the marine environment, based on social and cultural understandings of the ocean, contemporarily and historically. We present real‐world examples of marine identity to illustrate key themes that were developed through co‐production. Policy implications: We propose marine identity as a catalyst for understanding existing multifaceted and caring relationships with the ocean, as well as the restoration of society's relationship with the ocean. Marine identity research should, therefore, be prioritised in research seeking to contribute to the UN Ocean Decade Challenge 10, as this will support integration of non‐material values of the ocean into marine planning processes and policy making, enabling effective responses to Challenge 10's emphasis on integrating traditional/cultural ways of knowing and valuing the marine environment, through diverse marine identities. We welcome research efforts that will further develop the marine identity concept and empirically investigate the relationships between marine identity, marine citizenship, and people's relationships with the ocean. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

“Strategic Environmental Assessment” Oriented to Marine Litter (SEAmarlitt): a New Approach to Diagnose Management and Governance in Brazil

Objective: Develop and present a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) approach focused on marine litter. Theoretical Framework: SEA is a set of analytical and participatory approaches designed to integrate environmental and sustainability considerations into public policy decision-making. The development of new SEA approaches has allowed its use in different sectors and geographic areas. The creation of the “United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development” contributed to the development of SEA focused on marine litter. Method: The methodology applied is qualitative and was developed from two analysis methods: composition of the conceptual model to select the Elements of the Methodological Structures; and conceptual modeling to construct the conceptual model of the new SEA approach. Results and Discussion: It was possible to develop a conceptual model of the SEA approach oriented to marine litter (SEAmarlitt) composed of three groups and 13 classes, where each class represents an element of the conceptual model. Research Implications: The next challenge is to operationalize SEAmarlitt by applying its conceptual model to coastal regions of Brazil. This phase is crucial to test its efficiency and validate the model. Originality/Value: This study presents SEAmarlitt, an unprecedented methodological approach to SEA in Brazil focused on marine litter.

ИНФОРМАЦИОННОЕ ОБЕСПЕЧЕНИЕ МОРСКИХ НАУЧНЫХ ИССЛЕДОВАНИЙ

According to the decisions of the Maritime Board at the Government of the Russian Federation and the Interdepartmental National Oceanographic Commission, the information platform “Marine Scientific Research” is elaborating by order of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation. The platform aims to attract all stakeholders interested in marine scientific research to the integrated information platform, as well as to provide upto-date information on the studies, conservation and use of the World Ocean to a wide range of users, including non-specialists. It has three main thematic areas: marine expeditionary studies, the activities of the Russian Federation within the framework of the goals of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science, as well as the work of the Interdepartmental National Oceanographic Commission, which also works as National Committee for the Decade. In addition, the platform contains the most relevant news in these areas, information about the main maritime organizations and their activities. A special section of the platform is dedicated to the ocean literacy in a playful way, in particular through “Sea-loving quizzes”. The article discusses the main stages of the platform’s development, the principles of data integration and data sources, as well as the preparation of information and analytical materials for content, the role in popularizing ocean science and the main directions for its further development and integration with similar information resources.

Oceans sing, are you listening? Sounding out potentials for artistic audio engagements with science through the Polar Sounds project

Acknowledgement of the growing crises facing our oceans has seen the increased visibility of watery spaces in policy initiatives and governance strategies. A good example is the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030). This international effort is designed to coordinate activities (from regional to national levels and beyond) that promote and develop knowledge of our seas and oceans to manage them for future generations. Societies everywhere, the Decade admits, are disconnected from these issues and despite the apparent growth of awareness (through popular televised documentaries and other public outputs that highlight the plight of ocean worlds) finding avenues to increase public understanding of ocean science in innovative and inspirational ways is being seen as critical for further engagement. In this article, we discuss efforts to connect society with the sea, focusing on how sound is a productive sensory medium for promoting ocean understanding. Drawing from a worldwide art-science collaboration, Polar Sounds, which united scientific acoustic data with musicians and sound artists around the globe, we make audible the potentials of embracing what is heard in our ocean worlds. The Ocean Decade alongside growing academic scholarship posits that ocean engagement, citizenship and connection is crucial to harness change that can improve the fate of flailing seas and that art-science collaborations can be crucial in building such bridges. We outline the Polar Sounds project, before arguing the need for further work that sounds out the potentials for engaging and inspiring alternative oceanic understandings and connections.

Mapping Topic Evolution across the 40-Year-Old Long-Term Ecological Research MareChiara Site in the Gulf of Naples, Italy

The forty-year-old Long-Term Ecological Research MareChiara (LTER-MC) program started on 26 January 1984, with fortnightly oceanographic sampling until 1991 and then, from 1995, with weekly sampling up to the present time. LTER-MC produced >150 publications that have been cited by thousands of other studies. In this scoping review, we analyzed this corpus using a semantic approach based on topic modeling, a machine-driven procedure to identify and map topics and their interactions. Understanding the causes behind the evolution of scientific topics, their emergence, splitting, hybridization, or merging within a scientific community is an important step in science policy in managing collaborative research and bringing it into the future. Across different topics, mainly represented by studies on Natural History, Biodiversity, Phenology, Life Cycles, and Community Ecology, the LTER-MC work expanded the knowledge on planktonic organisms, describing in detail their lifestyles and delineating their relationships with environmental conditions. In presenting these results, the potential strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats connected to the overall scientific dimension of LTER-MC are discussed. Finally, the upcoming effort is envisioned in reinforcing internal collaboration to integrate basic and applied research around scientific investigations suitable for establishing a stronger interaction between science and policy, as indicated by the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

Integrating socioeconomic and ecological data into restoration practice.

Driven by the United Nations Decade on Restoration and international funding initiatives, such as the Mangrove Breakthrough, investment in mangrove restoration is expected to increase. Yet, mangrove restoration efforts frequently fail, usually because of ad hoc site-selection processes that do not consider mangrove ecology and the socioeconomic context. Using decision analysis, we developed an approach that accounts for socioeconomic and ecological data to identify sites with the highest likelihood of mangrove restoration success. We applied our approach in the Biosphere Reserve Marismas Nacionales Nayarit, Mexico, an area that recently received funding for implementing mangrove restoration actions. We identified 468 potential restoration sites, assessed their restorability potential based on socioeconomic and ecological metrics, and ranked sites for implementation with spatial optimization. The metrics we used included favorable conditions for propagules to establish and survive under sea-level rise, provision of ecosystem services, and community dynamics. Sites that were selected based on socioeconomic or ecological metrics alone had lower likelihood of mangrove restoration success than sites that were selected based on integrated socioeconomic and ecological metrics. For example, selecting sites based on only socioeconomic metrics captured 16% of the maximum attainable value of functioning mangroves able to provide propagules to potential restoration sites, whereas selecting sites based on ecological and socioeconomic metrics captured 46% of functioning mangroves. Our approach was developed as part of a collaboration between nongovernmental organizations, local government, and academics under rapid delivery time lines given preexisting mangrove restoration implementation commitments. The systematic decision process we used integrated socioeconomic and ecological considerations even under short delivery deadlines, and our approach can be adapted to help mangrove restoration site-selection decisions elsewhere.

Evaluation and influencing factors of ecological resilience in tourism villages from farmers’ perspectives: a case study of Chinese minority settlement areas

Rural social-ecological systems have been significantly impacted by the development of rural tourism, creating substantial challenges for the synergistic development of rural ecological restoration and agricultural workers’ household livelihoods. In alignment with the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration action plan, it is crucial to understand the ecological resilience of tourism villages from the perspective of farmers to achieve sustainable development. Questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were conducted in this study to gather livelihood data from farmers in tourism villages in Xiangxi, China, a region primarily inhabited by ethnic minorities. A measurement index system for the ecological resilience of rural tourism was constructed based on the three dimensions: pressure, state, and response. A comprehensive index method was employed for quantitative evaluation, and influencing factors were analyzed using an obstacle model. The results show that farmers’ livelihoods can be divided into four types: tourism-led, labor-led, agriculture-led, and part-time tourism-based. Their ecological resilience indices are 0.4516, 0.4177, 0.4001, and 0.4590, respectively, representing an overall intermediate level. There are differences in various indices for different livelihood types, with the highest stress index observed in labor-led farmers (0.1655), the highest state index in agriculture-led farming households (0.1585), and the highest response index in tourism-led farming households (0.1766). Common obstacles to the ecological resilience of farmers and their villages include the number of family members engaged in tourism work, the area of forest land, and the farmers’ understanding of ecological policies affecting them. Additionally, core family members’ education levels and the area of homesteads emerged as important obstacle factors. Based on these research findings, recommendations are proposed to enhance the ecological resilience of rural farmer households in the tourism villages of ethnic minority areas. The aim is to provide valuable case studies for promoting the sustainable development of rural tourism in underdeveloped regions worldwide.

A Call for a Cultural Shift in Oceanography

Oceanography stands at a critical juncture, confronting the coupled challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss while also addressing calls for equity and justice in ocean economic development and governance. This paper defines and advocates for the weaving of three perspectives into oceanography education, research, and policy practice: the Socio-Ecological Lens, the Humanist Approach, and Equitable Intercultural Practice. By embracing these frameworks, the field can transcend the challenges of classical oceanography, paving the way for academic and professional practices that are more inclusive, equitable, and attuned to the intricacies of human-ocean relationships. Such a shift will foster interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary collaboration, elevate the role of humanities in oceanographic education, and push for decolonizing methodologies for ocean policy engagement, thereby enabling ethical career paths. Ultimately, these perspectives will empower oceanographers to cultivate a deeper and more equitable bond with the oceans, helping them to steer society with the transformative science practices that are fundamentally needed in a successful United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021‐2030) Annual Special Issue of the Marine Technology Society Journal

United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021‐2030) Annual Special Issue of the Marine Technology Society Journal

Theories, determinants, and intervention models and approaches on inequalities of undernutrition amongst under fives: A literature review.

One of the greatest public health problems of the 21st century is undernutrition in children under the age of 5 years (CAUFY). Globally, over 232 million CUAFY are undernourished and approximately 45% of mortality in this population are undernutrition-induced. This paper reviewed and critically explained the factors perpetuating undernutrition in CUAFY in the global space. It further explained the multi-level determinants that influence health inequalities and consequently exacerbate undernutrition amongst CUAFY globally. It also went further to explain the intervention models and approaches that can be used to tackle undernutrition in CUAFY. Demiris et al.'s approach to narrative review was utilized for this paper. Relevant articles on child nutrition were retrieved from multiple credible databases and websites of foremost health organizations. Using an iterative process, multiple combinations of search terms were done by stringing relevant key terms and their synonyms with Boolean Operators. This process was constantly refined to align search results with the study aim. Database search produced relevant and resourceful publications which were utilized to develop this review. The global burden of undernutrition remains high, especially in Oceania with the highest prevalence of stunting and wasting (41.4% and 12.5%), with Africa and Asia following closely. Malnutrition eradication is a global health issue of high priority as demonstrated by the "Goal 2" of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the United Nations (UN) Decade of Action on Nutrition 2016-2025. The review identified no significant positive outcome from previous interventions due to the endemic health inequalities. Determinants of the multi-level health inequalities associated with undernutrition in CUAFY, and probable solutions are explained with theoretical models of health inequalities. A diagonal intervention approach was proposed as a viable solution to ending undernutrition in CUAFY. The application of relevant theoretical models and context-specific intervention approaches can be utilized by stakeholders to close the existing inequality gaps, thereby reducing undernutrition amongst CUAFY globally.

Challenges and Institutional Barriers to Forest and Landscape Restoration in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh

Preventing, halting, and reversing ecosystem degradation is now a global priority, partly due to the declaration of the United Nations (UN) Decade on Ecosystem Restoration by the UN General Assembly 2021–2030 on 1 March 2019. Apart from the most recent global target to protect 30% of the natural planet by 2030 as part of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework agreed during COP15, there are several other global goals and targets. The Government of Bangladesh (GoB) has also pledged to restore 0.75 million hectares of forests as part of the Bonn Challenge. The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) of Bangladesh contain almost one-third of the country’s state-owned forests and are home to 12 ethnic communities, whose livelihoods are dependent on forests. Although once rich in biodiversity, the majority of the forests in the region are highly degraded due to faulty management, complex institutional arrangements, and land disputes with locals. The CHT, therefore, represent the most promising region for ecosystem restoration through forest and landscape restoration (FLR). Here, using the secondary literature, we examine the current institutional arrangements and drivers of deforestation and forest degradation in the CHT region and potential benefits and modalities to make FLR successful in the region. Based on our study, we suggest that institutional reform is essential for successful FLR in the CHT. We also discuss key interventions that are necessary to halt ecosystem degradation and to secure community participation in natural resources management in the region.

Ecological restoration at the University of Wisconsin–Madison Arboretum and beyond: Building and sharing collective knowledge through a participatory leadership framework

Abstract The Society for Ecological Restoration defines restoration as “the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed.” The United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration is an “all‐hands‐on‐deck” call to revive imperilled ecosystems around the world. The task at hand is more than professional practitioners and organizations can handle alone. Volunteers play a critically important role in restoring the structure and function of the world's most degraded ecosystems. The 485 ha University of Wisconsin–Madison Arboretum is the site of some of the oldest restored ecological communities in the world. Like many restoration sites, long‐term management of these communities requires expertise and sustained volunteer engagement. The Arboretum fosters expertise and engagement with a two‐pronged approach. This includes (1) the Arboretum's Restoration Team Leader Program, which trains and empowers restoration volunteers to lead community members in on‐the‐ground restoration, and (2) the Restoration Managers Who Work with Volunteers group that convenes restoration managers from multiple organizations for collaborative projects. These programs facilitate ecological restoration by working directly with volunteers and are models of participatory leadership and communities of practice. Here, we share the principles, practices and frameworks behind these programs and illustrate how this model can be replicated to strengthen community‐based restoration around the globe.

Mapping workforce contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals: a tool to enhance staff capacity and inspire action

The United Nations’ Agenda 2030 provides a framework of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to achieve peace and prosperity for people and planet, now and into the future(1). The United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition emphasises that food and nutrition are key levers for optimising both human and planetary health and that individuals working in food, nutrition and health play an essential role in contributing to the SDGs(2,3). This project aimed to (i) map the work being done by staff and higher degree students at Monash University’s Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food and its alignment with the SDGs, and (ii) assess the impact of this process on workforce capacity to embed the SDGs in future work activities. Three mapping workshops; one pilot, one in-person and one online, were conducted (n = 28), beginning with a short expert-led seminar about the SDGs before participants engaged in an interactive activity to record their work activities (research, education or engagement) relating to the SDGs. Mapping data were analysed to determine which SDGs were being prioritised and in what type of activities. To determine the impact on workforce capacity, participants completed pre- and post-workshop surveys that assessed their knowledge of and confidence regarding the SDGs. From the three workshops, 129 work activities were described, each linked to one or more of the SDGs. Of those, 41% were education, 36% were research, and 23% were engagement activities. Work activities spanned all 17 of the SDGs, with the most commonly aligned being Goal 3 Good Health and Wellbeing (53% of work activities), Goal 10 Reduced Inequalities (37% of work activities), Goal 4 Quality Education (36% of work activities), Goal 12 Responsible Consumption and Production (34% of work activities), and Goal 17 Partnerships for the Goals (27% of work activities). The pre- and post-workshop surveys indicated increased staff knowledge and confidence related to the SDGs. The percentage of participants that could correctly identify the number of SDGs increased from 43% to 96%, and the percentage of participants that recognised the correct aim of the SDGs increased from 43% to 86%. Regarding confidence in talking about the SDGs, the percentage of staff who indicated that they ‘avoid talking about them’ or are ‘not confident’ decreased from 39% to 4%, and the number of staff who were confident talking about the SDGs ‘in general terms’ increased from 39% to 75%. Nutrition professionals are well-placed to support progress towards each of the SDGs. Workshops such as these provide an opportunity to increase workforce capacity to discuss, share and relate their work to the SDGs and provide a periodic pulse-check to identify opportunities for greater contribution to this urgent, global Agenda.