TM28 | Sustained funding for long-term ocean observations in support of global policy frameworks

TM28

Sustained funding for long-term ocean observations in support of global policy frameworks

Convener: Sophie Seeyave | Co-convener: Lilian Krug

Tue, 03 Jun, 12:45–13:45 (CEST)|Room 8

In recent years, the critical role the ocean plays in the Earth’s life-support system, as well as its importance for the sustainable development of our societies and economies has been increasingly recognised, and emphasised at the highest political levels. An adequately funded, sustained, and truly global ocean observing system is essential to support informed decision-making, in the context of policy frameworks such as the Paris Climate Agreement, the Sustainable Development Goals, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. It is also critical to the success of global assessments, such as the UN Regular Process for Global Reporting and Assessment of the State of the Marine Environment, including Socioeconomic Aspects (or “Regular Process”) and the upcoming International Panel for Ocean Sustainability (IPOS).

More than ever, it is critical that the world’s governments prioritise funding of ocean observations and their coordination at the global level, to complete a comprehensive Global Ocean Observation System (GOOS), covering all aspects, and at the granularity required for accurate forecasts. Full planned deployment of GOOS has slowed in the last decade, hampered by fragile long-term funding arrangements. While a global system for measuring physical Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs) - and to a lesser extent chemical EOVs- is in place (albeit with geographical gaps and fragile funding), biological and ecosystem observations for monitoring the health of our ocean have yet to be operationalised.

The proposed Town Hall will bring together members of the Partnership for Observation of the Global Ocean (POGO) - Directors of oceanographic research institutes from around the world- to discuss the urgent need for sustained, global ocean observations to support global policy frameworks and assessments, the current funding landscape, possible new models for sustainable, long-term funding, and the return on investment to be gained from ocean observations and the information they provide in support of sustainable development.