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Add to Preferred SourcesWMO hosted a meeting of UN-Oceans, as part of a week of ocean-related events to focus attention on ocean science, observations, and safety. UN-Oceans is the UN inter-agency coordination mechanism for ocean matters.
WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas chaired the UN-Oceans session. He outlined the central importance of the ocean to the WMO Forward Strategy and plans to strengthen the coordination of WMO ocean activities into the future.
“‘Almost all we do is done in partnership. This is why WMO values its membership in UN-Oceans to better coordinate on ocean matters,’ said Mr. Taalas.
Underlining the growing collaboration, WMO signed a letter of agreement with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO). Mr. Taalas and IOC-UNESCO Executive Secretary Vladimir Ryabinin said they are committed to greater cooperation between to two organizations across Ocean Observations, Research, and Services, including contributions to the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.
The Decade of Ocean Science takes place from 2021 to 2030 and is a 10-year cooperative programme in ocean science to strengthen effective ocean management, stewardship, and sustainable development.
Also in September 2019, there will be a major decadal planning initiative to improve coordination of regional and national efforts to better observe the global ocean, to better respond to the joint scientific and societal needs of a fit-for-purpose ocean observing system, and maximize the overall benefit of more integrated observing. OceanObs’19 will seek to better connect observers with end-user communities, and chart the agenda for ocean observing for the next decade.
The ocean covers 71 per cent of the globe, but only 5 per cent has been explored. The Decade will ensure greater coordination of research.
The UN-Oceans meeting was preceded by a WMO led ‘Ocean Safe’ Workshop: Enhancing ocean observations and research, and the free exchange of data, to foster services for the safety of life and property.
Original source: WMO
Published on 08 February 2019