The World Meteorological Congress has approved a new collaborative framework on the ocean to streamline and enhance WMO ocean activities, boost inter-agency coordination and cooperation, and contribute to the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030.
It endorses a cross-cutting approach, embracing research, observations and forecasting, and service delivery in line with the World Meteorological Organization’s drive towards a more integrated earth systems strategy.
Congress approved the new ocean resolution after a high-level session on Ocean information to deliver weather, marine and climate services for a resilient and sustainable blue economy.
The ocean covers two-thirds of the planet. It stores 93 percent of excess heat generated by human activities and is a major sink for carbon dioxide. It has warmed by 0.5° Celsius since the start of the industrial era, said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas.
The need for greater synergies, flexibility and integrated earth system science is driving WMO’s reform agenda and stronger collaboration in the future with partners like UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission said Mr. Taalas.
The proposed WMO reform envisages a Joint WMO-IOC Collaborative Board to coordinate development, integration and implementation of activities related to oceanographic and meteorological observation, data and information management, services, modeling and forecasting systems as well as research and capacity development.
Peter Haugan, UNESCO-IOC Chairperson, said the new collaborative board would combine top-down leadership with bottom-up technical expertise in order to leverage the benefits from new technology and public-private partnerships to face growing challenges and to contribute to the sustainable ocean economy.
The resolution passed by Congress envisages restructuring WMO’s ocean agenda to support WMO’s Operating Plan 2020-2023.
Original source: WMO
Published on 11 June 2019
