Urgent Demands for Ocean Observations and Services
The Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) held its Steering Committee meeting at GEOMAR
3 May 2019/Kiel. This week, the Steering Committee of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) held its annual meeting at GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel. About 35 scientists from 18 countries participated.
The Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) is designing and coordinating the development of a global ocean observing system to support a flow of ocean information in a sustained way. GOOS is delivering the system for delivery of information on 3 societal benefit areas broadly focused around climate, ocean health and operational services. After more than 20 years of existence, in 2012 the visionary Framework for Ocean Observing -a guide to meet the needs of multiple stakeholders – has been a guide for GOOS activities. Today, GOOS has a number of key components that are designed to support the ocean observing system.
Through these components GOOS supports a community encompassing all those playing a role in the observing system: international, regional, and national observing programs, governments, UN agencies, research organizations, and individual scientists. By working together on observing tools and technology, the free flow of data, information systems, forecasts, and scientific analysis, this global community can leverage the value of all these investments.
To meet urgent and expanding demands for ocean observations and services, GOOS has looked towards the coming decade and developed a new strategy that will be officially launched on May 13. The strategy will guide GOOS, the ocean observing community, and all those willing to support development of the integrated global ocean observing system required for our safety, wellbeing, prosperity and sustainable future.
The GOOS Steering Committee (SC) guide GOOS and the partnership with other vital components of the observing system, such as international data and information structures. The SC did meet in Kiel at GEOMAR from May 1-3, hosted by Dr. Toste Tanhua that is one of two co-chairs of GOOS. The discussion of the GOOS SC benefited from interactions from GEOMAR, as one major contributor to the ocean observing system, and a tour through the facilities. The GOOS SC is thankful for the hospitality of GEOMAR and the fruitful discussions that GOOS had in Kiel.
The Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) is an organization that is co-sponsored by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO, the World Meteorological Organization, the United Nations Environment Programme, and the International Science Council. As the IOC is the hosting the GOOS secretariat, the Executive Secretary of IOC, Dr. Vladimir Ryabinin, attended the GOOS SC. Dr. Ryabinin engaged in the “meet the expert” series of the Integrated school of Ocean Science (ISOS), and engaged with lively discussion with roughly 50 young scientists of GEOMAR. Dr. Ryabinin also gave a key-note presentation on the UN Decade for Ocean Science for sustainable development, titled “Can the United Nations deliver the ocean we need for the future we want”, and interacted with GEOMAR scientists in a discussion focused on the upcoming “Decade”.
