Keith AlversonOcean Observations and Services

Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO

NASA, NOAA, JCOMMOPS, FNMOC, CRT, URK

GEO Coastal CoP

GEO Plenary

GEO Climate SBA

Major Accomplishments 2005-2010:Global Ocean Climate Observations

The ocean observing system for climate is 62% complete. Reporting to UNFCCC ensures high visibility and national

engagement. Understanding of global climate change – particularly

detection and attribution - has been substantially enhanced. Development of a Global Framework for Climate Services is

being enabled.

Major Accomplishments 2005-2010:Regional Observations for Societal Benefit

Relevant regional components of the GOOS are increasingly available in real time, enabling coastal hazard warnings and mitigation (eg. oil spills, storm surges, tsunami, cholera …).

Seasonal products derived from ocean observations are also starting to become possible (eg ENSO, Monsoon, drought, flooding and fire regime forecasts).

Quotidian services are being delivered (eg. Shipping and Port traffic optimization, offshore wind and drilling operations supported …)

Recent and Upcoming Publications

Many nations are not (fully) participating

Broadest Participation: Tide Gauges

Typical Participation: Hydrographic Sections

Implementing Coastal and Regional GOOS

1st GOOS Regional Forum, Athens, Greece, 2002

2nd GRA Forum, Nadi, Fiji, 2004

3rd GRA Forum, Cape Town, S. Africa, 2006

4th GRA Forum, Guayaquil, Ecuador, 2008

5th GRA Forum and 1st Regional Council, Sopot, Poland, 10/2011

SAON

SOOS

Regional Seas Conventions

OSPAR1972, 1998

HELCOM1974, 1992, 2001

BARCELONA 1975, 1995 BLACK SEA 1992

Can they play an analogous role for regional GOOS to the one that the UNFCCC has played in developing the global climate module of GOOS?

Human Impact on Marine Ecosystems:global, substantial, not climate dominated.

Halpern et al, Science, 2008

Human Impact on Marine Ecosystems:Early warning for management decisions?

Geneva Ministerial Call for Immediate Action. Presented to UN General Assembly (New York 22 September) and CBD COP High

Level Segment (Nagoya, 27-29 October)

“ The issues of climate change and biodiversity loss are inextricably linked; each can exacerbate the impacts of the other, but at the same time there are policy options that can address both issues. The identification of such co-benefits is essential at global, regional and national levels. In particular the implementation of voluntary REDD/REDD+ mechanisms should be done to enrich biodiversity. ”

Upcoming Events

Report on the Status of the Global Ocean Observing System for Climate Monitoring

UNFCCC SBSTA-31 and COP 16 Cancun 29 November – 10 December 2010

Report on the Status of the Global Ocean Observing System for Biodiversity Monitoring.

Convention on Biological Diversity. CBD COP 10. Nagoya 18-29 October 2010

Call for Sustained, Integrated Earth Observations

Group On Earth Observations Plenary 7 and Ministerial Summit. Beijing 3-5 November 2010

Sustaining the system

Governmental engagement and willingness to commit resources for both implementation and coordination remains weak.

Demonstrating clear societal benefits to catalyze ‘user pull’ requires better advocacy

The observing system – especially the coastal module – needs redesigning to serve adaptation needs.

Alverson and Baker, Science, 2006