OceanEye: Stronger together for Global Ocean Observation
As demand for ocean data grows, ensuring the sustainability of the Global Ocean Observing System is critical to advancing climate resilience, ocean conservation, and sustainable development worldwide.
The European Union, IOC-UNESCO, World Resources Institute, and High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy are joining efforts to strengthen the Global Ocean Observing System. Ocean observation capabilities are a critical infrastructure for understanding and responding to environmental change and for supporting sustainable development. Yet, global ocean observation today faces a number of challenges. It remains subcritical and insufficiently resourced, with significant gaps, especially in remote areas like polar and deep-sea regions and in the fields of biodiversity and ecosystems. These gaps leave blind spots in decision-making, especially for processes such as sustainable ocean planning, national adaptation plans, disaster risk reduction, and ocean-based mitigation strategies. The Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) operating under IOC-UNESCO with co-sponsorship from WMO, UNEP and the International Science Council, depends on a relatively limited base of contributors and mainly on short-term funding. Furthermore, the evolving geopolitical context creates additional challenges. A strategic rebalancing and renewed shared responsibility in funding GOOS is required to ensure its long-term functioning. Since no single country can observe the ocean alone, this pledging side event aims at generating collective and sustained commitments to support the sustainability of GOOS.
Organizers: The European Union, IOC-UNESCO, WRI, Ocean Panel
