Download Global Ocean Climate Observations

NASA, NOAA, JCOMMOPS, FNMOC, CRT, URK
Keith Alverson
Ocean Observations and Services
Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO
GEO Plenary
GEO Coastal CoP
GEO Climate SBA
Major Accomplishments 2005-2010:
Global Ocean Climate Observations
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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
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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
SAON
SOOS
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
Regional Seas Conventions
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?
OSPAR
1972, 1998
HELCOM
1974, 1992,
2001
BARCELONA
1975, 1995
BLACK SEA 1992
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 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
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
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