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IOC/EC-XLIX/2 Annex 1
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Paris, 18 May 2016
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INTERGOVERNMENTAL OCEANOGRAPHIC COMMISSION
(of UNESCO)
Forth-ninth session of the IOC Executive Council
UNESCO, Paris, 7-10 June 2016
Item 3.1 of the Provisional Agenda
REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
ON THE WORK ACCOMPLISHED SINCE THE PREVIOUS SESSION
(June 2015–May 2016)
Summary
Article 49 of the Rules of Procedure requires the Executive Secretary to
submit to each session of the Governing Bodies a report on the work of
the Commission accomplished since the previous session.
This report presents a summary of the activities carried out by the
Member States and Secretariat since the 28th session of the IOC
Assembly up to May 2016 and covers issues that the Executive
Secretary was requested to report on by the Assembly at its 28th
session. This document and that on “Report on Budget Execution
2014-2015 and Outline of 2016–2017 Budget” (IOC/EC-XLIX/2 Annex 2)
document the oral presentation of the Executive Secretary to the plenary
session of the Council.
Decisions proposed: The Executive Council is invited to take note of this
report as in the decision referenced IOC/EC-XLIX/3.1 in the Provisional
Action Paper (document IOC/EC-XLIX/2 Prov.)
IOC/EC-XLIX/2 Annex 1
Introduction
1.
Since the last session of the IOC Assembly in June 2015, all IOC activities were conducted
in full compliance with the IOC Medium-Term Strategy 2014–2021 (IOC/INF-1314) and with
continuously increasing attention to their relevance to the emerging Agenda 2030 and its
17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including the SDG 14 on the Ocean. The Agenda
2030, adopted by the UN in September 2015, and the agreement to reduce emissions of carbon to
limit the climate warming to 2oC above the preindustrial values, which was achieved by the Paris
Climate Summit in December 2015, complemented the post-2015 UN Disaster Risk Reduction
Agenda, agreed in Sendai in March 2015, and the SAMOA pathway in support of SIDS, adopted in
2014. These four major frameworks have a strong bearing on the Ocean and reinforce the
mandate of IOC to develop ocean science, observations and services.
2.
Like the rest of UNESCO, IOC has worked under the significantly reduced spending plan
for the approved regular UNESCO 37 C/5 Programme and Budget (2014–2015) and with reduced
staff. It has seen not only the reduction in its regular budget but also a loss of USA’s extensive
voluntary contributions, which used to provide a solid funding base for some of the IOC’s global
programmes. In the past three bienniums, to give priority to the programme implementation, the
IOC drastically reduced its administration and coordination costs. This remains the only way to
ensure continuation of programmatic staffing needs and to preserve – to the extent possible – the
quality of delivery.
3.
Due to the strong support of its Member States and the high priority that they attribute to the
work of IOC, the $518 M (Zero Real Growth+) Expenditure Plan of UNESCO for 2016-2017
foresees the IOC regular budget allocation of $10.2 M, which is a nominal increase by $1.5 M over
the previously anticipated value. This budget reinforcement is of tremendous value for IOC. Given
the overall situation whereby UNESCO, as a whole, faces a severe financial crisis, this
reinforcement can be seen as a true recognition by Member States of the importance of IOC
activities. Nevertheless, the current budgetary allocation still represents only 80% of the fullyfunded scenario for 2014-2015 and 73% of the fully-funded scenario for 2016–2017. See also
document IOC/EC-XLIX/2 Annex 2.
4.
With the foreseen allocation of $10.2 M, IOC was able to hire a full-time Head of the
IOCARIBE Secretariat in Cartagena, Colombia, and reinforce the staffing of its Ocean Science
Section in the high-priority areas of activity. However, the staffing situation in global programmes
remains critical. The main impact is the increasing difficulty for IOC to maintain its leadership in a
number of programme areas. Our activities are downscaled across all major areas of work, from
ocean observations and tsunami warning to marine spatial planning, integrated coastal area
management, ocean observations, and information management, including marine biodiversity and
ocean acidification research.
5.
The vacant position of Head of IOC Ocean Science Section is under recruitment.
6.
Few notable advances, outputs and outcomes of IOC work in the reporting period can be
concisely summarized as follows:
•
Completion by the Secretariat of all planned tasks for the period and achievement of all
assigned targets at the level corresponding to the available budget;
•
Active and sustained IOC work in the domains of ocean observations, data/information
management and tsunami warnings including actual real time alerts and exercises;
•
Continuation of the activities of the Caribbean Tsunami Information Centre;
•
Major IOC contribution to the UNFCCC COP21 aimed at adequate inclusion of ocean
issues in the scope of UNFCCC decision making;
IOC/EC-XLIX/2 Annex 1 – page 2
•
Development of the IOC Capacity Development website and start of implementation of the
IOC Capacity Development Strategy adopted by the IOC Assembly in 2015;
•
Development of the IOC Communication Strategy;
•
Development by the IOC Officers and Secretariat, with support of Dr Gunnar Kullenberg,
past Executive Secretary, of the Roadmap and vision of IOC in a decadal perspective;
•
Successful work on raising extrabudgetary funds, especially the leadership in the UNDP
and GEF-supported projects;
•
Contribution to the completion of the first World Ocean Assessment;
•
Contribution to the initial UN debates on the role of ocean science and observations in
protection of biodiversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction;
•
Solid contribution of IOC into the work of UN-Oceans and to the expanding scope of
activities related to the Ocean SDG14;
•
Active regional activities in the IOC Subcommissions WESTPAC, IOCAFRICA and
IOCARIBE and re-emerging potential for IOCINDIO;
•
Successful continuation of planning and the start of the 2nd International Indian Ocean
Expedition, including resources for Joint Project Office support through India and
Australia;
•
Stronger coordination between IOC global programmes and regional activities; and
•
Progress of work on the Global Ocean Science Report.
7.
The emerging vision of IOC development, the “roadmap” and related initiatives, create the
solid basis for a broad consultation on the future of the ocean and the role of IOC in it. The
consultation is expected to lead to a more consolidated set of IOC activities, increased input of IOC
programmes and regions to the sustainable development agenda and “blue economy”, and to
strengthening IOC autonomy within UNESCO on the basis of significance of its activities for
Member States. These planning processes and implementation of the IOC communication and
capacity development strategies could stimulate stronger interest of Member States in activities
conducted under the framework of IOC and result in larger contributions of donors to the IOC
Special Account. IOC Executive Secretary sees this development as a core part of his duties.
8.
It is important to reflect the strategic considerations on future IOC development in the future
plans and budget proposals. The capacity of IOC Secretariat to take on more tasks is very limited.
The solutions to this limitation are expansion of the Secretariat, secondment or loan of specialists,
and outsourcing. There is a need to solve the problem of reduced expenditure plan because
investment into ocean observations and research bring major returns to Member States.
9.
For IOC to be able to deliver in accordance with expressed wishes of IOC Member States,
it is important to continue strengthening its functional autonomy within UNESCO. There is a need
to reduce the level of ambiguity with regard to the authority of the IOC Assembly and its Executive
Council within the UNESCO governance, consider means to safeguard the IOC budget, strengthen
the ability to effectively and efficiently execute contractual obligations and reporting to external
donors, and establish clearer boundaries with the UNESCO Sector of Natural Sciences,
particularly in terms of reporting and budget.
10.
In this regard, the ongoing audit of UNESCO’s Governance is of importance. The UNESCO
External Auditor’s interim report on the Governance of UNESCO and dependent funds,
IOC/EC-XLIX/2 Annex 1 – page 3
programmes and entities published in April 2015 was shared with the IOC Assembly at its 28th
session. Following the Assembly’s decision, the Officers and the Executive Secretary provided
their comments and the final version was produced in November 2015 as UNESCO General
Conference document 38 C/23. The audit calls for an improvement of the quality of the information
provided to Member States to enable informed decision-making and avoid micro-management. A
number of logistical recommendations were made in terms of increasing the efficiency of
intersessional work and Governing Bodies’ meetings organization. Related to the composition of
the governing bodies, the audit calls for a requirement that the elected representatives should have
a scientific and/or technical profile in the IOC’s field of competence. Through its
38 C/Resolution 101, the UNESCO General Conference decided to establish an open-ended
Working Group on governance, procedures and working methods of the governing bodies of
UNESCO and ‘invite[d] all intergovernmental programmes, committees and organs of the
conventions, to inscribe, in 2016 if feasible, an item on their agenda, concerning the follow-up to
the recommendations of the External Auditor’s report contained in document 38 C/23, to improve
their governance by concrete measures, and to report on their proposals to the Chairperson of the
open-ended working group’. In this context, the Secretariat will be proposing a number of
recommendations under the item related to the preparation of the future Governing Bodies
sessions in IOC/EC-XLIX/2 Annex 10. It requires attention of the IOC Governing Bodies, as it may
help to reduce the ambiguity related to IOC status in UNESCO. The sessional working group on
the “Future of IOC” may offer the Executive Council an opportunity for a more in-depth discussion
and formulation of written recommendations, based on the initial debate in the plenary.
11.
Audit report of the IOC (2014–2016). Between 11 and 22 April 2016 the IOC was subject to
an audit by the UNESCO External Auditor. The audit report will go through the established process
of internal consultations between the External Auditor’s team and the IOC and UNESCO
Secretariats. It is expected to be presented to the UNESCO Executive Board at is 200th session in
the October of 2016. As soon as the final report becomes available, it will be shared with the IOC
Member States through a circular letter.
12.
The main part of the Report follows below. It contains descriptions of specific activities and
is structured according to the six IOC “functions” in the Medium-Term Strategy,2014–2021
(IOC/INF-1314). Titles and meaning of the functions are reminded below:
•
Function A: Ocean research. Foster ocean research to strengthen knowledge of ocean and
coastal processes and human impacts upon them
•
Function B: Observing system / data management. Maintain, strengthen and integrate
global ocean observing, data and information systems
•
Function C: Early warning and services. Develop early warning systems and preparedness
to mitigate the risks of tsunamis and ocean-related hazards
•
Function D: Assessment and Information for policy. Support assessment and information
to improve the science-policy interface
•
Function E: Sustainable management and governance. Enhance ocean governance
through a shared knowledge base and improved regional cooperation
•
Function F: Capacity Development. Develop the institutional capacity in all of the functions
above, as a cross-cutting function
13.
In addition, the progress implementation report presented to the 199th UNESCO Executive
Board in April 2016 is available as 199 EX/4 Part I(A). The IOC programme and budget for 2016–
2017 was published in the 38 C/5 Approved (Major Programme II).
IOC/EC-XLIX/2 Annex 1 – page 4
FUNCTION A: OCEAN RESEARCH.
Foster ocean research to strengthen knowledge of ocean and coastal processes and human
impacts upon them
Climate Change & Ocean Acidification
14.
The IOC continues to engage in climate change and ocean acidification science in
particular. IOC is a member of the Executive Council of the Global Ocean Acidification Network
(GOA-ON). It provides support and leadership to activities including regional efforts in Latin
America, including the establishment of a Latin American Ocean Acidification Network. Two
important events in this relation were the meeting on 3-4 December 2015 in Concepcion, Chile and
the COLACMAR conference on 19-24 October 2015 in Santa Marta, Colombia. At the global level,
IOC co-organized the third GOA-ON workshop on 8-10 May 2016, in order to broaden the global
representation and to move forward in the implementation of biological observations of ocean
acidification. IOC supported several scientists so that they could participate in this network
meeting, which is expected to strongly feed into the Agenda 2030.
15.
IOC sponsors the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). The allocation of
additional regular programme resources at the end of end 2015 allowed IOC to contribute more
than was previously foreseen. WCRP has an extensive portfolio of activities at the recent meeting
of its Joint Scientific Committee added two topics to their ‘Grand Challenges’ namely: “Near-Term
Climate Prediction” to initiate and issue a “real time” Global Decadal Climate Outlook once per year
starting from 2016 and; “Biogeochemical Cycles and Climate Change” which hopefully will link with
e.g. IMBER. A WCRP/IOC Conference on future regional sea-level and its impacts is planned for
July 2017 in New York, USA.
16.
Marine ecosystems are not only a sink for ocean carbon, they are also a potential source
for it. The IOC continued its support for the Blue Carbon Initiative, co-organizing a workshop in
Zanzibar, Tanzania, in order to support the measurement programmes and knowledge in Africa.
17.
It is widely recognized that marine debris can have significant ecological, social and
economic impacts. The IOC was lead agency in the first cycle of the GESAMP Working Group 40
on “Sources, fate and effects of micro-plastics in the marine environment” and is now co-lead with
UNEP in the second cycle. A global assessment was published in the GESAMP Reports & Studies
Series, 91 in 2015. WG 40 met in Guayaquil, Ecuador, 3–5 November 2015, with one of its main
goals to produce a second report that fills the gaps in the first assessment and to specifically
inform the United Nations Environment Assembly meeting in May 2016.
18.
The IOC supports GESAMP Working Group 41 on marine geoengineering under the lead of
IMO and supported by WMO. The objective is to better understand the potential environmental
(and social/economic) impacts of different marine geoengineering approaches on the marine
environment; and to provide advice to the London Protocol Parties in identifying those marine
geoengineering techniques that might be sensible to consider for listing in the new Annex 4 of the
London Protocol. The IOC is focusing on integrated coastal research and coastal eutrophication
and linking nutrient sources to coastal ecosystem effects and management in particular. A key
component in the implementation strategy is a five-year Joint UNEP-IOC Global Environment
Facility (GEF) Project ‘Global foundations for reducing nutrient enrichment and oxygen depletion
from land-based pollution’, which will be completed by the end of 2016.
19.
A Global Ocean Oxygen Network (GO2NE) expert meeting took place on 12-13 December
2015 to develop terms of reference and a plan for the continuation of an interdisciplinary IOCUNESCO network. This group addresses many aspects mentioned before. A major concern is that
increased nutrient inputs and higher temperatures are both leading to an decrease of oxygen in the
watercolumn and at the seafloor in the open ocean and coastal areas. And even though this is
IOC/EC-XLIX/2 Annex 1 – page 5
expected to have severe impacts on ecosystem services provided by the ocean, no global body
exists to raise awareness for this threat.
20.
With regards to the activities on long-term Biogeochemical Time Series, the IOC
International Group for Marine Ecological Time Series (IGMETS) completed its draft report and
developed terms of reference for possible work continuation. A workshop organized by the IOC
(16-18 November 2015) was used to fill the gaps and improve the analysis presented in the report.
While the final document is envisaged to be published in July 2016, a map prepared with the
support by the scientists of IGMETS, highlighting the existing ship-based time series, is already
available.
21.
IOCAFRICA in collaboration with the Adaptation Fund organized a workshop on
Implementation of Climate Change Adaptation in the Coastal zones of Africa (24-26 August 2015
in Dakar, Senegal). The purpose of the workshop was to review trends in climate change,
vulnerability, potential impacts and adaptation strategies in response to climate change impacts on
the African coasts and oceans, and to provide training on the ways of preparing proposals for
submission to the Climate Change Adaptation Fund. The workshop was attended by
22 participants nominated by the IOC focal points and the Designated Agencies for the Adaptation
Fund in: Angola, Benin, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Guinea, Mauritania,
Morocco, Senegal, Seychelles, and Sudan. Participants noted that though expertise is now
available for climate change adaptation studies in the region, resources remain a major challenge
in many of the countries. The training provided at the Dakar workshop will enable the countries to
prepare proposals for submission to the Adaptation Fund and other potential funding sources.
22.
WESTPAC conducted its second regional workshop on the Research and Monitoring of the
Ecological Impacts of Ocean Acidification on Coral Reef Ecosystems in Phuket, Thailand,
26-28 August 2015, in order to assist selected pilot sites in the region in developing a set of
consistent, comparable and cost-effective “Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)”. Having
reviewed existing practices on carbonate chemistry and laboratory analysis, and biological
monitoring, the workshop finally established four working groups, respectively on Total Alkalinity,
Spectrophotometric pH, Biology, and Carbonate Collection and Handling. The third regional
workshop is scheduled for late 2016.
23.
IOCARIBE in collaboration with INVEMAR organized the International Symposium on
“Ocean Acidification and Carbon Dynamics” at the COLACMAR Conference 19-24 October 2015 in
Santa Marta, Colombia.
IOC Global Ocean Science Report (GOSR)
24.
The drafting process for the Global Ocean Science Report (GOSR), which will review ocean
science human and technical capacity; ocean science funding situation, and the scientific output, is
well underway. A questionnaire sent to all IOC Member States was answered by 33 Member
States. The submitted information will be combined with other data sources to provide the basis for
the GOSR. An interdisciplinary IOC Editorial Board for the GOSR was established and met on
24-26 May 2016 in Helsingor, Denmark to analyze data available to GOSR, identify data gaps,
review chapters discuss strategy for completing the report.
Second International Indian Ocean Expedition (IIOE-2)
25.
This section documents the discussion under EC Agenda item 4.1.4. As requested through
IOC Resolution XXVIII-1 on IIOE-2, the IOC IIOE-2 Interim Planning Committee (Group of Experts)
developed an IIOE-2 Implementation Strategy, released as part of the IIOE-2 launch on
4 December 2015 in Goa, India. The IIOE-2 Science Plan was also released on that occasion,
along with the IIOE-2 website www.iioe-2.incois.gov.in. The oceanic and related climatic research
that is to be driven through the IIOE-2 Science Plan focusses on six over-arching themes: human
impacts; boundary current dynamics, upwelling variability and ecosystem impacts; monsoon
IOC/EC-XLIX/2 Annex 1 – page 6
variability and ecosystem response; circulation, climate variability and change; extreme events and
their impacts on ecosystems and human populations; and unique geological, physical,
biogeochemical and ecological features of the Indian Ocean. The IIOE-2 Steering Committee,
currently being established under the auspices of the IIOE-2 Co-Chairs with support from the IIOE2 Joint Project Office, provides a range of entry points for Member States in terms of membership
to facilitate the realization of the science imperatives of IIOE-2.
26.
A significant objective of the IIOE-2 Science Plan is the characterization and a study of
predictability of the Indian Ocean’s key oceanic and coupled atmospheric phenomena, which
themselves link to extremes that can have profound impacts on humans, including monsoonal
effects, waves, storms, precipitation/flooding, droughts, heat waves, etc. In this context, the Indian
Ocean Dipole, the Madden Julian Oscillation and coupling between sea surface features and
cyclone genesis and behaviour are exemplars of some of the basin wide features being examined
under IIOE-2.
27.
A number of major research initiatives, bringing together stakeholders from multiple
countries, are already underway or planned. These include the respective Eastern and Western
Indian Ocean Upwelling Research Initiatives and consolidations of many research projects aligned
with IIOE-2 through science alliances under IOGOOS, CLIVAR and IMBER. IIOE-2 research
cruises have begun (e.g. three to date out of India) and many more are already committed or being
considered through the auspices of a growing number of national commitments. IIOE-2 will
contribute to Global Ocean Observing System by completing the Indian Ocean Observing System
(IndOOS) as originally planned through the Indian Ocean Panel of IOGOOS/CLIVAR and will now
be further enhanced under the IIOE-2 science framework.
28.
A major focus of the IIOE-2 is the transfer of knowledge and Capacity Development, as
expressed in the IIOE-2 Implementation Strategy (IPC, 2015). This is driven by the Capacity
Development Working Group, which includes a component for aspiring and emerging young
stakeholders through the IIOE-2 Early Career Scientists Network (ECSN). Important collaboration
has been established with the IODE component of the IOC Capacity Development programme,
both through the related IOC Ostend office and IODE stakeholders. The early cruises of the IIOE-2
are implementing the IIOE-2’s promise to provide explicit opportunities for people from developing
countries to participate materially onboard and in the science of IIOE-2 research cruises, as
occurred for the first IIOE-2 cruise, Goa-Mauritius, 4-22 December 2015, run by India. Other
initiatives have already begun to be implemented, such as the IIOE-2 related training workshop on
Research Data Management recently held in Malaysia for participants from the Indian Ocean Rim
countries. The emerging Early Career Scientists Network is already developing a framework paper
and have established a peer group of practice, including through the use of social media. The
engagement of IOCINDIO, IOCAFRICA and WESTPAC with IIOE-2 focuses the transfer of
knowledge and capacity throughout their respective constituencies.
29.
Early IIOE-2 scientific symposia are already under planning, including: for Perth, Australia
during 30 January to 3 February 2017; and for Cape Town during 27 August to 1 September 2017
in conjunction with the IAPSO-IAGA-IAMAS joint meeting. WESTPAC, IOCAFRICA and IOCINDIO
are all actively planning IIOE-2 engagement through their respective forums, already leading to
tangible related actions.
30.
The group of experts established by IOCAFRICA to develop a plan for participation of the
Western Indian Ocean countries in the Second International Indian Ocean held a meeting with
heads of marine institutions from the region (6–8 October 2015, Catembe, Mozambique) and
identified the following six priorities topics for the region: habitat mapping and living resources
inventory; connectivity and genetics; air-sea interactions, climate variability and extreme events
such as cyclones and storm surges; structural features of the WIO seabed; coastal and shelf
hydrodynamics; and upwelling and food security. The group of experts is now consolidating the
national IIOE-2 work plans submitted by Member States from the region into a WIO regional work
plan for IIOE-2, which will be available at the end of June 2016.
IOC/EC-XLIX/2 Annex 1 – page 7
FUNCTION B: OBSERVING SYSTEM / DATA MANAGEMENT
Maintain, strengthen and integrate global ocean observing, data and information systems
Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS)
31.
Tracking of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) targets for climate observations
shows that Member States have maintained and slightly improved coverage of the global ocean by
in situ observations in 2015-2016. The GOOS work plan remains focused on: (i) articulating goals
and milestones for implementation; (ii) sustaining present observations and expanding to new
variables serving new requirements using the Framework for Ocean Observing; (iii) improving
implementation through GOOS Regional Alliances; and (iv) developing projects. Despite limited
resources from IOC Regular Programme, the work plan remains achievable with a distributed
GOOS Project Office led from IOC HQ, but drawing on in-kind contributions from numerous
Member States. The work to expand GOOS with panels for biogeochemical and
biology/ecosystems was reinforced with the allocation of additional regular programme resources
at the end of 2015. A GOOS five-year plan with targets for implementation will be released in 2016.
GOOS has engaged strongly with the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) by serving on its
Programme Board and as an observer to its Executive Committee, in order to ensure a strong role
for ocean observations in the value chain linking observations, data management, forecasting
systems and assessments, to societal benefit for users. Preliminary planning for an OceanObs’19
conference in 2019 has begun. Regular communication and webinars with the GOOS community
can be subscribed to at ioc-goos.org/join.
32.
Responding to increasing requirements to monitor ocean health, supporting sustainable
exploitation of ocean ecosystem services, the GOOS Biology and Ecosystems Panel met in
February 2016, and has taken a dual approach to defining Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs) and
an observing approach, based on analysis of the monitoring needs of global and regional
conventions, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), as well as a survey of present
long-term observing infrastructure for biological and ecosystems variables.
33.
The Tropical Pacific in 2020 Project (tpos2020.org) is producing an interim report for
publication in July 2016, which will provide Member States with options to review for a redesigned
and refined tropical Pacific observing system monitoring the El Niño / Southern Oscillation system.
IOC continues leading work for the European Commission Horizon 2020 AtlantOS Project, which
will deliver a more integrated, user-driven, and sustainable Atlantic Ocean observing system by
2019.
34.
IOCARIBE-GOOS produced near the end of 2015 an updated inventory of operational and
pre-operational oceanographic modelling capabilities, the Essential Observing Variables measured
and observing resources and equipment, institutions and marine programmes (B.Sc., M.Sc. Ph.D.
post-grad), and expert groups by country in the Americas and the Caribbean.
GOOS Regional Alliances (GRAs)
35.
GRAs constitute another important pillar of GOOS implementation. An assessment of the
GRAs discussed at their Seventh Forum (22-24 September 2015, Heraklion, Greece) revealed with
clarity the heterogeneity of the governance and funding models. The GRAs have engaged with the
other structures of GOOS and JCOMM, and have identified a common work plan based on: (i)
developing pilot projects that link GRAs within a geographic region in mutual assistance; (ii) piloting
the inclusion of GOOS of new networks operated by the GRAs, such as HF radar; and (iii) using
the approach of EOVs across the GRAs to identify requirements for regional observing systems.
36.
WESTPAC has been promoting the value of sustained ocean observations and services in
the region through the coordination and development of the North-East Asian-Regional GOOS
(NEAR-GOOS) and South East Asian Regional GOOS (SEAGOOS). WESTPAC convened the
sixteenth session of its Coordinating Committee for the North-East Asian Regional-Global Ocean
IOC/EC-XLIX/2 Annex 1 – page 8
Observing System (NEAR-GOOS-CC-XVI), in Tokyo, Japan, on 8-9 December 2015. While
enhancing its efforts to provide a variety of oceanographic data and products to serve the needs of
a wide range of ocean users, NEAR-GOOS will also endeavour to engage broader observation
communities by initiating joint observation programmes within the framework of NEAR-GOOS.
37.
IOCAFRICA, in anticipation of further development of an African Ocean Observations
System, undertook a review of the status of the sea-level observations network in Africa. Also, in
collaboration with the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA) and the
Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Climate Prediction and Application Centre,
IOCAFRICA organized in Nairobi, Kenya, on 17-22 August 2015, a workshop on Ocean
Forecasting for the Western Indian Ocean region. The results were incorporated in the regional
climate outlook for the Greater Horn of Africa and also presented at a special session on Ocean
Forecasting for WIO at the 9th WIOMSA Scientific Symposium, 26-31 October 2015, Durban,
South Africa.
The Joint WMO-IOC Technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology
38.
JCOMM remains a focal point for joint work in observations, data management, and
services between the IOC and WMO. At its Management Committee meeting (17-20 October
2015, Bologna, Italy) it reviewed progress in preparation for a Fifth Session of the Commission to
be held in October 2017 in Indonesia. The JCOMM Observations Coordination Group, with
representation from major global observing networks, is a core contributor to implementation of
GOOS, and continues its work programme focused on refining observing requirements, targets for
implementation, best practices and standards, interfacing with data management and improving
interoperability, and managing common technical coordination of in situ observing networks
through the JCOMM Observing Programme Support Centre (JCOMMOPS). JCOMMOPS is hosted
by Ifremer in Brest, France and supported entirely on extrabudgetary funding, providing direct
technical coordination to most of the JCOMM in situ observing programmes. It is completing the
development of a web-based services platform providing tools for the management of observing
networks (www.jcommops.org), as well as continuing the daily tasks of support to operators of
ocean observing systems. The Group of Experts for the Global Sea Level Observing System met
on 19-23 October 2015 in Dona Paula, India, and reviewed the status of the Core Network and
agreed to actions to improve tracking and data availability. A new JCOMM Task Team has started
work on the integration of oceanographic data systems, including data from observing networks
and forecast systems, into the WMO Information System (WIS).
39.
The JCOMM Services and Forecast Systems Programme Area has continued coordination
of service delivery across IOC and WMO teams, with a focus on best practices and standards. The
JCOMM Expert Team on Operational Ocean Forecast Systems (ETOOFS) will publish its Guide by
the end of 2016, forming a basis for the development of new ocean forecast systems and delivery
of local services.
40.
As part of coastal hazards forecasting / warning systems development in the Caribbean and
Adjacent Regions, IOCARIBE is actively working with WMO within the JCOMM framework in the
development and implementation of the Coastal Inundation Forecasting Demonstration Project for
the Caribbean (CIFDP-C). The Pilot is developed for the Hispaniola Island (Dominican Republic
and Haiti). The national partners include the meteorological services, hydrological institutions,
cartographic and geological services, and ministries of environment, and USA National Hurricane
Centre. This is one of the sub-projects developed by JCOMM to implement an operational system
for integrated coastal inundation forecasting and warning, providing objective basis for coastal
disaster (flooding) management. The 2nd meeting of the Coastal Inundation Forecasting
Demonstration Project-Caribbean was held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on 27-30 April
2016 in ONAMET; and JCOMM 6th Meeting of the Coastal Inundation Forecasting Demonstration
Project Steering Group took place in Miami on 16-18 November 2015.
IOC/EC-XLIX/2 Annex 1 – page 9
The WMO-IOC-ICSU-UNEP Global Climate Observing System (GCOS)
41.
The links between GOOS and the WMO-IOC-ICSU-UNEP Global Climate Observing
System (GCOS) remain strong, through its joint Ocean Observations Panel for Climate (OOPC),
and the work on improving the observations of Essential Climate Variables (climate-relevant
Essential Ocean Variables). GCOS is seen by the UNFCCC's Subsidiary Body for Scientific and
Technical Advice (SBSTA) as its main partner in work supporting the Party's needs for “systematic
observations”, language that was retained in the Paris Agreement adopted at COP-21 in
December 2015. At COP-21, GCOS delivered to UNFCCC Subsidiary Body for Scientific and
Technological Advice (SBSTA) a report on the "Status of the Global Observing System for Climate
(GCOS-194, GCOS-195), and has worked in collaboration with all three GOOS Panels (physics,
biogeochemistry, biology and ecosystems) to develop a new Implementation Plan for climate
observations that will be submitted to the UNFCCC/SBSTA at COP-22. A draft plan will be issued
for comment in July 2016, and will incorporate additional attention to the major climate cycles
(energy, water, carbon) as well as the needs for monitoring to support both mitigation and
adaptation to climate change.
The IOC Committee on International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE)
42.
Several Ocean Data and Information Networks (ODINs) held their steering group meetings
during the inter-sessional period: (i) the ODIN for European Countries in Economic Transition
(ODINECET) met in Rome, Italy on 7 September 2015; (ii) the ODIN for the Black Sea region
(ODINBLACKSEA) met in Varna between 28 September – 1 October. The meeting designated
Mr Murat Elge (Turkey) as its new Chair; (iii) the ODIN for the WESTPAC region held an advisory
group meeting in Tianjin, China on 27-28 January 2016. It is expected that the IODE ODIN projects
will now be re-invigorated taking into account the need for IODE to serve the other IOC functions.
43.
The joint IAMSLIC/IODE Group of Experts on Marine Information Management met for its
first session in Rome, Italy on 4-5 September. IAMSLIC is the International Association of Aquatic
and Marine Science Libraries and Information Centres, an important professional association
grouping hundreds of marine and freshwater librarians, now assuming the role of information
managers, or knowledge brokers. Through the alliance with the IODE/GEMIM a much larger
audience of marine information managers will be reached by IODE.
44.
In this regard, the first session of the IODE Steering Group for the OceanKnowledge project
met in Ostend (IODE Office) on 12-14 October 2015. The OceanKnowledge Platform will offer the
user a single access point to various linked IODE information and data products such as
researcher profiles, publications, data, learning objects, etc. and will furthermore facilitate social
networking between specialized research communities.
45.
The IODE Officers met in Ostend, Belgium on 20-22 January 2016. They reviewed
progress with the IODE-XXIII work plan and revised the work plan and budget based upon updated
information on available resources for the 2016–2017 biennium.
46.
The Steering Group for the Caribbean Marine Atlas Phase 2 project held its second session
in Cartagena, Colombia on 3-5 February 2016 where it further detailed its work plan and also
demonstrated the first version of the new online Atlas. The Caribbean Marine Atlas is developing
rapidly thanks to the effective leadership of the project management host institution INVEMAR in
Colombia. The expertise of that host institution is now being shared with the African Coastal and
Marine Atlas (ACMA) project as an excellent example of South-South collaboration.
47.
The OceanTeacher Global Academy project held its second annual steering group meeting
in Ostend, Belgium on 8-11 March 2016. The meeting designated INVEMAR (Colombia), KMFRI
(Kenya), INCOIS (India) and INOS-UMT (Malaysia) as OceanTeacher Global Academy Regional
Training Centres after they successfully implemented their first OTGA training courses in 2015.
Another five Regional Training Centres kept their candidate status until the next performance
IOC/EC-XLIX/2 Annex 1 – page 10
assessment [NCOSM-NMDIS (China), ESCCM-UEM (Mozambique), ISRA-CRODT (Senegal),
AfriCOG (South Africa), NSU (USA)]. Between July 2015 and April 2016 a total of 12 training
courses were held, organized by or in cooperation with the OceanTeacher Global Academy.
48.
Data management activities require the coordination and planning not only during the data
acquisition phase but the subsequent assembly and curation of the data. IODE therefore published
the Guidelines for a Data Management Plan (IOC Manuals and Guides, 73) which provides
guidance on steps to prepare a data management plan, the activities to consider and suggested
actions. This document will be widely distributed to IOC stakeholders and will be included as a
course module in OceanTeacher Global Academy curriculum. It is of interest to research scientists
involved in research cruises, projects or research organizations.
49.
During the inter-sessional period IODE continued its re-organization focusing on product
and service-oriented projects both of global and regional focus. IODE now implements (or
collaborates in) 21 global projects and also continues the development and implementation of
seven regional projects (the ODINs). For instance, ODINAFRICA products and services have been
reviewed and made available online through a revamped ODINAFRICA website,
www.odinafrica.org. IODE also continues its restructuring that started with the Associate Data
Units (ADUs). IODE-XXIII established three inter-sessional working groups that will lead to a more
streamlined and result oriented IODE: (i) to propose the restructuring of IODE; (ii) to revise the IOC
strategic plan for oceanographic data and information exchange; and (iii) to create an IOC
communication and outreach strategy for data and information management. These groups started
their work during the inter-sessional period and will report to IODE-XXIV in March 2017. The aim is
to evolve IODE into a lean but highly efficient international oceanographic data and information
coordination and sharing mechanism involving both its traditional communities as well as the wider
ocean science and observation communities which increasingly manage and serve their own data.
50.
The IOC Project Office for IODE is continuing to assist all IOC programmes with the hosting
and technical management of their web sites and associated tools and products such as
OceanExpert, OceanDocs, OceanDataPractices, OceanDataStandards, OceanDataPortal, etc.
51.
Collaboration between IODE and other IOC programmes, taking into account the six
functions defined in the current Medium-Term Strategy is continuing with IODE’s participation in
HAB through HAEDAT and DIPS, with IOC-MPR through SPINCAM and LME:Learn. Additionally,
IODE assists other IOC Programmes in its capacity development activities by hosting training
courses and workshop contents on the OceanTeacher e-Learning Platform.
Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS)
52.
In 2014 the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS) grew, with 3.5 million records
between July 2015 and April 2016, to a total of 46 million records. Not less than 29 publications
have cited OBIS in the first three months of 2016. OBIS is organized around national, regional and
thematic OBIS nodes, which are responsible for the data flow from data providers to the central
OBIS node, including ensuring the quality of the data. The OBIS secretariat at the IODE Project
Office integrates all the data in a central open-access database. Two important new OBIS nodes
were established. The international secretariat of the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna
(CAFF) has become the Arctic node of OBIS. CAFF (www.caff.is) is the biodiversity working group
of the Arctic Council and has the mandate in the Arctic region to coordinate and support open
access to marine biodiversity data and to support marine biodiversity assessments and monitoring.
The other group that joined OBIS is the Oceans Past Initiative (OPI), which is a global research
network for marine historical research. Their goal is to enhance knowledge and understanding of
how the diversity, distribution and abundance of marine life in the world’s oceans has changed
over the long-term to better indicate future changes and possibilities, and to contribute to the
sustainable use of marine systems.
IOC/EC-XLIX/2 Annex 1 – page 11
53.
The 23rd session of the IOC Committee on IODE (March 2015, Bruges) recognized the
need to develop procedures and guidelines for managing and sharing datasets that hold both
species occurrences as well as environmental measurements and therefore established a 2-year
pilot project “Expanding OBIS with environmental data (OBIS-ENV-DATA). OBIS-ENV-DATA
involves an international network of 11 institutions from 10 countries in North America, South
America, Europe, Africa and Oceania. Their first workshop took place on 5-7 October 2015 in
Ostend (Belgium). A new data standard to manage and exchange these “combined” datasets will
be published in a peer-review paper and be presented for adoption at the next session of the IOC
Committee for IODE in 2017.
54.
IOC is also involved in the European Commission Horizon 2020 ECOPOTENTIAL project
Making Earth Observation and Monitoring Data usable for ecosystem modelling and services. This
project is Europe's contribution to GEO Ecosystems, one of the nine social benefit areas of the
Group on Earth Observations (GEO). It will use Earth Observation and in situ monitoring data and
new modelling approaches to assess ecosystem services in current and future conditions, and use
this information for planning and management of protected areas (of which several UNESCO
heritage sites). The IOC, together with the University of Western Brittany (France) and other
partners, are building a pilot study based on the distribution of cetacean populations and
associated benefits to humans in the Pelagos Sanctuary (Mediterranean). The Ocean
Biogeographic Information System (OBIS) plays an important role in data and information
management and acts as a data sharing facility.
IHO-IOC General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO)
55.
Upon approval and endorsement by both IOC and IHO, the revised Terms of Reference
and Rules of Procedure (TOR-ROP) for the Joint IHO-IOC GEBCO Guiding Committee (GGC) are
effective as of 11 September 2015. In accordance with the revised TOR-ROP, the 32nd GGC
meeting was held on 8-9 October 2015 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and was attended by IOC
Secretariat as a permanent Observer. Following Assembly Decision IOC-XXVIII/6.2(II), the review
group with regard to IOC’s role and involvement in the GEBCO project has been established, and
has evaluated the results of a questionnaire survey on user needs for GEBCO datasets and
products. These results will be considered under item 4.4 (document IOC/EC-XLIX/2 Annex 8 and
Addendum).
FUNCTION C: EARLY WARNING AND SERVICES
Develop early warning systems and preparedness to mitigate the risks of tsunamis and oceanrelated hazards
Intergovernmental Coordination Group (ICG) Tsunami Warning Systems
56.
The main elements of the Tsunami Programme focus on: (i) secretariat support to the
Intergovernmental Coordination Groups (ICG) and respective technical working groups and task
teams under the four regional Tsunami Warning and Mitigation Systems in the Caribbean, Indian
Ocean, Pacific and North-East Atlantic, Mediterranean and connected seas; and (ii) preparedness
and awareness course and workshops. This section is also documented under agenda item 3.4 of
the Executive Council.
57.
The intergovernmental coordination process raises awareness about the tsunami threat and
provides advocacy for nations’ investments in early warning systems. Two ICG sessions were
held: 12th session of ICG of the North East Atlantic and Mediterranean Tsunami Warning and
Mitigation System (ICG/NEAMTWS) in Dublin, Ireland (IOC/ICG/NEAMTWS-XII/3), and;
11th Session of the ICG for the Tsunami and Other Coastal Hazards Warning System for the
Caribbean and Adjacent Regions in Cartagena, Colombia (IOC/ICG/CARIBE-EWS-XI/3s). Major
developments under ICG/NEAMTWS include the finalization of accreditation procedures for
Candidate Tsunami Service Providers. The CTSPs in NEAMTWS have applied for accreditation
and the evaluation process has started. A decision was taken to carry out a tsunami wave exercise
IOC/EC-XLIX/2 Annex 1 – page 12
in 2017 (NEAMWAVE 17). Major developments under ICG/CARIBE-EWS were that the Pacific
Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) henceforth be referred to as a CARIBE-EWS Tsunami Service
Provider (removing the term “Interim”). This recommendation is related to PTWC meeting the
criteria established in the CARIBE-EWS Tsunami Service Model and to its successful operational
performance since 2005 in support of CARIBE-EWS in a TSP role. An ICG/CARIBE-EWS task
team was established to consider procedures for addressing the threat of tsunamis from volcanic
eruptions, and in response to the submarine volcano Kick ‘em Jenny (north of Grenada) most
recent eruption in July 2015. The task team recommended establishment of a group of experts for
advising the ICG-CARIBE-EWS on the work and implementation plan for enhancing the warning
system by including other coastal hazards. Finally, it was decided to carry out CARIBEWAVE17 on
21 March 2017.
58.
Inter-ICG coordination and harmonization takes place in the Working Group on Tsunami
and other Hazards related to Sea-Level Warning and Mitigation Systems (TOWS-WG) which met
on 25–26 February 2016 in Paris (IOC/TOWS-WG-IX/3). Major outcomes of that meeting included
completion of a Standard Operating Procedure Manual and the Global Service Definition
Document.
59.
The Tsunami Unit organized or co-organized 19 preparedness and awareness activities
over the past year. Several in-country trainings on Tsunami Warning and Emergency Response
and use of the PTWC Enhanced Products for National Tsunami Threat Decision-Making took place
in the South West Pacific, specifically in Tonga (24-27 August 2015), Solomon Islands
(22-25 September 2015) and Cook Islands (16-19 November 2015). Several workshops on
tsunami hazard assessment designed to provide the best available scientific advice towards
tsunami preparedness were organized(16-18 November 2015, Xiamen, China; (6-7 May 2016,
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; 23-24 June 2016, San Jose, Costa Rica).
60.
The Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (IOTWMS) is focusing more
attention on developing capacity in risk assessment and management and on community
awareness and preparedness to help ensure more appropriate responses to tsunami warning
information. To this end, IOC organized two regional workshops on coastal hazard and risk
assessment in Colombo, Sri Lanka and in Seychelles. A regional workshop on training modules for
tsunami exercise policy support was also organized in Jakarta, Indonesia.
61.
A sub-regional Working Group under ICG/IOTWMS was established for the North West
Indian Ocean to enhance regional cooperation on end-to-end tsunami warning and mitigation
between the countries at potential risk from the Makran subduction zone. The group held its
inaugural meeting in Muscat, Oman in October 2015 and was attended by 28 participants and
observers from the four regional Member States and other organizations. The group agreed to
implement a number of collaborative activities and agreed that each Member State would share
data from three seismic stations in real time with other members of the group.
62.
The 70th anniversary of the 1945 Makran earthquake and tsunami was commemorated on
28th November 2015. IOC and the Indian Ocean Tsunami Information Centre (IOTIC) assisted the
countries of the region: India, Iran, Oman and Pakistan to commemorate the event by developing
and producing 1945 Makran tsunami exhibition panels in Urdu, Farsi, Arabic and English
languages. The panels were used to support exhibitions in each of the four countries and an
international conference in Karachi, Pakistan.
63.
The conduct of regular tests is essential to ensure good communication links between the
Tsunami Service Providers and the National Tsunami Warning Centres and to maintain the
operational readiness of the four regional tsunami-warning systems. Similarly, regular exercises
contribute to the maintenance of end-to-end operational readiness including the link from the
warning centre to community. Two tsunami wave exercises have been carried out over the past
year. The exercises are designed to assess the effectiveness of communication flows among the
stakeholders involved, country readiness, and the efficiency of emergency procedures. The
IOC/EC-XLIX/2 Annex 1 – page 13
exercises also create considerable awareness in the public. The Tsunami Wave exercises:
(i) PacWave16, Exercise Pacific Wave 16, for the Pacific Ocean took place on 1–5 February 2016;
and (ii) CaribeWave 16 for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions took place on 17 March 2016.
64.
The PacWave16 exercise was designed to test the new Northwest Pacific Tsunami
Advisory Center (NWPTAC) enhanced products, which consist of an initial text message prepared
from pre-established tsunami database information. It is followed by text messages accompanied
by graphical products that are based on real-time simulation techniques. PacWave16 and a similar
exercise in 2017 are experimental phases of a full transition to the new products due in 2018.
65.
CaribeWave16 was the fifth such exercise and 32 Members States and 15 territories
participated in it. A total of 331,000 people participated. This represents an increase of 73% from
2015 (191,000 participants). According to the registration system hosted by TsunamiZone.org and
information provided by the Member States, Puerto Rico had the largest number of participants
with 140,875 people, followed by Guadeloupe with 62,928 and Venezuela with 60,822. The British
Virgin Islands activated 16% of its population with 4,762 participants.
66.
The IOTWMS continues to conduct biannual communications tests in June and December
each year and the participation rate is generally about 85-90% of active National Tsunami Warning
Centres. An Indian Ocean Wave exercise (IOWave16) will be held in September 2016 with the key
goal of achieving community level participation in more countries. IOC organized a pre-IOWave16
SOP workshop was held in Melbourne, Australia in May 2016.
67.
Many Member States contribute with national investments and in-kind support towards the
Tsunami programme. Through renewed extra-budgetary projects and partnerships IOC/TSU has
also maintained activities to raise the level of awareness and preparedness in Haiti and Dominican
Republic (through EU DG ECHO funded projects). IOTIC also has received funding from the
Malaysian Fund in Trust to implement an extra budgetary project in 2015-2016 for south-south
cooperation on “Fostering Tsunami Preparedness, Response and Mitigation in the Indian Ocean
Small Island Developing States and Developing Countries”. More recently a €0.5 million project
has been approved for four Central American countries (El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and
Nicaragua) to help strengthen inter-agency coordination mechanisms on early warning for
tsunamis and other ocean-related hazards. Monaco and the Netherlands has committed funding
towards the CARIBE-EWS and the Caribbean Tsunami Information Center, and Australia
continued its support for the year to the IOTWS secretariat.
The IOC Intergovernmental Panel on HABs (IPHAB)
68.
A number of Task Teams, working groups and activities are operating and reporting to the
IOC Intergovernmental Panel on HABs (IPHAB). Several of the groups contribute to the
development of a “Global HAB Status Report” with the aims of compiling an overview of HAB
events and their societal impacts; providing a worldwide appraisal of the occurrence of toxinproducing microalgae; and assessing the status and probability of change in HAB frequencies,
intensities, and range resulting from environmental changes at the local and global scale. The
development of this report is intimately linked with the systematic compilation of HAB data in OBIS
and the IOC Harmful Algal Event Data base (HAEDAT) and is funded by Flanders (Belgium) and
cosponsored by IAEA.
69.
Another key activity under IPHAB is on Ciguatera Fish Poisoning (CFP), which is the most
extensive human illness caused by harmful algae. The IPHAB has initiated the development of a
UN Coordinated Ciguatera Strategy involving the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations (FAO), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and the World Health Organization
(WHO).
70.
Experts from HAB-Algas Nocivas del Caribe Working Group (HAB-ANCA), participated in
the IAEA-IOC Regional Training Course on Ciguatera Fish Poisoning Field Monitoring and Toxin
IOC/EC-XLIX/2 Annex 1 – page 14
Data Management held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, October 2015. HAB-ANCA is
leading an initiative to implement the IOC Ciguatera Strategy and is developing a project focused
on Ciguatera-causing organisms, toxins, contaminated seafood and epidemiology in the
IOCARIBE Region. HAB-ANCA published the book “Ciguatera: Potential Risk for Humans:
Frequent Questions,” in Spanish and English. Also, as a follow up of IOCARIBE and WESTPAC
Member States recommendation, both region’s HAB Groups are working on a joint project on
Ciguatera to share expertise and lessons learnt.
The IOC-SCOR research programme GlobalHAB
71.
The long-term focus of the IOC Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) programme is to improve
understanding of the factors controlling HAB events and thereby improve their management and
mitigation options. The scientific key questions were for a decade addressed through the joint IOCScientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR) research programme GEOHAB (Global
Ecology and Oceanography of HAB), which through IOC decision IOC-XXVIII/8.3 was transformed
and continued as a new decadal research programme jointly with SCOR to meet societal needs in
a changing world. This initiative, entitled GlobalHAB, held its first Scientific Steering Committee
meeting in Oban, UK, in March 2016 and is now developing its implementation plan as well as
already implementing some activities.
72.
Responding to the sudden occurrences of harmful algal blooms and associated massive
fish mortalities in several WESTPAC countries since March 2016, WESTPAC has been providing
immediate technical assistance upon these countries’ requests. Several expert missions and an
impromptu regional consultation were conducted in time in order to assist Member States to
identify responsible species, analyze their causes, and provide possible mitigation measures.
73.
In recent years mass occurrences of the brown algae genus Sargassum have been
increasing and pose a major problem to coastal States in the Americas, especially in the Wider
Caribbean and West Africa, affecting fisheries, tourism and other ecosystem services. Aware that
the IOC Member States have an urgent need for enhancing their capacity to manage and mitigate
Sargassum mass occurrences and landings, IOC proposes developing a project with two main
components: (i) identification of research priorities to understand Sagassum growth dynamics and
to develop improved management and mitigation technologies for Sargassum landing; and (ii)
targeted capacity enhancement for Sargassum landing management and mitigation in affected
Member States.
FUNCTION D: ASSESSMENT AND INFORMATION FOR POLICY
Support assessment and information to improve the science-policy interface
World Ocean Assessment (WOA) report under the UN Regular Process
74.
The 1st World Ocean Assessment report under the United Nations was finalized in
December 2015. Hundreds of scientists from many countries, representing various disciplines and
steered by a 22-member Group of Experts, examined the state of knowledge of the world’s ocean
and the ways in which humans benefit from and affect it. IOC contributed to this effort by providing
scientific and technical support throughout this five-year process. A new cycle of assessment
(2016–2020) was endorsed by the UNGA in December 2015. As solicited by the co-chairs of the
Ad Hoc Working group (governing body of WOA), IOC provided its assessment on lessons learned
in the implementation of the first cycle.
Transboundary Water Assessment Programme (TWAP) funded by GEF
75.
IOC completed the implementation of the marine components of the Transboundary Water
Assessment Programme (TWAP) funded by GEF. The project started in March 2013 with the
establishment of technical expert groups for Open Ocean and Large Marine Ecosystems. The
IOC/EC-XLIX/2 Annex 1 – page 15
project provides a number of core ecological, socio-economic and governance indicators for the
marine environment (66 Large Marine Ecosystems and Open Ocean areas) using globally
available datasets. To achieve this integrated assessment, IOC has created a partnership with a
number of scientific institutions that are providing technical inputs and indicator-based products
(NOAA, GESAMP, International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), University of British
Colombia, UNEP, World Conservation Monitoring Center (WCMC), Centre for Resource
Management and Environmental Studies (CERMES), amongst others). These assessment product
(technical reports and data) are available on http://onesharedocean.org and have been unveiled at
the recent GEF International Water Conference (May 2016, Sri Lanka) and UN Environment
Assembly (Nairobi, May 2016).
New OBIS products supporting ocean assessments
76.
OBIS contributes to several ocean assessments. Data from OBIS was used in three
chapters of the World Ocean Assessment and provided a baseline information biodiversity
knowledge for the GEF Transboundary Water Assessment. OBIS is recognized as a key source of
information for the upcoming global (including the ocean) assessment as part of the
Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). OBIS is also
recognized by the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity as a primary source of data for
the identification of Ecologically or Biologically Significant Areas. Through DIPS-4-Ocean
Assessments project (a Flanders’ UNESCO Science Trust-Fund project), more indicators and
products on OBIS are currently under development. They will support Member States in their
reporting obligations on progress towards the Aichi Biodiversity targets.
FUNCTION E: SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNANCE
Enhance ocean governance through a shared knowledge base and improved regional cooperation
Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) and Integrated Coastal Area Management (ICAM)
77.
Marine Policy and Regional Coordination Section of IOC-UNESCO (IOC-MPR) is currently
documenting the international practices on MSP advances. This involves documentation of ocean
planning practice world-wide through a detailed survey sent to more than 300 national experts
involved in marine policy making. A summary of "lessons learned" from over 40-50 global
initiatives will serve as the basis for an online update of the UNESCO/IOC Manuals and Guides,
53 on MSP (2009) including a remodeling of the UNESCO website dedicated to MSP. IOC will
strengthen the international network of MSP practitioners through the organization of the second
international IOC Conference on MSP in 2017 and subsequent documentation and publications
that will be jointly organized with the Directorate-General for Martime Affaires and Fisheries of the
European Commission.
78.
The partners of the Southeast Pacific data and Information Network in support to Integrated
Coastal Area Management (SPINCAM-II) project have commonly developed during the last year
an agreed core set of indicators on population dynamics, traditional fisheries sustainability,
coastal infrastructures, key coastal ecosystems, coastal economy and coastal vulnerability. The
indicators will inform the implementation of national and regional coastal management policies. The
indicators have been implemented at national level in order to provide a homogenous regional
overview on the state of the coastal and marine environment in the Southeast Pacific. The
SPINCAM Regional Atlas (http://www.atlasspincam.net) has been completed and will be sustained
in the future by the Permanent Commission for the South East Pacific (CPPS), the regional partner
of the project (www.atlasspincam.net).
79.
IOC is participating in the consortium of AQUACROSS (2015-2019) funded by the
European Commission (H2020). AQUACROSS aims to support EU efforts to enhance the
resilience and stop the loss of biodiversity of aquatic ecosystems as well as to ensure the ongoing
and future provision of aquatic ecosystem services. It focuses on advancing the knowledge base
IOC/EC-XLIX/2 Annex 1 – page 16
and application of the ecosystem-based management concept for aquatic ecosystems by
developing cost effective measures and integrated management practices. IOC-MPR is leading the
design and implementation of the information platform as a support to the scientific knowledge
pillar of the project by providing a single point of access to both the internally produced and
external data compiled by project partners, scientists and general public. The information platform
adheres to both the INSPIRE Directive and the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) principles
regarding interoperability. Together with the Government of Andalusia (Spain) and the Moroccan
authorities, IOC is developing the pilot case study at the Intercontinental Biosphere Reserve of the
Mediterranean, Andalusia (Spain)-Morocco, with the objective to identify nature-based solutions to
establish a strong network of green and blue infrastructures.
Large Marine Ecosystem (LME) programme
The LME:Learn project led by IOC and UNDP was funded by the Global Environmental Facility. It
will create a new Community of Practice dedicated to Large Marine Ecosystems (LME). LME:Learn
will be implemented by IOC in partnership with NOAA, ICES, UNDP, IUCN, and Conservation
International in the next three years. In March 2016 IOC together with the GEF IW: Learn project
organized the kick-off meeting of the project to define the work agenda and the immediate common
actions. A dedicated technical secretariat has been established at IOC to facilitate the sharing of
knowledge related to transboundary water management, the building of technical capacity, as well
as supporting South-to-South and North-to-South learning through effective regional networks of
freshwater and marine practitioners. With regards to the IOC role as Secretariat of the LME
Community, the IOC-MPR organized the 17th Annual LME Meeting in Paris in September 2015
with the participation of 92 experts and LME practitioners from Africa, Arctic, Asia, Latin America,
the Caribbean and Pacific SIDS.
80.
The Caribbean and North Brazil Shelf Large Marine Ecosystems Project - CLME+ held its
Inception Workshop and First Steering Committee Meeting in Cartagena, Colombia, 26-28 January
2016. The Steering Committee agreed on formalizing an Interim Mechanism for the Coordinated
Implementation of the CLME+ SAP Regional Ocean Governance Framework (ROGF).
81.
IOCARIBE in collaboration with INVEMAR and the Colombian Ocean Commission
organized the International Symposium on “Protection and Sustainability of Marine Ecosystems:
Regional Integration, Advances in Marine Protected Areas and Governance” at the COLACMAR
Conference 19-24 October 2015 in Santa Marta, Colombia.
Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals
82.
In September 2015, UN Member States adopted the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development, and in particular the Sustainable Development Goal #14 calling to “converse and
sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development”. This new
international framework constitutes an essential point of reference for IOC’s engagement with its
Member States as well as for its programmatic presence at the global, regional and country levels.
83.
Several targets of SDG 14 are directly relevant to the work IOC, particularly in the area of
marine pollution, ocean acidification, ecosystem based management, and marine research
capacity and transfer marine technology, as a cross-cutting element to all SDG 14 targets. IOC has
supported the Member States preparatory process and co-led a dedicated UN Task Force on SDG
14. The Commission is also playing an active role in the definition of a global indicator framework
for specific targets (14.1, 14.2, 14.3, and 14.a) where it has been identified as a possible
“custodian agency”. IOC is also providing technical advice to Fiji and Sweden, the co-hosts of the
UN Conference on Oceans and Seas to be held from 5 to 9 June 2017 in Fiji.
IOC/EC-XLIX/2 Annex 1 – page 17
COP-21 & Paris Agreement
84.
Building on the outcome of 2015 World Oceans Day, the Commission placed much
programmatic and outreach focus around climate change in the perspective of the UNFCCC COP
21 held in Paris (30 November–11 December 2015). A strong mobilization of scientific and civil
society institutions occurred around ocean and climate science and awareness-building. IOC and
its partners, the ocean and climate platform and the Global Ocean Forum organized a series of
events including: eight official UNFCCC side events targeted at negotiators and policy-makers;
three flagship events hosted in the civil society zone of Conference, including two full days devoted
to the Ocean (Ocean and Climate Forum and Ocean Day at UNFCCC). Two exhibits featuring
scientific and policy-oriented publications where organized and the IOC Executive Secretary took
part in several events including the UNFCCC Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological
Advice (SBSTA) to highlight IOC’s contributions in ocean observation. IOC also supported,
together with a number of Member States, a proposal for an IPCC Special Report on the Ocean. In
April 2016, the IPCC announced that a Special Report on Climate, ocean and the cryosphere will
be prepared as part of the next IPCC assessment cycle.
2nd Blue Economy Summit
85.
IOC co-organized, alongside the Governments of Seychelles and the United Arab Emirates,
the Second Blue Economy Summit (Abu Dhabi, 19 January 2016), where Heads of State and
Government, as well as representatives of international organizations, business and civil society,
met to discuss how to develop and implement the Blue Economy concept in support of the
implementation of the Paris Climate Change Agreement and the realization of Sustainable
Development Goal 14. IOC highlighted the role of science and ocean observation in informing
sustainable marine economic development.
International Polar Partnership Initiative
86.
In reviewing the International Polar Partnership Initiative (IPPI), the IOC Assembly at its
28th session requested the Executive Secretary to work towards the IPPI Framework development
in coordination and consultation with consultative parties to the Antarctic Treaty and members of
the Arctic Council, to secure IOC representation in the development of the IPPI Framework, to
submit the Framework for consideration of the IOC Executive Council at its 49th session in 2016 in
order to analyse the possible participation, roles in and contributions of IOC to future IPPI activities,
and report to it on the interactions and meetings attended in this regard.
87.
The Executive Secretary participated in the only meeting of the Steering Group on the longterm international polar initiative that took place in Reykjavik, Iceland, on 10 and 11 September
2015. The Group recommended to establish a small secretariat under the auspices of one member
of the Steering Group, likely the International Arctic Science Committee, to continue the IPPI
preparatory work. Due to the reluctance of the polar community to having another “initiative”, a
proposal to rename IPPI into an International Polar Partnership (IPP) was tentatively agreed by the
participants. The discussions among the members of the Steering Group continue, however, the
IPPI Concept document has not evolved since 2015.
88.
At present, an understanding is emerging that cooperation and coordination of activities
undertaken under the auspices of various international organizations would be of particular interest
for the Arctic, potentially with a focus on sustainable development. The Arctic Ocean could be a
central point of such regional polar initiative. Changes occurring in the Arctic Ocean, such as
acidification, intensifying marine traffic, oil and gas exploration and production, potential release of
carbon from methane clathrates, the fate of subsea permafrost, diminishing sea ice cover – all call
for coherent actions of the main polar stakeholders. The Arctic Council Scientific Cooperation Task
Force (SCTF) works towards an arrangement on improved scientific research cooperation among
the eight Arctic States, which is of significant potential importance for IPP. It concerns access to
data, scientific infrastructure and research areas and simplification of movement of scientists and
IOC/EC-XLIX/2 Annex 1 – page 18
their equipment and samples. The Task Force is currently drafting the text of a legally binding
Agreement on Enhanced International Arctic Scientific Cooperation. Taking into account the
anticipated outcomes of the SCTF deliberations, it may be logical for the Steering Group to focus
the initial development of IPP on the Arctic. The direct interest of IOC in this work could be related
to opportunities of further developing an operational Arctic Ocean observing system.
OBIS and UNGA
89.
The 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly (A/RES/70/235) noted with
appreciation the contribution of the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS) of IOCUNESCO to marine scientific research. Through an international network of scientists and data
centres, OBIS provides a global data and information sharing platform and a data clearing house
mechanism for marine biodiversity research data in all ocean basins. Important to note are the
negotiations at the United Nations on the development of a new legally-binding instrument under
the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to conserve and sustainably use marine
biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ), which have started under a Preparatory
Committee, established by UNGA resolution 69/292 of 19 June 2015. New provisions based on the
IOC Criteria and Guidelines on Transfer of Marine Technology (IOC/INF-1203) for enhanced
implementation of Capacity Development, as well as international cooperation on Marine Scientific
Research will be defined to support equitable access and benefit sharing and ensure equitable
participation of all States in a new implementing agreement. OBIS might be well placed to respond
to the requirements to be derived from the new implementing agreement under UNCLOS.
IOC Communication Strategy
90.
The Secretariat has decided to develop an IOC Communication Strategy (Draft IOC/INF1336) and related action plan to assist the Secretariat and Member States in achieving IOC's
overall organizational objectives, engaging effectively with relevant stakeholders, and
demonstrating the impact of its work. After an open call and search, a consultant was engaged to
develop the strategy, in consultation with key IOC stakeholders including a number of Member
State representatives, members of the scientific community, IOC programme leaders, the
secretariat, and other UN agencies. The Communications Strategy will be released in June 2016.
FUNCTION F: CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT
Develop the institutional capacity in all of the functions above, as a cross-cutting function
New IOC ‘Capacity Development Strategy’
91.
The IOC Assembly adopted at its 28th Session the IOC Capacity Development Strategy,
2014-2021 through Resolution XXVIII-2. The Strategy was published as IOC/INF-1332.
92.
It is recalled that it was agreed that, by the next session of the IOC Assembly in 2017, the
following actions should be taken: (i) develop programmatic and regionally relevant capacity
development work plans based on this strategy and related needs assessments conducted in a
consistent manner, building on ongoing activities and making use of existing training and education
facilities; (ii) mobilize resources in order to reinforce the Secretariat staffing of the regional SubCommissions, other subsidiary bodies and global programmes; (iii) catalyze capacity development
through global, regional, and national programme development, including projects prepared in
consultation with Member States with a view to raise extra-budgetary resources; and (iv) enhance
collaboration and communication between its global programmes and Regional Subsidiary Bodies,
to contribute to (i) and (ii) above.
93.
An IOC web site on Capacity Development has been launched in April 2016 at
http://www.ioc-cd.org. The web site provides full information on the strategy and its expected
outputs but will also offer a wealth of links to capacity development opportunities addressing all six
IOC/EC-XLIX/2 Annex 1 – page 19
outputs. Member States are invited to send the Secretariat any information on CD-related
opportunities and activities and to promote subscription to the site’s new mailing list system.
94.
An “IOC Capacity Development Fund” is being launched as a resource mobilization
mechanism. It will enable Member States to financially support very specific activities with a strong
capacity development focus such as training courses, equipment provision, expert missions or any
other activity responding to the Strategy outputs. In order to provide the highest possible flexibility,
the maximum budget of each proposal is set to $100,000. Proposals are invited from the regional
sub-commissions and committee and global programmes. The list of proposals is open to additions
any time and Member States are invited to check the list regularly. The list is available through the
new CD web site.
95.
As part of the implementation of the IOC Capacity Development Strategy, the IOC is
developing activities on ocean literacy. In particular, the IOC is participating in the successfully
created consortium of Sea Change (2015-2018), part of the European Union’s Horizon 2020
programme, led by the Marine Biological Association (United Kingdom), which supports the
implementation of the Trans-Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance. Sea Change aims to establish a
fundamental (Sea) change in the way citizens view their relationship with the sea, by empowering
them, as Ocean Literate citizens, to take direct and sustainable action towards a healthy ocean
and seas, healthy communities and ultimately a healthy planet.
96.
Strengthening the capacity of States, in particular Small Island Developing States (SIDS), to
implement the relevant Marine Scientific Research (MSR) provisions of UNCLOS as well as similar
provisions in other instruments, is essential to enhance MSR conducted in the world’s ocean. In
view of the above, UN-DOALOS and IOC launched a partnership for a training project to assist
developing countries, especially SIDS, in building their capacities in MSR. The project will focus on
the legal, technical and scientific aspects relating to MSR with a view to promoting a consistent
application of the relevant provisions of UNCLOS. A five-day training course was organized by
DOALOS and IOC in cooperation with the Pacific Community (SPC) and with support from the
Korea Maritime Institute (KMI) for trainees from Pacific SIDS countries as part of the DOALOS-IOC
joint initiative (7-11 December 2015, Busan, Republic of Korea). Similar training courses will be
organized by DOALOS and IOC in other regions, depending on availability of funds.
97.
Capacity Development continues to be a priority area for IOCAFRICA, with training
workshops organized and support provided to experts from the region to participate in courses
within and outside the region on a wide range of topics, including ocean forecasting, marine GIS,
application of remote sensing to coastal management, and marine spatial planning. IOCAFRICA
continues to support the strengthening in the region of the UNESCO Chairs in ocean sciences, as
well as the Ocean Teacher Academy Regional Training Centres. IOCAFRICA is working with
Mauritius on the development of a proposal for the establishment of a UNESCO Category-2 Centre
for Ocean Sciences and Innovation in Mauritius.
98.
WESTPAC had contributed to the development of IOC Capacity Building Strategy through
sharing its capacity building practices in the region and evaluation of lessons learnt from the past.
As a primary regional mechanism in the implementation of the new strategy, WESTPAC continues
to employ its adaptive and self-driven approaches to meeting regional and national requirements
for capacity building, and to linking trainings to the attainment of research goals for sustainable
development in the region. WESTPAC has been endeavouring to develop the IOC Regional
Network of Training and Research Centres (RTRCs) on Marine Sciences, as demonstrated by the
renewed commitment of the IOC Regional Training and Research Center (RTRC) on Ocean
Dynamics and Climate for the next six years (2015-2020), and the proposals with associated
commitments made by Indonesia and Malaysia to host RTRC, respectively on Marine Taxonomy
and Ecosystem Health, and Harmful Algal Blooms.
99.
In 2016 the Fifth Session of the IOC Regional Committee for the Central Indian Ocean
(IOCINDIO-V) held in Chennai, India, on 25-27 April 2016 (IOCINDIO-V/3s), ten years after its last
IOC/EC-XLIX/2 Annex 1 – page 20
session, was the result of a major effort of Member States in the region over the past three years to
revitalize the IOC Regional Committee and build on the impetus of IIOE-2. IOCINDIO provides an
opportunity to Member States of the region and partners to reinforce cooperation and to pool
together technical and financial resources for implementation of IOC related programmes. More
information under item 3.3.1.
100. Since the 28th Session of the IOC Assembly there have been advances in the development
of the UNESCO Category-2 Centres for oceanography. The Regional Educational Centre for
Oceanography for Western Asia under the auspices of the Iranian National Institute for
Oceanographic and Atmospheric Science in Iran has reported its plans to become fully operational
in July-August of this year after the first meeting of the Centre Governing Board. India and
Mauritius are in the process of formulating proposals for Centres on operational ocenography and
ocean sciences, respectively. These three Centres will operate in the geographical area of
IOCINDIO. Their work will help to further advance IOC programmes dealing with ocean research,
monitoring, data management, and capacity development. It will create new opportunities for
cooperation among the IOC Member States in the region. Some coordination of the Centers'
programmes of work will be desirable to increase the overall scope of activities and avoid
duplication of efforts.