IOC of UNESCO
Intergovernmental Oceanographic
Commission
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of
UNESCO has been one of UNEP's key partners in global scientific
programmes for the marine environment and in many of the
Regional Seas programmes for the last 30 years. Within the
UN system, IOC alone has responsibility for basic oceanographic
research.
The IOC focuses on four major themes: to develop, promote
and facilitate international oceanographic research programmes
to improve understanding of critical global and regional
ocean processes and their relationship to the sustainable
development and stewardship of ocean resources; to ensure
effective planning, establishment and co-ordination of an
operational global ocean observing system to provide the
information needed for oceanic and atmospheric forecasting,
for oceans and coastal zone management and for global environmental
change research; to provide international education, training
and technical programmes; and to ensure that ocean data
and information obtained are widely available.
The IOC is currently in cooperation with MAP in the monitoring
of eutrophication and the implementation in the Mediterranean
of the Global Ocean Observing System (MedGOOS/MAMA project).
The SAS region also participates in GOOS and is currently
setting up the Indian Ocean Global Observation System (IO-GOOS).
In addition the IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific
(WESTPAC) was established in 1989 as a successive organization
of the Regional Committee, with its main task to develop
and co-ordinate regional marine scientific research programmes
and ocean observations based on priority interests of the
NOWPAP Member States. The NEAR-GOOS pilot project was formulated
in order to promote cooperation in ocean observations and
data sharing among the NOWPAP region.
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