Ocean Science Section

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Ocean Science Section
As of July 2001, three interactive lines of work
Oceans and Climate
Ocean Ecosystems and Marine Environmental
Protection
Marine Science for Integrated Coastal Area
Management
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Ocean Science Section
The new structure is based on external reviews of
the current programmes, and is consistent with
the IOC Statutes
views of the Member States
international policy perspectives
emerging priorities in Ocean Science.

(IOC ReS. XXI-6 and IOC/INF-1155).
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Ocean Science Section MISSION
To catalyze and coordinate the needs and concerns
of the Member States in oceanographic research
programs addressing critical uncertainties for
the management of the marine environment and
climate change
To communicate the results of these
investigations to the Member States of the IOC,
the United Nations, and the general public.
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Ocean Science Section
MISSION


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ISSUES The oceans influence on climate
variability and the effects of climate change on
oceanographic processes.
TASKS Facilitate/coordinate research and
communicate results related to
understanding, modeling and prediction of various
climate processes with sufficient skill to avoid
loss of property and life and
understanding how human activities such as global
warming and increasing CO2 may be altering ocean
processes and the marine environment.
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PROGRAMS AND PARTNERS
Co-sponsorship of World Climate Research Program
World Ocean Circulation Experiment, Climate
Variability and Predictability Study, Ocean
Observations Panel for Climate, Global Ocean Data
Assimilation Experiment, ARGO Float Program,
Advisory Panel on Ocean CO2 tropical moored Buoy
Array Program.
Partners include IGBP ocean programs (JGOFS,
SOLAS, GLOBEC, Ocean futures).
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PRODUCT EXAMPLES WOCE-Publication of Ocean At
lases and data sets CLIVAR- transitioning fro
m planning to operational field programs
Watching brief on the disposal of CO2 in the oce
ans Observation program strategies for ocean c
arbon Advisory reports on measurement technolo
gy, standards and reference materials.
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ISSUE Understanding ocean ecosystem dynamics
for protection of the marine and coastal env
ironment against the anthropogenic
activities causing, or likely to cause, adverse
effects in the marine environment, its reso
urces, amenities, and associated threats to
human health. (Science for Ecosystem bas
ed approach to protection of the marine and
coastal environment)
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 TASKS Facilitate/coordinate research and
communicate results related to understanding of
the dynamics of ocean ecosystems in relation to
their structure, functioning, composition, and
stability as well as the effects of biological,
chemical and physical factors
the status and trends concerning living marine
resources, as well as the factors affecting water
quality, including eutrophication, waste dumping
and the source and fate of contaminants and their
eco-toxicology.
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MAJOR FOCI AND PARTNERS
Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Program, GEOHAB,
Environmental Variability and Ecosystem Change
Global Change in the Ocean and Large Ecosystems
Partners SCOR, GLOBEC, IGBP II, IUCN, NOAA,
UNEP, IMO, WB, LME
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PRODUCT EXAMPLES Research, monitoring, and trai
ning about Harmful Algal Blooms regional
capacity building A series of easy to use and
broadly applicable indicators of health of ocean
ecosystems (corals, benthos, and fisheries)
Land-Ocean-Atmosphere biogeochemistry of nutrien
t enrichment of coastal ecosystems
Ecosystem Metadata Portal, models of ocean ecosy
stem dynamics Watching brief on how global cha
nge is affecting the abundance, diversity and
productivity of marine populations.
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Marine Science for Integrated Coastal Area
Management
ISSUE Assisting IOC Member States in their
efforts to build marine scientific and techno
logical capabilities in the field of integrate
d coastal area management.
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PROGRAMS, PRODUCTS AND PARTNERS
assessment of Groundwater Discharge into the Coa
stal Zone (IOC / LOICZ / SCOR)
catchment basins and cycling of nutrients, s
ediments, water in coastal areas socio-economic
indicators (LOICZ/UNEP/IOC Basins Project)
Synthesis of interdisciplinary Ocean Science f
or the Coastal Ocean Volumes 13 14 of THE SEA
(IOC/SCOR)
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PROGRAMS, PRODUCTS AND PARTNERS
ICM Global Information clearing House (IOC/NOAA
/WB/UNEP-GPA) manuals and guidelines for I
CAM (IOC/France MAB, IHP, IGCP, IFREMER)
indicators for ICAM, (Department of Fisheries
and Oceans of Canada) sustainable management
of coastal and marine environment in sub-Saharan
Africa (GEF / IOC/ ACOPS / UNEP).
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Ocean Science Section
ROLE OF IOC
Provide the United Nations Member States with
an essential mechanism for global co-operation in
the study of the ocean
Serve as a focal point for other UN specialised
agencies working together on ocean related,
science-based responsibilities.