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GEO and WOA: A Call for Collaboration
© 2015 California Institute of Technology. Government sponsorship acknowledged.
David Halpern+
NASA/California Institute of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Pasadena, California, USA
Contents
• WOA
• GEO Blue Planet Task (GEO SB-01 Oceans and Society)
• GEO-WOA Collaboration
+ US Representative to United Nations World Ocean Assessment Bureau
+ NASA Representative to US Interagency Working Group on WOA
+ Past Co-chair, GEO Science and Technology Committee
+ Co-chair, GEO Data Sharing Working Group
+ Co-chair, GEO Data Management Principles Task Force
+ Chair, COSPAR Task Group on GEO

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WOA and GEO: A Call for Collaboration
• GEO Ministerial Declaration (17 January 2015, Geneva)
Ø “Integrating Observations to Sustain our Planet”
Ø “We, the Ministers and Participants, … welcome additional
participants, in particular UN Organizations and Programs, to join
GEO and seek to build stronger relations”
• Vision of GEO-WOA Collaboration
Ø WOA assesses all aspects of the global ocean
o requires standardized global ocean data products
Ø GEO coordinates marine activities
o develops standardized global ocean data products
• GEO and WOA Common Principles
Ø Promotion of scientific excellence
Ø Linkages with policymakers and other users
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Background
2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development
promoted coordination of Earth observations
First Earth Observation Ministerial Summit
US Department of State
31 July 2003

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Global Environmental Assessments
Measure Changes, Advance Knowledge, Predict Future
World
Ocean
Assessment
2015

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www.worldoceanassessment.org
Introduction
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www.worldoceanassessment.org
Introduction
www.worldoceanassessment.org
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www.worldoceanassessment.org
Introduction
www.worldoceanassessment.org
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

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• No system exists to assess conditions of marine environment,
including socioeconomic aspects
http://www.mos.org/oceans/planet/index.html
Ø 50% of ocean beyond national
jurisdictions has governance through
international treaties based on
themes (climate change, fisheries,
pollution, biodiversity
Ø WOA is conducted under the United Nations General Assembly
o Promoted by 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD
promoted coordinated Earth observations 2003 Earth Obs. Summit )
o WOA-I has more than 50 chapters
o Final report is peer reviewed
o WOA-I completion date is summer 2015 – identification of baselines
o Regular cycle of WOAs will identify trends
o Enable appropriate responses by States, Regional Organizations, etc.
o Ecosystem approach as framework for fully integrated assessment
o Oceans as part of the integrated global Earth system
WOA Oceans Under Permanent Review

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Outline for First WOA Report (1)
• Part I: Technical summary
• Part II: Introduction
Ø Mandate, information sources, methods
Ø Humans-ocean interactions
• Part III: Assessment of Marine Environment
Ø Oceanic role in hydrological cycle
Ø Air-sea interaction
Ø Primary production, nutrient cycling and plankton
• Part IV: Food Security and Food Safety
Ø Ocean and seas as food sources
Ø Aquaculture and fish stock propagation
Ø Seaweeds and other sea-based food
Ø Social and economic aspects of fisheries
• Part V: Human Activities and Marine Environment
Ø Shipping
Ø Ports
Ø Submarine cables and pipelines
Ø Coastal, riverine and atmospheric inputs from land

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Ø Offshore hydrocarbons and other marine energy industries
Ø Offshore mining
Ø Solid waste disposal
Ø Marine debris
Ø Land-sea erosion and sedimentation
Ø Tourism and recreation
Ø Desalinization
Ø Marine genetic resources
Ø Impact of defence activities on marine environment
Ø Marine scientific research
• Part VI: Marine Biological Diversity
Ø Status and trends of biodiversity for species and habitat
Ø Ecologically and biologically sensitive areas
Ø Vulnerable ecosystems
Ø Mangroves, salt marsh, and other macro-vegetations
Ø Regulatory approaches to conservation
Ø Coral and other biogenic reefs
Ø Seagrass and eelgrass beds
Ø Kelp forests
Ø Seamounts, deep-sea banks and plateaus
Outline for First WOA Report (2)
Ø Hydrothermal vents
Ø Other migratory species
Ø Other species threatened
Ø Other habitats threatened

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GEO Task SB-01 Oceans and Society: Blue Planet
Terms of Reference
• Provide sustained ocean observations and information to underpin the
development of global-change adaptation measures (e.g., vulnerability of
coastal zones, sea-level rise, and ocean acidification)
• Improve global coverage and data accuracy of coastal and open-ocean
observing systems
• Coordinate & promote the gathering and processing of ocean observations
• Develop a global operational ocean forecasting network
• Establish a global ocean information system by making available
observations and information on a routine basis
• Provide advanced training in ocean observations, especially for developing
countries
• Raise awareness of biodiversity issues in the ocean
GEOSS Strategic Targets
Climate Ecosystems Agriculture Biodiversity
essential Monitoring pH, Observations for Sustained
climate variables pCO2, etc. fisheries & aquaculture observations
GEO 2012-2015 Work Plan: Annual Update, 27 November 2014

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WOA and GEO: A Call for Collaboration
Way Forward
• Strategy
Ø Establish GEO and WOA joint strategic plan
for activities of mutual benefit
• GEO Secretariat
Ø Coordinate ocean-related GEO Participating Organizations (CEOS,
CGMS, COSPAR, FAO, GBIF, GCOS, GOOS, ICSU, IOC, POGO,
WCRP, WMO, etc.)
Ø GEO POs design and publish global, regional, and sub-regional
ocean data products to be made by GEO Members on a voluntary
basis, similar to WCRP activities (e.g., intercomparison of model-
generated analyses)
• GEO-WOA Partnership Benefits
Ø GEO: Utilize WOA Regular Assessments to sustain a global
integrated marine observing system for fish to food, for healthy waters
to tourism, for climatic trends to infrastructure development, etc.
Ø WOA: Utilize GEO coordinated observation-based data products for
integrated marine assessment
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Thank you
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Modified from http://www.yourwayforward.co.uk
GEO and WOA
swimming together