Blue Planet Initiative Works Toward Atlantic Ocean Observing System

EarthzineEarth Observation, Original

Oceans and Society: Blue Planet, a task of the latest Group on Earth Observations work plan, will present its vision for a new Integrated Atlantic Ocean Observing System at an upcoming GEO-X session.

Clearwater, Florida, on the Atlantic Ocean, as seen in the distance from a fishing marina. Image Credit: NOAA/William Folsom.

Clearwater, Florida, on the Atlantic Ocean, as seen in the distance from a fishing marina. Image Credit: NOAA/William Folsom.

‰ÛÏOceans and Society: Blue Planet,‰Û a Group on Earth Observations (GEO) task, will be featured at an upcoming GEO-X session to highlight work toward an Integrated Atlantic Ocean Observing System (IAOOS).

The IAOOS is a recently launched initiative supported by GEO’s Blue Planet task. The project will be presented at the 10th Plenary Session of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO-X) in a special side event. GEO-X will be held Jan. 15-16 in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Blue Planet task is centered on the promotion of thorough and accurate ocean observations and the creation of a global ocean information system. The Blue Planet task brings together advantages in several Societal Benefit Areas (SBAs), including climate, ecosystems, agriculture, and biodiversity, according to a task description in the 2012-2015 Work Plan. There is no SBA specifically for oceans.

The inclusion of the Blue Planet task in the 2012-2015 Work Plan was an initiative of the Partnership for Observation of the Global Oceans (POGO), an organization of leaders from many of the world’s leading oceanographic institutions. The Blue Planet task was based on the rationale that technology to fully observe our oceans already exists and the lack of complete data-collection coverage limits our understanding of Earth systems.

The Blue Planet task was officially created with its acceptance in the GEO 2012-2015 Work Plan, which laid out tasks to help GEO meet its 2015 Strategic Targets for the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). The implementation of the task began with a three-day Blue Planet Symposium to highlight and coordinate task activities in November 2013.

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