WMO to Organize 2009 Conference on Oceans Observation

6 November 2008: The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced that a conference on Oceans Observation (OceanObs) entitled “Ocean Information for Society: Sustaining the Benefits, Realizing the Potential,” would take place from 21-25 September 2009, in Venice, Italy.

The conference is organized under Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) and World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), all co-sponsored by the WMO. The overall goal of OceanObs’09 is to strengthen and enhance the international framework under GCOS/GOOS/WCRP for sustained world ocean observing and information systems supporting the needs of society about ocean weather, climate, ecosystems, carbon and chemistry.

The previous OceanObs symposium took place in 1999 and played a major role in consolidating the plans for a comprehensive ocean observing system able to deliver systematic global information about the physical environment of the oceans. The upcoming conference will celebrate progress in implementing the existing initial ocean observing system, as well as discuss its societal benefits and potential. The event also aims to develop a consensus plan for sustaining and evolving systematic and routine global ocean observations over the next 10 years.

The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission/UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the European Space Agency and NASA are among other co-organizers. [Conference Website]