UNESCO

In April 2015, ahead
of World Oceans
Day celebrations,
over 900 Hong Kong
students along
with teachers and
volunteers formed
a giant fish to send
a global message
to stop consuming
reef fish in order
to protect the
Earth’s coral reefs.
The image was
accompanied by
chopsticks and the
Chinese characters
, which
mean ‘refrain’.
© Kids Ocean Day Hong Kong/Ocean Recovery Alliance/Alex Hofford & John Quigley
102
Delegates welcomed the progress
IOC-UNESCO has made in implementing
activities in Africa. Expert and institutional
capacities were developed through training
courses and workshops. Four candidate
regional training centres were established
within the framework of the Ocean
Teacher Global Academy.
Delegates also assessed human resources,
infrastructure and equipment capacities.
To conclude the three-day session, the
delegates adopted an ambitious work plan
for 2015–2017 focusing on strengthening
ocean observations in the African oceans
and coasts, and developing an African ocean
data portal.
The Joint World Meteorological
Organization (WMO)-IOC Technical
Commission for Oceanography and
Marine Meteorology has moved its
Observing Platform Support Centre
(JCOMMOPS), which monitors oceanobserving
networks, to Brest (France).
In March, IOC-UNESCO and the WMO
inaugurated the new centre. Its director,
Mathieu Belbéoch, said, ‘In addition
to satellites, there are 10,000 buoys,
floats and ships with equipment that
take the pulse of the ocean.’ They
contribute to the Global Ocean Observing
System (GOOS), the permanent global
system for ocean observations over
the long term. GOOS plays a vital
role in improving the collection of
data required for the development of
climate forecasts and climate change
detection. The JCOMMOPS support
centre assesses networks’ performance
while encouraging their harmonization
and optimization.
Every two years, the IOC-UNESCO
Assembly brings together representatives
from its Member States (147 in 2015) and
partners. The 28th assembly was held in
June in Paris, and for the first time IOC-
UNESCO organized an Ocean Science Day
prior to the sessions. Its objective was to
increase the visibility and understanding
of ocean science, current challenges and
emerging issues, and to highlight the
need to carry out further research and
develop new technologies for the benefit
of society. It provided an opportunity
for the marine scientific community to
discuss emerging issues that require
international collaboration in marine
science and technology with colleagues
as well as with a wide representation
of national stakeholders and decisionmakers
from Member States.