Inter-Agency
Activities
NOTE: The information presented on this UN-OCEANS web-site is under development. None of the information presented here has been approved by the Partners of UN-OCEANS. March 9, 2005.
Inter-Agency Activities
UN
Atlas of the Oceans - The
Atlas is an information system designed for use by policy makers who need
to become familiar with ocean issues and by scientists, students and resource
managers who need access to underlying data bases and approaches to sustainability.
(Lead: FAO)
Global Programme
of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment - The major
threats to the health, productivity and biodiversity of the marine environment
result from human activities on land - in coastal areas and further inland.
Some 80% of the pollution load in the oceans originates from land-based
activities. The GPA is designed to be a source of conceptual and practical
guidance to be drawn upon by national and/or regional authorities for
devising and implementing sustained action to prevent, reduce, control
and/or eliminate marine degradation from land-based activities.
Global
International Water Assessment - The aim of GIWA is to produce
a comprehensive and integrated global assessment of international waters,
the ecological status of and the causes of environmental problems in 66
water areas in the world, and focus on the key issues and problems facing
the aquatic environment in transboundary waters. (Lead: UNEP)
The International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI)
is a partnership among governments, international organizations,
and non-government organizations. It strives to preserve coral reefs and
related ecosystems by implementing Chapter 17 of Agenda 21, and other
relevant international conventions and agreements.
Joint Group of Experts
on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP)
- GESAMP
is an expert group sponsored by several UN agencies that undertakes targeted
scientific studies at the request of the agencies to provide technical
advice on scientific aspects of prevention, reduction and control of the
degradation of the marine environment to sustain its life support systems,
resources and amenities. (Lead: IAEA-MEL)
Global
Ocean Observing System -
GOOS is a permanent global system for observations, modelling and analysis
of marine and ocean variables to support operational ocean services worldwide.
GOOS is working with national agencies and regional networks to provide
accurate descriptions of the present state of the oceans, including living
resources, continuous forecasts of the future conditions of the sea for
as far ahead as possible, and the basis for forecasts of climate change.
(Lead: UNESCO / IOC)
Global
Climate Observing System - GCOS
is intended to be a long-term, user-driven operational system capable
of providing the comprehensive observations required for monitoring the
climate system, for detecting and attributing climate change, for assessing
the impacts of climate variability and change, and for supporting research
toward improved understanding, modelling and prediction of the climate
system. It addresses the total climate system including physical, chemical
and biological properties, and atmospheric, oceanic, hydrologic, cryospheric
and terrestrial processes. (Lead: WMO)
UN-OCEANS
compilation of lead and participating agency responsibilities in meeting
the objectives of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (in preparation).