ALBERT

Description: In 2017, the UNESCO General Conference adopted the Strategy for Action on Climate Change (SACC) which outlined UNESCO’s four-point strategy to support Member States adapt to climate change and mitigate its effects on their citizens and territories over the period 2018-2021. As the Strategy comes to an end, the Organization has commissioned an evaluation to assess its effectiveness and determine whether it should be renewed. Owing to its careful alignment with existing international reference frameworks in the area of climate change, in particular the 2015 Paris Agreement, the Strategy has successfully positioned UNESCO as a contributor in this field and the Organization’s insights on climate change within the framework of its specific areas of expertise is valued by partners and Member States alike. In the 3 years of the Strategy’s existence, the Organization produced knowledge products and undertook multiple interventions, especially targeting UNESCO’s priority groups (Africa, women, indigenous peoples, SIDS, youth) and ensuring their involvement in policy development and trainings. However, it is difficult to measure the effects of these activities or even attribute their results to the SACC specifically. Indeed, while the SACC has had the merit of giving UNESCO the political legitimacy and strategic guidance to act on climate-related issues, most of these activities were embedded in UNESCO’s existing programmes and have been largely reported against the different Major Programmes’ and IOC’s expected results. This is further amplified by the lack of a dedicated budget to implement the Strategy, which has led to an overreliance on ad hoc fundraising efforts to attract extrabudgetary resources and diverging implementation strategies depending on local context and Sectors’ priorities. Although the SACC aimed to encourage greater in-house cooperation to achieve its objectives, the evaluation found that, despite the existence of a large cross-sectoral Task Team, the SACC has failed to fully foster intersectoriality. As a result, whilst UNESCO has registered significant achievements and made important contributions, its action on climate change has not necessarily been cohesive.

Description: OPENASFA INPUT

Description: Published

Description: Refereed

Description: In 2017, the UN General Assembly declared the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030). It has entrusted IOC-UNESCO with the design and delivery of the Decade to ensure that ocean science is indeed underpinning sustainable ocean management and the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda more broadly. Fulfilling its mandate as trustee of the Ocean Decade, as well as delivering on a growing list of additional roles, in an oceanographic space that is both expanding and increasingly crowded, establishes an important opportunity but also an overarching challenge for IOC-UNESCO. In the context of the upcoming UN Decade of the Ocean, the IOC-UNESCO agreed with the Internal Oversight Service (IOS) on the merit of conducting an evaluation of its strategic positioning within the UN system and the broader landscape of ocean-related actors and programmes, taking into account relevant enabling policy frameworks to which the work of the Commission responds.

Description: OPENASFA INPUT Published by UNESCO's Internal Oversight Service.

Description: Published

Description: Not Known

Description: At its 24thsession the IODE Committee approved the Report of the Inter-sessional Working Group to Propose a Re-structuring of IODEwhich recommended revising the current structure, projects and activities of IODE and decided that the relation between projects (e.g. data flow) should be better communicated within the IODE community but also to the user communities. The Committee agreed that both existing and new IODE projects and activities will benefit from a more effective tracking and oversight process to help ensure that they meet IODE strategic goals and objectives. The Committee adoptedDecision IODE-XXIV.3 IODE (Project and Activity Performance Evaluation). These procedures apply to both existing and new projects and activities.

Description: OPenASFA input

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Description: Refereed

Description: The NERC Vocabulary Server provides access to groupings of standardised terms that cover a broad spectrum of disciplines of relevance to the oceanographic and wider environmental sciences communities. Using standardised sets of terms (otherwise known as "controlled vocabularies") in metadata and to label data solves the problem of ambiguities associated with data markup and also enables records to be interpreted by computers. This opens up data sets to a whole world of possibilities for computer aided manipulation, distribution and long term reuse. An example of how computers may benefit from the use of controlled vocabularies is in the summing of values taken from different data sets. For instance, one data set may have a column labelled "Temperature of the water column" and another might have "water temperature" or even "temperature". To the human eye, the similarity is obvious but a computer would not be able to interpret these as the same thing unless all the possible options were hard coded into its software. If data are marked up with the same term, this problem is resolved. In the real world, it is not always possible or agreeable for data providers to use the same terms. In such cases, controlled vocabularies can be used as a medium through which data centres can map their equivalent terms. The controlled vocabularies delivered by the NERC Vocabulary Server contain the following information for each term:

Description: OpenAsfa INPUT

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Description: Refereed

Description: The Tenth Meeting of the Working Group on Tsunamis and Other Hazards Related to Sea-Level Warning and Mitigation Systems (TOWS-WG-X) was held in Paris, France, on 23-24 February 2017 under the Chairmanship of Mr Alexander Postnov (IOC Vice-Chair). The meeting evaluated progress in actions and decisions taken by the Governing Bodies through IOC-XXVIII/Dec. 8.2 and IOC EC-XLIX/3.4. The Group reviewed reports by the IOC Intergovernmental Coordination Groups as well as its own Task Teams on Disaster Management and Preparedness and Watch Operations. The Group noted with satisfaction the progress made during the intersessional period, including: - Three exercises carried out (CARIBEWave 2016, IOWAVE 2016, PACWAVE 2017) and regular communication tests - Accreditation of four Tsunami Service Providers in the North-Eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean and Connected Seas Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (NEAMTWS) - With regards to Tsunami Evacuation Mapping: a) The PTWS successfully completed a Pilot Tsunami Evacuation Maps, Plans and Procedures (TEMPP) over two years in Honduras with regional participation b) The ITIC, CTWP & IOC-UNESCO programme CARIBE EWS built experience with regards to implementation of the TEMPP and are ready to provide guidance to countries that want to implement similar projects c) The Project identified and references existing best practice evacuation mapping guidelines that countries have developed d) The PTWS will finalise project documentation and make it available to ICGs, noting the interest of IOTWMS and CARIBE-EWS  Tsunami Ready Community based performance recognition program achieved in St. Kitts & Nevis and Cedeño (Honduras)  The progress made by DBCP in developing an educational strategy to address buoy vandalism and endorse the development of the strategy and recommend that each ICG review the strategy The Group recommended the Assembly to encourage Member States to - sustain and increase technical and financial support of the tsunami warning systems in their respective regions - further promote tsunami awareness in communities and among authorities through communication and tsunami wave exercises, training, information, and community preparedness and recognition programmes - share Tsunami source scenario data as well sea level data relevant to tsunami detection and alerts - densify sea level networks particularly nearby tsunamigenic sources - extend exercises to community level and include critical infrastructure in exercises (e.g. hospitals, fire stations, police stations, electric power plants, airports, ports and harbors) The Group recommended the Assembly to instruct ICGs - to consider piloting the CARIBE EWS Tsunami Ready guidelines and report back to the TOWS-XI with a view to develop harmonized consistent global guidelines - to advocate the UN designated World Tsunami Awareness Day (5 November) among member states and advise them of the availability of material from the UNISDR in this regard, and share activities and materials with UNISDR and TICs - to recommend TSPs and NTWCs to also use the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) to facilitate warning messages to be consistently disseminated simultaneously over many warning communication systems to many applications - to recommend TSPs and NTWCs register with international register of alerting authorities through WMO National Permanent Representative - to consider contributing any education or outreach materials related to data buoy vandalism to the DBCP for inclusion in a tool kit of regionally relevant materials to counter vandalism - the ICG/PTWS, in line with the IOC XXVII Assembly decision 8.2, to continue its work on the Key Performance Indicators to cover all aspects of the Tsunami Warning and Mitigation Systems, aligning as closely as possible with the Sendai Framework, and share it to the other ICGs for consideration by the Member States, and report back to TOWS XI with a view to establish global KPIs - to encourage NTWCs disseminate tsunami bulletins to ports, harbours and other maritime authorities within their countries - to share the results of Tsunami exercises and communication tests with WMO to facilitate improved performance of WMO related communication systems The Group recommended the Assembly to take the following actions - to conduct a symposium in early 2018 in Paris on enhancing existing TSP and NTWC operational tsunami forecasting to further develop warning products and enhancing timely, accurate, reliable and effective decision-making and community response, involving experts from monitoring networks, seismology, tsunami forecast modelling and warning centres, maritime authorities, and national and local emergency management authorities with advice on product requirements - to extend the tenure of TOWS and its Task Teams on (i) Disaster Management and Preparedness and (ii) Tsunami Watch Operations, with ToRs as given in IOC Resolution XXIV-4 [for TOWS-WG] and IOC/TOWS-WG-VI/3 [Annex II; for TTDMP] and ToRs for TTTWO to reflect work related to enhancements to the accuracy and effectiveness of tsunami forecast information for users The Group accepted the reports from the Task Teams on Disaster Management and Preparedness and Watch Operations and instructed the Task Team on Watch Operations - to develop in consultation with WWNWS-SC specific tsunami threat messages for vessels at sea - to consider tsunamis generated by non-seismic sources for integration into Tsunami watch operation The Group noted the information presented by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on the new developments on the WMO Information System and its use for dissemination of Tsunami alerts as well as WIS performance monitoring of messages and particular types of messages. The Group recommended WMO to explore rendering assistance to CARIBE-EWS concerning usage of GTS and WIS for dissemination of tsunami alerts in the Caribbean region. The Group recognized that the current financial situation strongly limits the implementation of the tasks of the Group, ICGs and Inter-ICG Task Teams and recommended that the Member States to increase their extra-budgetary contributions to the IOC to provide the needed resources for the priorities identified by TOWS-WG and ICGs.

Description: Published

Description: Non Refereed

Description: The International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE) project office of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) held the IODE/OBIS-Event-Data workshop on animal tagging and tracking (ATT) from 23 to 26 April 2018 in Ostend, Belgium, to test the OBIS-ENV-DATA standard through the development of data products for scientific applications. This workshop was attended by 22 participants from 8 countries representing the major animal telemetry networks in Africa, Antarctica, Australia, Canada, Europe and the USA. The participants agreed to use the OBIS-ENV-DATA Darwin Core standard to exchange and publish detection data through OBIS (both acoustic and satellite) and work with OBIS and the scientific community to develop data products for the Essential Ocean Variables (EOV) of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), in particular the “Marine turtles, birds, mammals abundance and distribution EOV” and the “Fish abundance and distribution EOV”. The guidelines for the implementation of the OBIS-ENV-DATA standard for tracking data (acoustic and satellite detections) were agreed upon and will be further refined and documented in collaboration with the data standardization working group of the International Bio-logging Society as well as the Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG) community which oversees development of Darwin Core. In collaboration with several scientists involved in animal tracking, the OBIS Secretariat is developing a data aggregation tool (which will be available as an R package) to calculate home ranges, migration pathways and movement patterns based on the tracking data in OBIS. It is expected that new public tracking data will be made available to OBIS before mid-2018 and the first products be available early 2019. It was felt important that OBIS provides access to the relevant (aggregated) data used to calculate the scientific products and provide links back to the original (raw) data sources to ensure proper data provenance and allow reproducibility. This was the first workshop of the IODE pilot project entitled OBIS-Event-Data, which aims at seeking early adopters of the OBIS-ENV-DATA standard and develop data products and scientific applications in particular to support the work of the Biological and Ecosystem EOVs of GOOS and the Marine Biodiversity Observation Network of the Group on Earth Observations (GEOBON MBON).

Description: OpenASFA input

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Description: Refereed

Description: A reform of WMO constituent bodies has potential implications for co- sponsored bodies and programmes, including most notably the Joint WMO-IOC Technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology (JCOMM), but also the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS), and the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). These last three have other co-sponsors in addition to IOC and WMO. Here, the proposal for a new mechanism of cooperation between WMO and IOC, the Joint Committee for Oceanography and Meteorology (JCOM), is described in greater detail. A potential future for present essential functions under JCOMM is described, along with potential benefits and risks

Description: OpenASFA input

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Description: Non Refereed

Description: Since the 1990s UNESCO has been a leading UN Organization in Bioethics and Ethics of Science and Technology. It developed a number of international normative instruments, which were adopted by expert advisory bodies and became the basis for two global capacity building programmes (Assisting Bioethics Committees (ABC) and Ethics Education Programme (EEP)) that are managed by Headquarters and implemented with the support of Field Offices. This evaluation examined how the Organization’s Bioethics and Ethics of Science and Technology Programme had been designed and implemented during 2010-2016, as well as the results achieved with the aim of suggesting improvements. The evaluation found that past and current normative work continues to drive the programme. UNESCO also provides a global forum for reflection on Bioethics and Ethics of Science and Technology through its advisory bodies, though the working methods of the latter require review. Its capacity building programmes are relevant, but not sufficiently demand-driven and require different delivery modalities. The Organization’s partnerships in the field are underutilized and their full potential not yet realized.

Description: OPENASFA INPUT

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Description: Therefore, Part 1 of this Volume 5 discusses topics such as how radar gauges can be mounted over the water to measure sea level. It considers how gauges can be calibrated, either in the laboratory before installation or in the field during routine maintenance visits. It describes how radar performs in comparison to other technologies and discusses how the measured radar levels can be biased in the presence of waves and, consequently, what other technologies must be used in parallel. Part 2 of this Volume returns to some topics that have been presented in the previous Volumes 1-4 of the Manual. These are particularly important aspects of tide gauge measurements, and so have been repeated each time, although in different ways. Volume 1 introduced the essential procedures to be followed for maintenance of the datum of the sea level measurements (i.e. the stability of the measurements with respect to benchmarks on the nearby land). Volume 2 described how levelling should be undertaken between a local network of benchmarks and introduced the use of Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers for monitoring vertical land movements. GPS at tide gauges was further discussed in Volumes 3 and 4. These sections were based partly on the insight that had been obtained into the use of GPS in the workshops that led to the two ‘Carter Reports’ (1989 and 1994) and in an important subsequent workshop at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (1998).2 By this time, GPS at tide gauges was being undertaken using continuous (rather than episodic or campaign) and dual- (rather than single-) frequency receivers, and further research into their use had begun within the TIde GAuge (TIGA) project of the International GNSS Service. The present Volume 5 contains a similar section on the survey methods and benchmark requirements at tide gauges, including the use of GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) equipment, and brings up-to-date the recommendations on the use of GNSS at tide gauge sites. 3 Part 2 of the Volume also has updated sections on how tide gauge operators can ensure that their data find their way to centres where they can be used to the maximum extent possible for practical and scientific purposes. For example, it is now inconceivable that gauges installed in the GLOSS network would be without a real-time reporting capability for storm surge and tsunami warning. On the other hand, the data must be of sufficient quality that ‘delayed-mode’ centres can process them into mean sea level values for use in studies of long-term sea level change. These real-time and delayed mode objectives need not be in competition if care is taken to understand the data that are recorded, essential metadata are compiled, and data are transmitted rapidly to the relevant national and international centres. We suggest that new readers of the volumes would benefit from looking at Volumes 1-4 before reading the present Volume 5. Although the earlier volumes date from many years ago, and technology has evolved considerably in the meantime, much of the previous discussion is educational with regard to how the historical sea level data set has been obtained. There are often dangers in exchanging one measuring system for another, in that different systematic methods can be introduced into a long-term time series, so an appreciation of how methods have changed is essential. It is clear that the same kind of mistakes in changing technologies could be occurring now, as radar systems replace others, so we must make attempts to understand them all as well as we can

Description: OpenASFA input

Description: Published

Description: Refereed

Description: The Data Buoy Cooperation Panel (DBCP) is an international organization jointly supported by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO. It operates under the Joint WMO-IOC Technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology (JCOMM). The DBCP has functioned effectively since 1985. This Retrospective will review the history of the DBCP, document its successes and accomplishments, highlight its approaches and acknowledge contributions from organizations and individuals. Please refer to the DBCP web site for information on the background, programmes, data and more at http://www.jcommops.org/dbcp/.

Description: OPenASFA input

Description: Published

Description: Non Refereed

Description: This report is an output of the Large Marine Ecosystems component of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Transboundary Waters Assessment Programme (TWAP), which was implemented from 2013–2015by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)and co-executed by the following lead agencies for each of the five transboundary water system categories that were assessed: the International Hydrological Programme (IHP) of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for transboundary aquifers including groundwater systems in Small Island Developing States; the International Lake Environment Committee Foundation (ILEC) for lakes and reservoirs; the UNEP-DHI Partnership –Centre on Water and Environment (UNEP-DHI) for river basins; and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO for large marine ecosystems (LMEs) and the open ocean.The objective of the analysis presented in this report was to characterize the status and major trends in primary productivity and chlorophyllafor the world’s LMEsand the Western Pacific Warm Pool from 1996 to 2014, based on data obtained from five satellite ocean colour sensors. The current assessment is an update of the time series (January 1998 through December 2006)presented in The UNEP Large Marine Ecosystem Report: A perspective on changing conditions in LMEs of the world’s Regional Seas. A summary of this report is presented as Chapter 5.1 in:the TWAP LMEsassessment report (IOC-UNESCO and UNEP, 2016. Large Marine Ecosystems: Status and Trends. United Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi).The author thanks DrKimberly Hyde for providing a comprehensive time series of global SST data and for her assistance in the application of theOPAL productivity model; J.C. Landry for editorial and research assistance; Betsy Petersonfor editing and layout; and Sherry Heileman, Julian Barbière and Kenneth Sherman for their guidance and assistance. The financial support for this work was providedby the Global Environment Facility.

Description: OpenASFA input

Description: Published

Description: Non Refereed

Description: The present Communication and Outreach Strategy for Data and Information Management, also referred to in this document as the “Communication Strategy” was prepared by the International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE), an intergovernmental programme of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCOestablished in 1961. The purpose of the IODE programme is to enhance marine research, exploitation and development, by facilitating the exchange of ocean data and information between participating Member States, and by meeting the needs of users for data and information products. The IODE vision is informed by the IOC Strategic Plan for Oceanographic Data and Information Management, 2017–2021, which identifies that: To ensure its success, the IOC Strategic Plan for Data and Information Management must achieve strong awareness, involvement, acceptance and recognition within and between IOC programmes, and with IOC partners. Efficient communication and outreach remain key elements of the Strategic Plan.'The recent IODE restructuring exercise has also highlighted that the number of international marine science related organizations is growing and there is often a perception that they have similar or overlapping objectives to IODE. It is therefore increasingly important to state clearly what IODE’s unique role is, how it differs from other organizations, who its stakeholders are and how to prioritize and optimize its communication methods with each of these. IODE must work with Member States, governments, partner organizations, academia and industry, to articulate the global benefits to society and required funding to build and sustain the ocean observing data and information system. IODE must capitalize on the networks, communication outreach, and global visibility of UNESCO’s IOC as its parent organization. IODE has a strong mandate for communication and outreach with a variety of stakeholders, including the general public. IODE needs to communicate regularly with its community as well as having a strategy on how to be engaged in ocean community activities, cooperate and expand its membership. This strategy document outlines a framework for communication and outreach activities for the IODE to address these needs and underpin its ability to achieve its strategic objectives; to ensure that there is recognition of its role as a lead provider in marine data and information management, training and information products; and further enhance both the IOC and IODE profiles. The IOCCommunication and Outreach Strategy for Data and Information was proposed by the IOC Committee on International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange at its 24thsession, 24–28 March 2017, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and endorsed by the IOC Assembly at its 29th session, 21–29 June 2017.

Description: Published

Description: Refereed

Description: The present report, prepared pursuant to document 39 C/46, 39 C/Resolution 15 and 209 EX/Decision 5.I.B, provides a summary of a recent evaluation, namely the Evaluation of the UNESCO Strategy for Action on Climate Change (2018-2021).

Description: Item 8 of the Provisional Agenda of the 212th Session of the Executive Board of UNESCO (212 EX/8). OPENASFA INPUT

Description: Published

Description: Not Known

Description: Recalling IOC-Resolution XXX-3 and in accordance with 207 EX/Dec.5.II.A, this report provides a summary of a recently completed evaluation, namely: Internal Oversight Service (IOS) Evaluation of the Strategic positioning of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC-UNESCO).

Description: Item 9 of the provisional agenda of the Executive Board of UNESCO (212 EX/9). OPENASFA INPUT

Description: Published

Description: Non Refereed

Description: The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC-UNESCO) has functional autonomy within UNESCO. It is the only UN body specializing exclusively in ocean science, ocean observation, ocean data and information exchange and dedicated ocean services such as Tsunami Early Warning Systems. In 2019, UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission was tasked to lead the UN Decade of the Ocean. This opportunity, combined with a fast-evolving ecosystem of international actors in an expanding and increasingly crowded ocean policy and marine science space, prompted IOC-UNESCO to request an evaluation of IOC-UNESCO with a focus on its strategic positioning within the UN system and the broader landscape of ocean-related actors and programmes to meet the high demand for sound ocean science in an oceanographic space. The evaluation found that IOC-UNESCO is a valued partner for Member States as well as other international and national actors, and indispensable for strengthening capacities and providing the data and technical information on ocean science policy that serves as a basis for national level data. IOC-UNESCO has been most successful in providing contributions to UN Frameworks and Conventions (e.g. UNFCCC, Sendai and CBD), in acting as a neutral platform to discuss the increasingly relevant issue of ocean health and climate change, in bringing Member States together and fostering exchanges between governments and scientists, as well as in providing to the extended oceanographic community access to data, information and science. However, strategic advocacy at the national level, engagement at the regional level, and resourcing and visibility of gender equality and women’s empowerment in the ocean space within and outside IOC-UNESCO are among the areas where further improvements are required. The establishment of the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development is the most important strategic institutional achievement of IOC-UNESCO in recent years. It is an important opportunity, but the absence of a clearly defined results framework and inadequate resources could jeopardize its success. Furthermore, it still needs to be determined how to best exploit IOC-UNESCO’s data and knowledge base and how UNESCO can best support the Decade, among other through intersectoral work.

Description: OPENASFA INPUT

Description: Published

Description: Refereed

Description: The Canary Current Large Marine Ecosystem (CCLME) is a major upwelling region off the coast of northwest Africa. A total of 429 datasets, 30 databases and 21 time-series sites have been identified in the area. A substantial part of them were rescued from archives supported in paper copy. The current directory refers to 107 datasets, databases and time-series sites. This catalogue and the recovered data offer an exceptional opportunity for the researchers in the CCLME to study the dynamics and trends of a multiplicity of variables, and will enable them to explore different data sources and create their own baselines and climatologies under a spatial and temporal perspective.

Description: Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID)

Description: This is an updated and expanded version of the first edition: Déniz‐González, I., Pascual‐Alayón, P. J., Chioua, J., García‐Santamaría, M. T. and Valdés, J. L. 2014 Directory of Atmospheric, Hydrographic and Biological datasets for the Canary Current Large Marine Ecosystem. Paris, France, IOC‐UNESCO, 214pp. IOC Technical Series, 110

Description: Published

Description: La détermination de la chloruration des eaux de mer est effectuée depuis de nombreuses années par la méthode volémetrisque de Moher.

Description: Published