G7 Future of Seas and Ocean Initiative

Observing system

Support the development of a global initiative for an enhanced, global, sustained sea and ocean observing system.

Catalysing and facilitating authoritative scientific underpinning

Activity 2021 – 2022

Facilitate the development of an ocean observing system evaluation framework to assess strategic system design and implementation progress through support for and collaboration with the GOOS Ocean Observing Co-Design (ObsCoDe) programme of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (UN Ocean Decade). This activity contributes to G7 FSOI Action Areas 1 and 5.

The G7 FSOI Coordination Centre will provide support to GOOS Expert Panels, Projects, and the GOOS ObsCoDe Decade programme to a) address immediate needs by G7 members for information about priorities for coordinated investment and implementation based on recent observing network reviews and evaluation exercises, and b) provide support to the GOOS ObsCoDe programme to establish the international capacity and modular infrastructure to co-design and regularly evaluate the observing and prediction system.

Specific activities may include:

  • Carrying out a review and synthesis of existing observing system guidance drawing on recommendations from recent observing system network reviews as well as feedback from operational services and stakeholders across G7 members to identify priority gaps, requirements and uncertainties requiring some further design guidance, and uncertainties that could be addressed through particular pilot projects or that could feed into identification of exemplars focused on end-user needs being developed through ObsCoDe.
  • Supporting a GOOS Observing System Co-Design workshop to:
      • Evaluate lessons learned from previous observing system reviews and evaluations to guide development of exemplars.
      • Discuss and agree on potential priority exemplars based on observing system gaps, risks, policy priorities and feasibility.
      • Develop attributes for actionable outcomes of a successful co-design project
      • Identify capability required to support development of initial exemplars.

Lead Coordination Centre Office: UK