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]