C1.01: GOOS: an essential collaborative system enabling societal benefit - John Gunn
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A sustained ocean observing system forms a basis, along with capacity development, enabling societal benefit from ocean information. The Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) is driven by societal requirements, including: - adapting to and mitigating climate variability and change - preparing for ocean-related hazards and supporting development of the ocean economy, and - monitoring and promoting stewardship of ocean health. GOOS is a key contributor to the GEO Blue Planet task. We are a collaborative programme, connecting a community and organizations working on many aspects of a Framework for Ocean Observations: identifying requirements focused on Essential Ocean Variables, coordinating observing networks and monitoring progress towards targets, and connecting to data and information generation activities that create scientific and societal value. At the global level, these processes are led by three GOOS Panels focused on physics, biogeochemistry, and biology. The panels evaluate the readiness of the observing system, promoting strategic investment by identifying what is essential, and encouraging the development of new capabilities. They work closely with the ocean observing community. A Strategic Mapping is helping to identify how elements integrate into the system. GOOS development projects are evaluating and where necessary will improve and change parts of the sustained ocean observing system. The combined satellite and in situ observing networks contributing to GOOS have strengthened in recent years. At the regional level, GOOS Regional Alliances individually focus on local priorities and requirements. Collectively, they work to develop institutional and human capacity to make and benefit from sustained ocean observations. GOOS both supports and relies on many partners, including other contributors to the GEO Blue Planet, in seeking to sustain present observations, while integrating new essential ocean observations into a sustained observing system.
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C1.01: GOOS: an essential collaborative system enabling societal benefit - John Gunn
- 1. We cannot manage what we do notWe cannot manage what we do not measure:measure: GOOS and a Framework forGOOS and a Framework for Ocean ObservingOcean Observing John Gunn GOOS Steering Committee co-chair; CEO, Australian Institute of Marine Science Eric Lindstrom GOOS Steering Committee co-chair; Physical Oceanography Program, NASA Albert Fischer Director, GOOS Project Office, IOC/UNESCO, a.fischer@unesco.org
- 2. The anthropocene A new age of human impact 26 May 2011 Science 7 October 2011
- 3. The anthropocene Cumulative impact Halpern et al., Science, 2008
- 4. We cannot manage what we do not measure • Sustained ocean observations are essential to: • Improve scientific knowledge about the ocean climate and ecosystems, human impact, and human vulnerability • Drive applications supporting: – early warning for ocean-related hazards – climate forecasts and projections – ecosystem assessment and management – good ocean governance based on sound science – ensuring sustained development of “Blue Economies”
- 5. What is the Global Ocean Observing System? • the GOOS system – collaborative system of sustained observations • independent observing elements • built on requirements • in situ and satellite • operational and research funding • linked to data management and product generation activities • the GOOS program – Framework for Ocean Observing: planning, evaluation, standardization, coordination activities – promote global participation through capacity development – in collaboration with JCOMM, IODE, ...
- 6. continuous satellite measurements of sea surface temperature, height, winds, ocean color, and sea ice Total in situ networks 63% Dec 2014 Surface measurements from volunteer ships (VOS) Global drifting surface buoy array Tide gauge network (GLOSS committed) XBT sub-surface temperature section network Argo profiling float network Repeat hydrography and carbon inventory 100% 250 ships in VOSclim pilot project 5° resolution array: 1250 floats 100% 40% 39% 100% 62% 300 real-time reporting gauges 37000 XBTs deployed 3° resolution array: 3200 floats Full ocean survey in 10 years Global tropical moored buoy network76% 125 moorings planned87 combined sites Global time series network66% 30 34 40 45 48 55 56 59 60 62 62 62 62 62% 2000 2001 2002 20132003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Representative Milestones Original goal for full implementation by 2010 System % sustained, of initial goals 100% ice buoys Fast data Slow/no data GPS (Planned) 63% 2014 GOOS/GCOS 2010 implementation goals for climate observations
- 7. GOOS for climate global participation varies by network
- 8. GOOS for climate adequacy of satellite observations of ECVs
- 9. post-OO’09 Working Group Why a Framework? • OceanObs’09 identified tremendous opportunities, significant challenges • Called for a framework for planning and moving forward with an enhanced global sustained ocean observing system over the next decade, integrating new physical, biogeochemical, biological observations while sustaining present observations
- 10. • Provide a basis for sustained observations of the biogeochemistry and biology of the oceans. • Take lessons learned from successes of existing observing efforts – best practices • Guide observing community as a whole to sustain and expand the capabilities of the ocean observing system • Deliver an observing system that is fit-for-purpose • Promoting collaborative alignment of independent groups, communities and networks, building on existing structures as much as possible Framework for Ocean Observing High level objectives
- 11. Input (Requirements) Output (Data & Products) Process (Observations) Framework for Ocean Observing A simple system
- 12. Structure of the Framework RequirementRequirement What to MeasureWhat to Measure Essential Ocean VariablesEssential Ocean Variables Issues (Scientific and societal drivers)Issues (Scientific and societal drivers) DataAssemblyDataAssembly Data/Info.ProductsData/Info.Products IssuesImpactIssuesImpact ArgoArgo VOSVOS SatelliteSatellite ConstellationConstellationSOOPSOOP IOOSIOOS SatelliteSatellite … … … … … … … … … IMOSIMOS Observations Deployment andObservations Deployment and MaintenanceMaintenance OceanSITESOceanSITES
- 13. • We cannot measure everything, nor do we need to • basis for including new elements of the system, for expressing requirements at a high level • Driven by requirements, negotiated with feasibility • Allows for innovation in the observing system over time Driven by requirements, negotiated with feasibility Essential Ocean Variables
- 14. Framework for Ocean Observing Societal drivers 2012 Climate and Weather
- 16. Requirements Expanded EOVs Expanded observing systems and networks DataProducts Climate and Weather Real-time services Assessments and management of ecosystem services Fisheries Regional priorities Framework for Ocean Observing Societal drivers next decade
- 17. – Common language and consistent handling of requirements, observing technologies, and information flow among different, largely autonomous, observing elements – Seeks to support self-funding and self-managing elements – Essential Ocean Variables as common focus – Assessment and promotion of Readiness – for coastal and open ocean – An “Integrated Observing System” will be a derivative of an EOV-based approach driven by requirements. Framework for Ocean Observing Characteristics
- 18. Concept Increasing Readiness Levels Attributes: Peer review of ideas and studies at science, engineering, and data management community level. Pilot Attributes: Planning, negotiating, testing, and approval within appropriate local, regional, global arenas. Mature Attributes: Products of the global ocean observing system are well understood, documented, consistently available, and of societal benefit. Towards sustained system: requirements, observations, data management Readiness
- 20. GOOS Steering Committee (John Gunn and Eric Lindstrom, co-chairs; Peak Bodies, Sponsors, Observing Panel Chairs, Observing System leaders) Observing System Panels Physics and Climate (M. Bourassa, T. Suga) Biogeochemistry (T. Tanhua) Biology/Ecosystems (N. Bax, S. Simmons) v Technical Advisory Groups / Projects / Regional- National Observing Systems GOOS Framework for Ocean Observing Managing structure
- 22. GOOS Regional Alliances and collaborating regional observing systems EuroGOOS MONGOOS GOOS-Africa IOGOOS SEAGOOS PI-GOOS US IOOS IOCARIBE-GOOS GRASP OCEATLAN Black Sea GOOS NEAR-GOOS IMOS SOOS SAON
Editor's Notes
- We are witnessing a time when the human impact on the earth system is growing exponentially, spawning the proposed naming of a new geological era, where the earth system is under the influence of the human race: the Anthropocene, of "the Age of Man" (and Woman). Awareness of this new influence we have on our planet is growing both in the scientific community (on the left the main page of an article in Science published last month), but also in the general press and in the minds of policymakers (as you can see from the cover of the Economist in May). Both of these views of the globe put land in the center, but I prefer to see the world in this way:
- The cumulative impact of human activity, whether land or sea-based, including climate change, shipping, fishing activity, pollution and others, has been estimated to have an impact over much of the ocean, as shown here in Halpern’s 2008 estimation of cumulative human impact on ocean ecosystems.
- So human well-being, safety, and prosperity are tightly linked to the global ocean. In the age of the anthropocene, this ocean is under increasing amounts of human impact. These are some of the questions that, in order to be answered, need ocean science and services: What are the limits of the natural system? “We cannot negotiate with Nature” we need to know its limits in order to find a sustainable path for the human race How can we reduce human vulnerability to global change and ocean hazards? and How do we move toward sustainable development?
- It is useful to make a distinction between two concepts of GOOS: GOOS is a system, more precisely a collaborative system of observations, where the components of the system are funded by national sources. The system includes in situ and satellite observations, and operational observing networks and sustained research-funded observing networks and platforms. The data from these observations feeds into data management systems and the generation of products to reach users, having impact in science and more directly for society. GOOS encompasses global-scale and coastal observations. GOOS is also often used to refer to the organizing structures of the GOOS programme: the panels and secretariat that provide this platform for collaboration. These structures help to identify requirements for ocean observations to respond to different societal needs, promote standards to ensure an international and interoperable system, promotes synergies between observing networks, and provides a platform for technical coordination and project development. These structures also help to promote global participation in the system.
- Global participation in the observing networks in GOOS varies, from a high of 77 countries contributing tide gauge observations of sea level, to about ten countries involved in the resource-heavy global network of repeat hydrographic lines, measuring every feasible variable from the platform of a research ship.
- For the Essential (ocean) Climate Variables that can be measured on the surface of the ocean from satellites, and GOOS keeps track of the adequacy of commitments to missions, to maintain a continuous and high-quality climate record that is also used for operational purposes. This graph shows a timeline, for each Essential Climate Variable that can be measured from space, of the adequacy of the measurement (in the past), and the projected adequacy given space agency commitments. Over the last five years these commitments have in fact improved quite well. Sea surface salinity is an emerging Essential Climate Variable from space, but the new data from the ESA and NASA missions will help us advance the science, and improve the information we can provide for many purposes.
- What is this Framework for Ocean Observing? Its genesis comes from the OceanObs’09 conference, which took place 21-25 September 2009 in Venice, Italy. It brought together more than 600 participants from 36 countries, focused on defining a collective vision for the coming decade of ocean observations for societal benefit. The papers from this conference, which form an excellent resource reviewing progress and identifying opportunities and community plans, are all available at its website www.oceanobs09.net The conference identified tremendous opportunities to expand ocean observing capabilities, and noted significant challenges. There are many players in a potential integrated sustained ocean observing system. The conference, amongst other things, called for the development of a Framework for planning and moving forward with an enhanced global sustained ocean observing system over the next decade, integrating new physical, biogeochemical, and biological observations while sustaining present observations. It is this Framework that I’ll describe in the next portion of the talk.
- Moving from introduction to the core ideas behind the framework team’s work: We wanted to take a complex system: the ocean observing system built up of research and some operational effort, in situ and satellite observing networks measuring different variables, new technological developments, data streams, and products — and apply systems thinking. This starts with a simple model of the system, which has an input in the form of requirements, a process in the form of observing networks, and an output in data and products that then feeds a scientific or societal benefit, the source of the requirements.
- This model of the framework is derived from where we are now. We have a large part of our observing system (in purple, made up of different observing units/networks) that is built and driven by our climate observing requirements (in orange). These requirements are currently expressed in GCOS plans as requirements on different Essential Climate Variables which we’ve generalized in the framework as Essential Ocean Variables. The GCOS implementation plan is written as a report to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change which has adopted it, and through this process we have buy-in from Parties (nations) from across the world for this observing system. The requirements are looked after by the OOPC which is also a part of the GOOS structure. Different observing units or networks measure different Essential Ocean Variables and contribute to different data streams and products (in green). Argo is an important one here. These products then help inform climate research and societal decisions about climate – and these drivers are what help originally set and refine requirements (arrows) in an important feedback loop to keep the observing system ‘fit for purpose’. The current model helped feed our vision for moving forward from 2010. There are two arrows in the feedback loop: the outer loop at the highest level with feedback from decision-makers about how information from the ocean has impacted their decision, which can then modify the questions asked of the observing system; and an inner loop that allows ocean observers to look at the fitness for purpose of data products and make assessments there
- A key idea in the Framework is the definition of Essential Ocean Variables, which some overlap with other types of essential variables that have been defined, such as Essential Climate Variables defined by GOOS and GCOS, Essential Variables defined by WMO for weather forecasting, and Essential Biodiversity Variables that are being defined by GEOBON (although largely focused on terrestrial variables). The idea is that for the key societal and scientific drivers of sustained ocean observations, we cannot measure everything, nor do we need to. Essential Ocean Variables should respond to these high-level drivers, related to climate, to understanding and managing ecosystem services, to conserving biodiversity, to managing living marine resources, to safety and protection of life and property at sea and on the coasts. Aligning the coordination processes of the observing system on variables, rather than by platforms or observing techniques, stays truer to the natural system which we are trying to observe, while allowing for innovation of observing techniques over time as technology and capability develop. The definition of an EOV must be driven by these requirements, but be rooted in reality, its measurement must be feasible. We may not be ready to measure all EOVs, but this assessing and encouraging the development of readiness is also a part of the Framework.
- This is a cartoon then of the global ocean observing system that we have now. The reality is that there are many more societal drivers than climate and weather for ocean observations. And we should try to engage them to build additional advocates for the observing system, and to help drive an integration across disciplines and especially the data products that will help build a system that is more than a sum of its individual parts.
- We should try to engage these different scientific questions and societal benefits that require sustained ocean observations, including biodiversity, regional seas and regional fisheries management organizations, global fisheries agreements, global marine assessments, and the development of ecosystem-based approaches to management of the ocean environment. Many of these will be impacted by ocean acidification and will need such observations, as well as physical and other biogeochemical and biological sustained observations. We could follow the model that has successfully been implemented by climate – developing implementation plans from an expert group of scientists like the OOPC, which would be put forward to different international conventions and agreements, to get wider buy-in for sustained ocean observations from the international community and nations. That would expand the number of Essential Ocean Variables into the chemical, biological and ecosystems realm (gray box to right) and expand the number of data products. We will then have impact on more issues (for both science and for society). A central concept of the Framework is that the nations of the world cannot afford multiple ocean observing systems each responding to different expressed requirements – that one integrated system that responds to many different requirements will be far more fruitful. This is the 60,000 foot view of the Framework, a high-level picture that looks at driving the observing system with societal issues, developing requirements on what to measure, organizing and coordinating autonomous observing networks, and delivering data that has impacts on these societal issues – helping to drive understanding and good decisions. In some cases the science is ahead of the conventions in its needs for sustained ocean data, but having these conventions there at the top level is an important reminder that we should be developing sustained observations to feed societal benefit. Some of these conventions are regional, and we expressly did not make a distinction between coastal and open ocean observations.
- Here I’ll repeat some of the characteristics of this Framework for Ocean Observing ...
- The readiness levels are in fact an idea that has been with us on the physical side for a couple of decades, the precursor of OOPC (OODSP) spent a lot of time examining the feasibility and impact of different observing systems, to see if they were ready for global sustained observations. We believe that many biogeochemical and biological variables also need global sustained observations, but perhaps the technologies and techniques are not yet ready for instant application globally. We need to increase the readiness of these observing networks so they drive towards being capable of global sustained observations delivering an important data product that has impact on science or society. If there is an ambition to run a regional pilot to build a future global system – this type of pull helps engage the research community, and they want to be engaged. For Argo, new sensors should be and are being trialed in pilot projects, to improve their readiness for deployment on more of the array.
- The Framework team presented an early draft of its report to the IOC Assembly (the governing body of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission), as mentioned, resulting in the adoption of this Framework by the Global Ocean Observing System GOOS. The team envisioned a governance or management of the processes needed to use the Framework in three levels. The responsibility of the top level is primarily to advocate for an integrated sustained GOOS, to ensure that the necessary structures are in place to manage Framework processes, and to negotiate with all of the interested parties, including ICES in this case. The Observing System Panels were envisioned to have responsibility for a disciplinary set of Essential Ocean Variables, focusing on physics, carbon and biogeochemistry, and biology and ecosystems variables. These panels should build as much as possible on existing structures, such as the Ocean Observations Panel for Climate (OOPC), the International Ocean Carbon Coordination Project (IOCCP), and the legacy of GOOS’s Panel for Integrated Coastal Observations (PICO). At the core of the ocean observing system are technical advisory groups, that naturally form around particular observing networks, or the generation of products, often focused on a particular variables, pulling all available data together.