Sir Mark Walport, the UK's Chief Scientific Adviser, gave the keynote presentation at the 5th annual meeting of the National Oceanography Centre Association. He identified the major research questions for oceanography in the next decade, including understanding climate change through observations and modeling, improving seasonal weather predictions, exploring biodiversity and ecosystem functions, assessing resources from the seafloor, and utilizing new technologies. Walport stressed the importance of the NOC maintaining the UK's environmental science infrastructure, contributing to resilience and strategic planning, and continuing its public outreach on the importance and fascination of ocean science.

1. National Oceanography Centre Association
5th Annual Meeting –
Key-Note Presentation
Sir Mark Walport
Chief Scientific Adviser to HM Government

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• Health, well being, security, and
resilience
• Knowledge translated to economic
advantage
• The right science for emergencies
• Underpinning policy with evidence
• Advocacy and leadership for
science
Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser

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Oceanographic observations are essential

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Major research questions for
oceanography in the next decade
• Climate change, both
observations and mitigation
• Improving seasonal weather
predictions
• Understanding the vast
biological diversity and
ecosystem functions of the
oceans
• The resource opportunities in the
seafloor and sub-seafloor
• How new technologies will
revolutionise how we gather and
interpret data Plot of energy accumulation in ZJ (1 ZJ = 1021J) within
distinct components of Earth’s climate system (IPCC)

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The major research questions:
Climate Change – Ocean warming
mean
(1993-2009)
= 0
Deployment of an
eXpendable
BathyThermographs.

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The major research questions:
Climate Change – Sea level rise
mean
(1961-1990)
= 0

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The major research questions:
Climate Change – Sea level rise
Radar tidal gauge
UK Coastal Monitoring and Forecasting (UKCMF)
Service - Strategic monitoring network for tide levels
and wave heights
1993–2012 Sea level trends from satellite altimetry.

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Photo Credit: NERCStormsurgeatDawlish.
This information is essential when responding to emergencies
The major research questions:
Climate Change – Sea level rise

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The major research questions:
Climate Change – Climate ‘tipping points’
Marine-ice shelf disintegration Methane release from the sea bed
Principal stress fields and stress-flow angles on Larsen C ice shelf

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RAPID: long term observations of the Atlantic Meridional
Circulation at 26ºN
International collaborative research programme:
UK, Canada, Germany, USA
Measuring the strength of the ocean conveyor in
the North Atlantic as part of a ‘climate monitoring
system’.
The major research questions:
Climate and seasonal modelling

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The major research questions:
Biodiversity and Ecosystems
The piglet squid photographed off the coast of
Nigeria. Image courtesy SERPENT project
Stephen Low Productions. East Pacific Vent at
9degN, 2,600meters on Tube Worm Pillar. Giant
tubeworms close up with vent fish.
The Coral Reef Laboratory - NOC

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The major research questions:
Seafloor as a source of resources
Energy
• Hydro-carbons
• Methane hydrates
• Biofuels from marine algae
• Marine renewables

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The major research questions:
Seafloor as a source of resources
Minerals
• Manganese
• Copper
• Nickel
• Cobalt
• Rare Earth
elements
NOC - global distribution of manganese nodules and cobalt crust

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The major research questions:
Technology for autonomous measurements
• Big Data
• Internet of things
• Satellite technology
• Robotics
The UK has the opportunity to capitalise on investment in world class
research infrastructure and emerging technologies

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Royal Society project on environmental
observations and remote sensing
How can Government best ensure that the potential of
environmental observation data and technologies are
exploited to maximum effect, for current and future
research, industry and policy needs?
And ensure that UK scientists and others have the
infrastructure they need to stay at the forefront of research
and decision-making?
Looking at all types of technology across five domains:
• Air
• Land and freshwater
• Oceans and ice
• Climate change
• Natural Hazards
Reporting in May 2015.

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To inform
The importance of communicating
oceanographic science – climate change
To aid policy and decision making To empower individual decision-making
To counter misinformation

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The importance of communicating
oceanographic science – inspiration
Oceanographyisfundamentaltoour
understandingofourplanetandessential
inunderstandingourplanet’sresponseto
ourgreenhousegasemissions.
Oceanographyisfascinatingand
important,andshouldbepresentedas
such.

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The work that NOC does is of fundamental importance to the UK and
the world’s future.
Conclusion - The future of NOC
NOC will need to
• have a role in maintaining the UK national environmental science
infrastructure, in terms of facilities, data and national capabilities and
employing the latest technological innovations
• play an appropriate role as part of the broader oceanographic
community
• contribute to the UK’s resilience and
strategic planning; and
• maintain their ‘public good’ activity -
both the contribution to Whitehall and
more broadly to the public.

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@uksciencechief
www.gov.uk/go-science
Science Advice – ESOF 2014