This event will act as a bridge or "missing link" connecting existing ocean and coastal observing and monitoring systems to each other and to end users and stakeholders to create a continuous feedback loop that addresses needs and supports the development of innovative solutions to the problems our ocean and coasts are facing. The event provides an opportunity to drive the co-design of innovative monitoring and actions that can leverage available data on the ground. The focus will be on obtaining inputs, recommendations, feedback, and active engagement from governments and Regional Seas, providing a space for the sharing of experiences and lessons learned, best practices, partnership models, funding opportunities, initiatives and emerging issues.
Stakeholders and participants are especially encouraged to provide feedback and actively participate in the co-design process of UNEP’s Global Environment Monitoring System for the Ocean and Coasts (GEMS Ocean) Programme. The Programme is being designed in a way to not duplicate existing ocean monitoring and observation efforts, but to play a critical role in linking them to specific needs and policy making. The Programme, through a demand-driven approach, focuses on providing the world community with relevant data and capacity for ocean and coastal management solutions that can accelerate action on the ground which can be scaled up regionally and globally.
Specific thematic and regional focus areas could be approached during the event, such as: land-sea interactions and the capacity challenges faced by Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Developing Countries in undertaking regular monitoring and preparing, updating, and taking action based on national and/or regional state of the marine environment reports.
For more information, please reach out to us on: unep-science-gemsocean@un.org