GEO Blue Planet efforts to support the SDGs GEO Plenary XIV Side Event Earth Observations in Support of SDG Implementation and Monitoring in Small Island States and Developing Countries October 24, 2017 Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center Washington, D.C. Sophie Seeyave, Ph.D. GEO Blue Planet Steering Committee Co-Chair

Oceans and Society: Blue Planet Oceans and Society: Blue Planet is an Initiative within the Group on Earth Observations Blue Planet’s mission is to: advance and exploit synergies among ocean and coastal observational programmes increased integration of and access to in situ and remote sensing ocean observation data improve engagement with a variety of users for enhancing the timeliness, quality and range of services raise awareness of the societal benefits of ocean observations at the public and policy levels

Goal The overall goal of Blue Planet Initiative is to ensure the sustained development and use of ocean and coastal observations for the benefit of society User needs Observations Data Products Information Knowledge Knowledge

Who is Blue Planet Blue Planet is a network made up of participants from a variety of existing international organizations, regional organizations, national institutes, universities, government agencies, project groups and other stakeholders.

Current Focus Connecting users to providers Engaging with users to identify data and information needs Clarifying the “seascape” of ocean and coastal observations for user groups

Caribbean SDG Workshop Implementing and Monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals in the Caribbean: The Role of the Ocean Jan. 17, 2018 – Jan. 19, 2018 in St. Vincent and the Grenadines http://www.gstss.org/2018_Ocean_SDGs/ The workshop aims to facilitate a dialogue between the governments and people of the Caribbean Small Island States about their efforts to implement and monitor the SDGs and, by monitoring this dialogue, to extract knowledge needs, which then can be related to data needs. The collaborate effort brings together governments and people of the Caribbean Small Island States, Earth observation providers, scientists, United Nations Agencies active in the region, and regional non-governmental organizations with the goal to link on-going efforts to implement and monitor the SDGs in the Caribbean Small Island States to required ocean observations and engage in the co-creation of the knowledge needed by those engaged in SDG implementation. The overarching goal is to fully map the requirements for ocean observations serving the implementation and monitoring of the SDGs.

Caribbean SDG Workshop Implementing and Monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals in the Caribbean: The Role of the Ocean The workshop is being planned in a collaborative effort of GEO Initiatives, governments of the Caribbean Small Island States, United Nations Agencies, and regional non-governmental organisations The workshop will bring together stakeholders engaged in the implementation and monitoring of the SDGs in the Caribbean Small Island States with the goal to link these efforts to required ocean observations and to engage in the co-creation of the knowledge supporting these efforts. Small Island States Governments Share Information requirements Requirements matched with existing products and services Requirements matched with existing products and services In a collaborative effort of GEO Initiatives, governments of the Caribbean Small Island States, United Nations Agencies, and regional non-governmental organisations, a workshop is organized that will bring together stakeholders engaged in the implementation and monitoring of the SDGs in the Caribbean Small Island States with the goal to link these efforts to required ocean observations and to engage in the co-creation of the knowledge supporting these efforts. Collaborating with the governments in the Small Island States and participating in their efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda is a novel avenue for those providing Earth observations to better understand what ocean observations are required and what products are available to inform decisions. These requirements, where possible, will be matched to existing data sets and services to create the knowledge needed by the governments and the people in the Caribbean Small Island States, and gaps will be addressed where such products don’t exist or are not accessible.

Future SDG Workshop The Caribbean workshop will be a pilot for future workshops in other regions

Support of Regional Projects 4M – Multipurpose Marine Monitoring Mechanism Project concept (for implementation in Barbados and Grenada) currently being developed by UNDP Barbados and the OECS, IOCARIBE-GOOS and GEO Blue Planet The 4M project will provide data and information necessary for successful implementation of the SDGs in the Caribbean OECS is the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States This project is under development. GEO Blue Planet is working to facilitate partnerships for UNDP Barbados and IOCARIBE-GOOS

Working with partners GEO Blue Planet is an initiative that aims to facilitate linkages and exploit synergies with other organisations As, such, it has been in dialogue with various partners (IOC, UNEP, OECD, various other GEO programmes) to determine how best we can work together to support SDGs. GEO Blue Planet could be an ideal focal point for SDG-14 , bringing together GEO, custodian agencies and other relevant partners.

Thank you Questions?