1. GEO Blue Planet efforts to support the SDGs
GEO Plenary XIV Side Event
GEOGLOWS and the harmonization of GEO Water Activities
October 24, 2017
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
Washington, D.C.
Paul DiGiacomo, Ph.D.
GEO Blue Planet
Steering Committee Co-Chair

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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.

5. 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

6. 3rd Blue Planet Symposium
The 3rd Blue Planet symposium took place from May 31 – June 2nd in College Park, Maryland
Major recommendations from recent Blue Planet symposium
Focus on building the user engagement working group as a priority
Consider building high level products and services that can be tailored to specific regional and local needs
Work to produce and compile case studies and examples of how ocean observations 6

7. Supplemental Issue
Blue Planet is organizing a supplemental issue in the Journal of Operational Oceanography on Ocean Observing for Societal Benefit
The supplemental issue will Issue will focus on end-to-end case studies of ocean observations being used to benefit various sectors of society

8. 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
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.

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

10. 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

11. Thank you