To ensure that the global ocean observing system function in the most efficient way, rigorous international governance framework must be established. How can the ocean observing community collaborate to establish and sustain such a framework?

Technologies and processes for improving the management, accessibility, and dissemination of ocean observations. Related ocean observing key expertise: Data scientists; Science communicators; Citizen Science experts.

The pace of technology development for enhancing making ocean observations poses a challenge for the global ocean observing systems to properly integrate these new capabilities into sustained observing networks. In addition, a disconnect still exists between what is needed scientifically and what is available for comprehensive ocean observations, especially in terms of biological variables. How do we take advantage of new instruments and platforms that can significantly improve the efficiency, decrease the cost, or add new observations that were not previously possible without compromising the integrity and consistency of the long-term ocean observing record?

Much of the ocean remains unexplored. The deep sea is one of the last frontiers of ocean discovery and an integral element of the earth system. The rapid technology development is expected to lead to more exciting discoveries of the ocean and its physics, chemistry, and biology, which may result in breakthrough in earth system science.

Human society largely benefits from marine biodiversity and healthy ecosystems that are under increasing multiple stressors’ pressure (e.g. ocean acidification). Seeking the way of observing complex ecosystem dynamics and biodiversity and the biogeochemical modulation in a globally integrated manner is a challenging task of oceanographers’ community.

Monitoring, understanding, and predicting oceanic variations associated with natural climate variability and human-induced changes, and assessing the related roles of the ocean on multiple spatial-temporal scales.

To sustain provisional and regulating services from ocean, communication between oceanographers and multiple stakeholders are indispensable in planning and implementing ocean observation and monitoring.

Land based and sea-going human activities are affecting the ocean in both near field and far field. For example, plastic debris proliferate world ocean even the deepest sea. Monitoring and assessment of pollutants from source to sinks and their impacts are much needed for better management to sustain ocean health.

Observational needs for ocean forecasting, seasonal prediction and coupled weather prediction, improving maritime safety and search and rescue, hazards prediction and weather impacts. Monitoring ocean hazards such as tsunami, storm surges, marine heat waves, impacts of extreme weather events on the ocean.

The blue economy is the concept for sustainable use of ocean resources, aiming for economic growth, livelihoods improvement, and ocean ecosystem health. How can ocean observation contributes to successful blue economy models? What data are needed?