Governance Needs

Summary and Expectations

With a vision for a fully integrated and responsive ocean observing system, a governance system needs to support the design, implementation, evolution, and maintenance of the system that our ocean, governments, and societal need. The present governance arrangements will not be sufficient to realize this ambition, as they do not connect the different communities, networks, and partners in fully achieving their potential and do not allow for full implementation of the concepts identified in the Framework for Ocean Observing. This breakout session will present outcomes from a series of workshops, followed by a moderated panel discussion with the goal of identifying a road map and recommendations for reforming the governance of the ocean observing system.

Expected Outcomes/Recommendations

• We recognize that OO governance is multi-level with many centers (polycentric). Engage them all to analyze gaps, harmonize principles, improve learning & sharing, and conflict resolution, and develop the network of actors.
• We want to have collective impact with our stakeholders; let’s build a common agenda, ways to measure it, mutually reinforcingactivities, continuous communication, and backbone support (collective impact model).
• Commission a working group, including ocean observers, and governance experts, to develop a revised governance system based on ideas presented at OceanObs’19.