Opening Panel: Connecting Ocean Observations to the User Community

A series of short presentations will provide an overview of how ocean observing and the information it generates inform society on a wide range of issues. From efforts to build resilience and reduce disaster risk to how near real-time ocean forecasting supports maritime safety and extreme event warnings; ocean observations are integral to keeping people safe on land and at sea. As we look towards creating a more sustainable future, analyzing ocean trends will allow us to document changes due to human interventions, such as climate change, overexploitation, and pollution, and will help us better understand and plan for the impacts of those changes.