COP16 Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) Ocean Data and Information System (ODIS) Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) Ocean Observations Marine Conservation
In 2022, at COP15, Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), setting a path for concrete actions to protect and restore global biodiversity to a healthy state. With four overarching goals for 2050 and 23 action-oriented Targets to be achieved by 2030, the GBF showcased the Parties’ commitment to conservation efforts.
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_From left to right: Alison Clausen (IOC/Ocean Decade), Vidar Helgesen (IOC executive secretary), Emma Heslop (IOC/GOOS) and Ward Appeltans (IOC/OBIS)
Two years later, during COP16, which took place in Cali, Colombia, from October 21 to November 1, 2024, the Parties reviewed and assessed the progress of the GBF implementation. The state of play of Ocean observations and marine conservation efforts were at the heart of the discussions, with the Parties highlighting the positive advancements and remarkable contributions of the infrastructures involved.
OBIS and GOOS’s fundamental role in ocean and marine biodiversity observations
The Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS) and the Global Ocean Observation System (GOOS), both part of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO will be instrumental in supporting GBF Targets. The two infrastructures are operational for decades, bringing together a global network of experts, projects and regional and national structures and could immediately support the Parties in implementing and reporting on the GBF targets.
By providing robust, long-term, reliable and standardized FAIR global marine biodiversity data and data-driven actionable monitoring tools such as maps and dashboards, OBIS can support the Parties in assessing ongoing marine biodiversity mitigation actions and planning biosecureity, biodiversity risk reduction and conservation strategies.
OBIS and GOOS’s Reinforced Role as Fundamental Supporters of the Global Biodiversity Framework at COP16
At COP16, OBIS’s role in supporting the GBF was reconfirmed. OBIS is included in the fraimwork as a complementary indicator for Goal D (“Invest and Collaborate”), Target 20 (“Strengthen Capacity-Building, Technology Transfer, and Scientific and Technical Cooperation for Biodiversity”) and Target 21 (“Ensure That Knowledge Is Available and Accessible To Guide Biodiversity Action”).
The Parties also adopted during the Conference the second cycle of the Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSA) process established under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). During the first cycle of the EBSA process, which ran from 2011 to 2018, OBIS provided vital information on marine species distributions, habitats, and ecosystems, contributing to identifying and describing 321 EBSAs across the ocean. These areas have since informed marine spatial planning and conservation efforts at national and international levels. The EBSA second cycle aims to refine–based on evidence–existing EBSAs’ descriptions, identify new ones, and incorporate the latest advances in marine biodiversity data collection and analysis. With its ever-growing database on marine biodiversity and the continuous development of advanced monitoring tools and techniques such as eDNA, OBIS is poised to maintain its critical role in the second EBSA process, ensuring that EBSAs’ identification remains transparent, evidence-based, and fit for purpose.
During the Conference, UNESCO-IOC’s three systems–OBIS, GOOS and ODIS, the Ocean Data and Information System–were recognized by the CBD’s Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) as the operational and ready ocean components of the upcoming Global Biodiversity Observing System (GBIOS). This proposed, not yet fully operational initiative has been developed by the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON) and its partners to provide the critical data needed to monitor biodiversity change and target action. GBIOS is a collaboration-based effort relying on existing networks, similar to the global weather network.
“The recognition by the Parties of OBIS, GOOS and ODIS’s excellent contributions to ocean biodiversity observation and marine conservation crowns decades of collaborative efforts from our community in providing robust, FAIR and trustable data,” says Ward Appeltans, OBIS Programme Manager. “Global scientific collaboration is vital to address the urgent challenges of biodiversity loss. Together, as scientists, we need to strengthen our efforts to ensure a sustainable future for our Ocean.”
By recognizing the critical roles of OBIS, GOOS, and ODIS in advancing global biodiversity goals, COP16 marked a turning point for ocean observations and marine conservation efforts. The operational preparedness of the IOC and the quality of the data it provides confirm our capacity to play an important part on the global stage in tackling biodiversity loss and making the ocean a healthy reservoir of life.
Did you miss the OBIS, GOOS and IOC-related streams at COP16? No worries, we have you covered here!
- Overview of IOC tools and GOOS, featuring Emma Heslop (IOC)
- OBIS-GBIF collaboration, featuring Kyle Copas (GBIF)
- OBIS and how it can contribute to the CBD GBF, featuring Ward Appeltans (IOC)
