WOC Working to Ensure Ocean Industry Input to U.N. “World Ocean Assesment”

The United Nations (U.N.) is undertaking an inaugural World Ocean Assessment (WOA) - the first of a regular process for global reporting and assessment of the state of the marine environment, including socioeconomic aspects.

The WOA will include more than fifty subjects grouped within four main themes: 
• Marine environment and understanding the ocean’s role in the global integrated Earth system 
• Food security and food safety 
• Marine biological diversity 
• Human activities that influence the ocean or are influenced by the ocean

It is important for the WOA to include input from the ocean business community, especially in relation to the assessment themes on human activities.

The U.N. is seeking nominations for the Pool of Experts to be authors and reviewers of the first WOA, which is to be completed in 2014. Criteria for participation in the Pool of Experts include internationally recognized expertise and ability to serve in a voluntary and independent individual capacity, with the work to be completed through electronic communications.

The WOC has organized with the U.N. Division of Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea (DOALOS) for interested experts to be able to submit applications for participation to: doalos@un.org, with cc to evoram@un.org. For experts to participate, they must be put forward by a national government. Completed applications will be forwarded by DOALOS to the Permanent Missions in New York, based on the applicant’s country of residence.

The form for submitting applications to participate in the Pool of Experts is available at: www.un.org/Depts/los/global_reporting/global_reporting.htm

The application review for the Pool of Experts must be submitted before 15 December 2013, as the review of applications begins then.

For more information on the WOA, go to: www.worldoceanassessment.org