On the eve of the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), which is taking place in Nice, France, from June 9 to 13, 2025, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has issued a powerful call for an unprecedented surge in scientific engagement for the ocean.
Scaling Up Mapping
Significant strides are being made in mapping the world’s seabed and its biodiversity, a critical endeavor that underpins all marine knowledge. This fundamental understanding is essential for comprehending the impacts of climate disruption, safeguarding ecosystems, predicting disasters, and effectively managing marine areas.
Led by UNESCO and the International Hydrographic Organization, with support from the Nippon Foundation, high-resolution seabed mapping now encompasses 26.1% of the world’s ocean floor. This represents a substantial increase from less than 6% coverage in 2017, demonstrating accelerated progress in recent years.
Despite this advancement, a considerable amount of data – approximately 25% more – currently remains in the hands of various public or private entities. Making these valuable datasets publicly available through UNESCO’s open-access mapping platform would constitute a major leap forward for global oceanographic research, fostering greater collaboration and scientific discovery.
Continuous Observation
In addition to seabed mapping, a crucial aspect of understanding the ocean involves continuous observation and data collection. To facilitate this, UNESCO is actively equipping ships with scientific measuring instruments that transmit real-time data directly to the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), which the Organization coordinates. Currently, over 2,000 vessels are already equipped with these instruments, a group that includes participants from prestigious sailing competitions like the Vendée Globe, as well as various commercial fleets.
At the upcoming UN Oceans Conference (UNOC) in Nice, UNESCO will unveil an ambitious new target: to involve 10,000 commercial vessels in this global ocean observation network by 2035. To achieve this, UNESCO is calling upon its Member States and shipping industry operators to join this unprecedented initiative. The equipped ships will transmit real-time meteorological and oceanographic data, which will serve multiple vital purposes:
- Better assessing the effects of climate disruption.
- Anticipating extreme weather events.
- Improving maritime safety.
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Source: UNESCO
