What Is POGO?
The Partnership for Observation of
the Global Oceans, POGO, is a forum created recently by directors
and leaders of major oceanographic institutions around the world to
promote global oceanography, particularly the implementation of an
international and integrated global ocean observing system. POGO includes
institutions performing ocean observations as well as representatives
of existing international and regional programs and organizations.
POGO is a partnership of institutions involved in oceanographic observations,
scientific research, operational services, education and training.
As the scale of these activities becomes
global, there is an increasing value in coordination among the institutions
involved. Through joint planning and exchange of information, the
community can make better use of the limited resources available.
POGO does not set scientific goals, but focuses attention on implementation
issues such as technical compatibility among observing networks; shared
use of infrastructure; and on public outreach and capacity building.
How Did POGO Get Started?
In March 1999, the Directors of Scripps
Institution of Oceanography, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution,
and the Southampton Oceanography Centre in the U.K., convened a planning
meeting in the headquarters of the United Nations Intergovernmental
Oceanographic Commission (IOC). This meeting confirmed the value of
creating a new partnership and defined the initial mission statement
and terms of reference.
Scripps hosted the first formal meeting
of POGO in early December 1999. This inaugural meeting included senior
officials from 17 institutions in 12 countries (Australia, Brazil,
China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Korea, Norway, Russia, UK, and
US), as well as representatives of the IOC, the Scientific Committee
for Oceanic Research (SCOR) of the International Council for Science
(ICSU), the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) and several
international scientific programs. At this meeting, there was agreement
on an initial work plan, including development of an advocacy plan
for observing systems; participation in processes to secure governmental
commitments to fund ocean observing systems; a data interchange demonstration
pilot project; and establishment of a clearinghouse for information
exchange among POGO members, as well as the broader community.
What are the aims of POGO?
The long-term aim of POGO is to participate
in the creation and operation of an integrated global ocean observing
strategy, addressing information needs of decision-makers, researchers,
service providers, and the general public. POGO’s contribution
to that goal is to provide an informal forum for dialogue among leaders
of key oceanographic institutions. POGO can help to integrate the
observational needs of different ocean disciplines (such as ocean
circulation, biology and climate) and to reduce barriers between research
and operational activities. By facilitating collaborative partnerships,
POGO can encourage developing countries to participate fully in collecting
and using environmental information for their own needs. POGO can
help make the case for extensive and sustained observations, along
with research and modelling, to meet society’s need to understand
the oceans that cover three-quarters of the Earth’s surface and
are fundamental to life itself on our planet.
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