The GOA-ON Executive Council would like to announce an open call for new members to join the GOA-ON Executive Council. We particularly welcome nominations with expertise in modelling, data analysis, management, and QC, chemical oceanography, observing platforms and sensors, policy and management, social sciences, co-production, and communication. We especially encourage participation from the southern hemisphere and from early career members. If you would like to nominate yourself or a colleague, please send a 2 page CV and a short letter of interest (1 page max.) outlining how your expertise will contribute to GOA-ON and your motivation for joining the GOA-ON Executive Council. Nominations will be accepted on a rolling basis and should be submitted to secretariat@goa-on.org. We look forward to hearing from you and gaining new members on the GOA-ON EC!
Ocean Acidification and Convention on Biological Convention Policy Brief
As the world comes together for CBD COP16, it’s clear that more attention is needed to tackle ocean acidification—one of the most urgent threats to marine biodiversity. Only 13 government-level ocean acidification action plans are in place, according to the OA Alliance (International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification) and now is the time for stronger global action. The OARS programme connects a global network of ocean acidification experts to support Target 8 implementation through science-based, local and global mitigation and adaptation strategies. Our experts from science, law, and policy have developed key insights and guidance on Targets 7 and 8 with a focus on ocean acidification in a new policy brief for CBD COP16, is available in the link below. We welcome you to reach out to discuss how we can collaborate to protect our ocean.
On 1 October 2024, the project "Ocean Acidification - Proof of Concept for New Research Strategies", generously supported by the Velux Foundation via the IOC of UNESCO, was launched. This project aims to identify biological indicators that, when combined with environmental observations, including carbonate chemistry, will allow observations, as well as comparisons of the rate and severity of biological changes in response to ocean acidification. The community is invited to contribute by helping to build a global data resource that will contain time series of biological parameters, such as taxonomic composition, biomass, and abundance, along with oceanographic data.
For more information, please refer to the linked document or contact Natalija Suhareva.
OA Week 2024 will take place from Monday, 18 November to Friday, 22 November! This virtual multi-day forum will highlight the ocean acidification knowledge we need to restore humanity's relationship with the ocean. OA Week will feature presentations from the GOA-ON Regional Hub on the latest scientific studies in their network. Additionally, we are preparing community discussions and sessions on ocean acidification topics identified and suggested by members of the GOA-ON community. So mark your calendars and keep your eyes open for updates!
GOA-ON will host a webinar on 18 October 2024 at 1400-1500 UTC given by Dr. Thomas Froelicher from the University of Bern. Join this webinar to learn about the impacts of marine heatwaves and ocean acidity extremes.
The St. John’s Island National Marine Laboratory (SJINML) and Marine Environment Sensing Network (MESN) would like to invite you to join the Marine Monitoring for Action (MMfA) workshop’s hybrid seminars 7. - 10. October 2024. This workshop will feature presentations from invited marine experts from Singapore, the UK, and Southeast Asia about how marine monitoring data can be used to shape policy and management, global efforts for marine observations, impacts of ocean acidification and efforts for mitigation, the importance of communicating good science to the masses and more. GOA-ON co-chair Prof Steve Widdicombe and North-East Atlantic Hub chair Prof Helen Findlay are among the speakers.
The call for abstracts for the One Ocean Science Congress is now open. This event, organised by CNRS and IFREMER, will be held from 4 - 6 June in Nice, France, ahead of the 2025 UN Ocean Conference.The organizers are inviting the submission of abstracts fitting within the ten key themes of the Congress while being solution oriented and interdisciplinary. The congress will include plenary sessions featuring keynote lectures, oral and poster presentations, as well as town hall meetings to foster engagement and collaboration across all disciplines. For more information, please visit the website below.
Applications are now open for the Winter School on Ocean Acidification and Multiple Stressors - Second Edition, which will be held from 18 - 29 November 2024 at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Marine Environment Laboratories in Monaco. The goal of this program is to not only address and minimize the impacts of OA and related stressors. Early career researchers with experience in environmental changes with a particular OA focus will be given priority. The deadline to apply is 10 October 2024. This program is funded by the IAEA and co-sponsored by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. For more information on how to apply, please visit the link below.
Open Call for New PI-TOA Steering Committee Members
The PI-TOA Steering Committee (SC) would like to announce an open call for new members to join! Steering committee members are elected for three year terms and are expected to fulfill the duties outlined in the PI-TOA Steering Committee Roles and Requirements Document linked below. All interested ocean professionals within the Pacific Islands and Territories are welcomed to apply. We particularly welcome nominations from Pacific Island government agencies and countries not already represented on our SC and early career members, to increase our impact within the Pacific Islands! If you would like to nominate yourself, or a colleague, please send a CV and short letter of interest outlining how your (or your colleague's) experience will contribute to PI-TOA SC. Please submit your nomination to secretariat@goa-on.org by 30 November 2024. We look forward to hearing from you and gaining new PI-TOA SC members!
Registration is open for the Wepal-Quasimeme Workshop on Quality Assurance for inorganic carbon system measurements in the context of ocean acidification monitoring, taking place 18-20 March 2025 at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC), Southampton, United Kingdom. The workshop responds to a need for high quality data (TA, DIC, pH, pCO2) identified by OSPAR, ICOS, GOA-ON and AMAP, among others, to strengthen all scientific output on OA, including a consistent approach to sampling, sample pre-treatment, analysis, quality control, validation of methods, calculation of derived variables and an understanding of methodological limitations. Find details and application deadlines in the link below.
Raising Ocean Science Awareness Among Fiji's Youth
The inaugural Veivueti Kids Ocean Conference took place on June 12th at the International School in Suva, Fiji. The event aimed to ignite a passion for ocean conservation among students, empowering them to take meaningful action as stewards of marine ecosystems. Students were given the opportunity to select an Ocean Decade Challenge and develop solutions to address these challenges, beginning at the local level.
During Summer 2023, the OA Solomon Team composed of Dr Lindon Havimana and Dr Wycliff Tupiti plus a teaching staff member, Fiona Meke, and two research assistant students, Miriam Sulu and Jasmin Rahii, from the Solomon Islands National University (SINU) made a first visit to a proposed OA monitoring deployment site, located west of Honiara. The Team met with the local landowning group, increasing awareness of OA, with plans to present to local villagers before monitoring activities, and ultimately gaining permission to conduct OA monitoring along the coastline and reef areas. The Team snorkeled around the proposed reef site, located within the barrier reef, where stony corals and seagrasses are abundant with high diversity of colorful reef fish, making this an ideal site for OA monitoring. Stay tuned for news about our next site visit!
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ocean Acidification Program (OAP) is hosting a virtual workshop on their Regional Resiliency & Vulnerability Assessment (RVA) projects on 9 October at 1pm EDT / 7am HST/ 7pm CEST. This workshop will highlight Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 RVA projects, sharing results as well as cultivating connections between current PIs and those interested in applying to NOAA OAP's upcoming FY25 RVA funding call (end of summer announcement). These RVA projects are interdisciplinary, supplementing the physical, chemical, and biological science of ocean acidification with social science, to assess regional vulnerability.
GOA-ON is seeking three OA Week Remote Coordinators for early career ocean professionals (ECOPs) to be a part of the 2024 OA Week Planning Team, alongside the GOA-ON Secretariat. This internship will be part time for 10 weeks. GOA-ON aims to offer opportunities, such as these, to provide ECOPs experience in different careers, exposure to the global ocean professional community, and opportunities to strengthen a diverse set of skills. See the attached description of the OA Week Coordinator Internship. To apply, please email the GOA-ON Secretariat (secretariat@goa-on.org) with a brief (max. one paragraph) description of why you are interested in this position, your predicted time availability, and location of where you are based by Monday 12. August 2024. ICONEC members are encouraged to apply.
A Basic Training Course on Ocean Acidification will be held in Monrovia, Liberia from 9-13 September 2024, hosted by the Government of Liberia through the United Methodist University (UMU) and organised by the IAEA OA-ICC. This course will provide participants with knowledge on how to improve ocean acidification monitoring, design relevant experiments, and increase OA awareness within the West African region. The course is open to 20 scientists from the following countries: Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, Guinea-Bissau, and Republic of Equatorial Guinea. Applications are open until 8 August (extended deadline). See the link for additional details. Photo Credit: Jeff Hester/Ocean Image Bank
The OA-Med hub is working to establish a Working Group on Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal (mCDR) and has launched a survey to learn more about the current status of mCDR in the Mediterranean region, from scientific, political, and governance angles. We invite all interested parties to complete the linked survey , especially researchers, economists, policy makers and decision-makers who work in the mCDR space. Please share this link widely with anyone who may be interested.
IAPSO, the International Association for the Physical Sciences of the Oceans, has formed a Best Practice Study Group focusing on "Calibrating Measurements of Total Dissolved Inorganic Carbon in Seawater". This group aims to (1) develop calibration strategies for commonly used instrumentation to measure total dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in seawater, (2) write clear standard operating procedures (SOPs), (3) assess the reliability and consistency among calibration methods, and (4) suggest solutions to facilitate effective implementation. If you routinely perform DIC measurements, we invite your input and participation. To contribute to this initiative, please begin by completing a short 10-minute questionnaire by June 30th. Any personal information provided will be removed before data is aggregated to evaluate the community's calibration needs for seawater DIC measurements.
The GOA-ON marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) Working Group hosted a GOA-ON webinar on April 16, 2024, which can be viewed on the GOA-ON YouTube channel. Webinar participants discussed future mCDR Working Group activities and were invited to join the working group to help lead these future activities. To join the working group and/or participate in writing a GOA-ON mCDR position paper, please fill out the form below. You can also contribute to the position paper and working group by adding to the Jamboard linked below, where the WG is gathering ideas and suggestions. The working group aims to bring together a diverse group of ocean practitioners and encourages representation from all GOA-ON Regional Hubs and the early career ICONEC community. Overall, this working group will focus on the intersection between OA and mCDR and is open to all GOA-ON members.
GOA-ON Co-Chair Named 2024 Frontiers Planet Prize National Champion
GOA-ON co-chair Prof Steve Widdicombe, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, has been named as one of the 23 National Champions in the prestigious Frontiers Planet Prize. This award recognizes those whose research offers the greatest transformational potential and global scalability. The 23 National Champions have published groundbreaking articles contributing to our understanding of the Earth's systems and laying groundwork to transformative solutions, with respect to the nine planetary boundaries. Prof Widdicombe was nominated for the research article he authored with the GOA-ON Biology Working Group titled: "Unifying biological field observations to detect and compare ocean acidification impacts across marine species and ecosystems: what to monitor and why." The National Champions now move forward to the final round of the competition. Congratulations, Steve!
Pier2Peer mentee, Kouakou Urbain Koffi, and mentor, Abed El Rahman Hassoun, recently published their research in Frontiers in Marine Science! The team evaluated the impact of carbonate and nutrient chemistry on phytoplankton in the Gulf of Guinea by taking surface water samples weekly, identifying 60 phytoplankton species, with more than half belonging to the phylum Bacillariophyta. Additionally, the highest phytoplankton specific diversity was observed in August and September, during an upwelling period with elevated DIC content. Bacillariophyta populations appear to increase alongside increased variability in physicochemical parameters. Congratulations Urbain, Abed, and coauthors!
Hosted by Spain and co-organized with UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, the 2024 UN Ocean Decade Conference will take place on 10-12 April 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. This global conference is designed to bring together the Ocean Decade community and partners to celebrate achievements and set joint priorities for the future of the Decade. GOA-ON and OARS members will be in attendance to share achievements and future plans with our global partners. Check out the summary of ocean acidification events below!
Source-to-Sea Satellite Event at UN Ocean Decade Conference
Join OARS co-lead, Steve Widdicombe, and OARS secretariat member, Amy Kenworthy, at a UN Ocean Decade Conference satellite event on 9 April 2024 from 09:30-11:00 CEST. The event, titled "Catalyzing Source-to-Sea Synergies towards Healthy Rivers and a Healthy Ocean", will bring together freshwater and ocean communities to develop knowledge, build expertise and promote implementation of source-to-sea action. Experts will showcase how UN Ocean Science Decade programmes, such as Healthy Rivers Healthy Ocean (HRHO) and Ocean Acidification Research for Sustainability (OARS), support source-to-sea initiatives. Registration is available for in person or virtual participation.
The GOA-ON Biological Working Group is pleased to announce the launch of their new webpage! The GOA-ON Biology Working Group was formed in 2015. Chaired by Dr. Kirsten Isensee (IOC-UNESCO) and Dr. Sam Dupont (University of Gothenburg), the Biology Working Group is a constantly evolving group of experts from a wide range of disciplines.The webpage outlines the goals and vision of the working group, and highlights outputs from the working group, including published papers. Check out the new page below!
WMO Statement on the State of the Global Climate 2023
The annual Statement on the State of the Global Climate from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirms that 2023 was yet another record breaking year, with the highest recorded global temperatures, greenhouse gas levels, sea level rise, ocean temperatures, and ocean acidification. Global observations reported to the SDG 14.3.1 Indicator show that while ocean acidification is observed in all ocean basins, the current coverage is still inadequate, with gaps in observations and data found in all areas. As the rate of change in ocean acidification, and its pattern and scale, show great regional and temporal variability and understanding high-resolution, long-term observation at scales relevant to the affected communities are required. The Report, with input from researchers from national and United Nations Agencies, informs policy makers on the latest climate change science.
Register for UN Ocean Decade Conference OA Satellite Event
Registration is now open for an ocean acidification satellite event at the UN Ocean Decade Conference taking place in Barcelona 10-12 April 2024. "Moving from Science to Action on Ocean Acidification: Why Does It Matter? How Is It Being Achieved?" will be held on 11 April between 8:30-9:45 am (with 7:30 am coffee) at the Barcelona International Convention Center. The event is co-hosted by the IAEA, OA Alliance, and NOAA, in partnership with GOA-ON and OARS and is open to all conference participants. It will feature discussions focused on the need for OA awareness, the importance of capacity building programs in increasing regional science and policy response, and pathways forward for OA Action as well as commitments to OA Actions under the UN Decade of Ocean Science.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Ocean Acidification Program, in partnership with The Ocean Foundation, is pleased to announce a scholarship opportunity for the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network’s Pier2Peer program participants. Awards, typically USD $5,000, but up to $7,500 may be granted if justification is reasonable, are available to help support international collaborations between mentors and mentees that result in tangible gains in technical capacity, cooperation, and knowledge. The next application deadline is 15 April 2024.
Opportunity: Pacific Islands Collaboration and Learning Grants!
A new grant opportunity provided by The Ocean Foundation with support from the NOAA Ocean Acidification Program is available to assist researchers in the Pacific Islands who are working on ocean acidification in gaining additional practical experience and knowledge that advances their research abilities. This call is open to those who reside and conduct ocean acidification research in the Pacific Islands region. Those in other PI countries and territories (such as Cook Islands, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Tokelau) may also apply. Applications are due on 23 February 2024.
A "Guide to Developing Mentoring Programs for the International Ocean Community" was newly released in January 2024 by The Ocean Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This document provides recommendations for developing mentorship programs that are: 1) Aligned with the needs of the global ocean community; 2) Relevant and practicable for international audiences; and 3) Supportive of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Access values. This framework is designed for coordinators of new or existing mentorship programs, and it includes several tools for planning, administration, evaluation, and support.
The GOA-ON mCDR Working Group will host a webinar on 16 April 2024 at 1600-1730 UTC. Join this webinar to learn about the GOA-ON Working Group and discuss the desired overlap between GOA-ON and mCDR. Participants will engage in discussion to shape the future activities of this Working Group and be invited to join the GOA-ON mCDR Working Group to help lead these future activities.
Register Now for "Ocean Acidification - Linking Science with Society"
Explore the latest in ocean acidification research at the GOA-ON SAROA hub's international meeting, "Ocean Acidification - Linking Science with Society", in Kolkata, India, on 1-2 February 2024. This event focuses on connecting scientific findings with societal impacts of ocean acidification and will feature international experts, including Dr. Vengatesen Thiyagarajan, Prof. Steve Widdicombe, and Prof. Jan Newton. For further details, reach out to itmerg.ngs@gmail.com.
Exploring Our Changing Ocean: Impacts and Response to U.S. OA
Six interactive OA StoryMaps were created in partnership by the OARS/GOA-ON members OA Alliance, NOAA Ocean Acidification Program, and the Aquarium Conservation Partnership, entitled "Exploring Our Changing Ocean: Impacts and Response to Ocean Acidification in the USA". The collaboration is aimed at supporting aquaria using place-based storytelling about the importance of addressing climate change in the communities they serve. These StoryMaps showcase relevant ocean acidification trends, science activities, stakeholder engagements, and policy responses taking place across regions where NOAA supports U.S. Coastal Acidification Networks (CANs). The six regional NOAA CANs include activities in Alaska, the California Current, North Atlantic, Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, and the Gulf of Mexico.
The COP28 Climate Conference brought together over 97,000 delegates in person from 199 parties in Dubai, UAE between 30 November 30 to 12 December 2023. In conclusion, nearly every country in the world agreed to "transition away from fossil fuels", the main driver of climate change. Ocean acidification is an oceans and climate issue. Therefore, GOA-ON and the UN Ocean Decade Programme Ocean Acidification Research for Sustainability (OARS) participated in side events that highlighted OA research, capacity building, policy engagement, science to action, and more. Check out the recorded events below to learn more!
The COP28 Climate Conference will take place Thursday 30 November 30 through 12 December 2023. It will bring together world leaders and heads of states from over 70,000 delegations to discuss policies to mitigate and adapt to climate change as well as the first Global Stocktake to assess progress towards the Paris Agreement. Ocean acidification is an oceans and climate issue. Therefore, GOA-ON and the UN Ocean Decade Programme Ocean Acidification Research for Sustainability (OARS) will support events that highlight OA research, capacity building, policy engagement, science to action, and more. Check out the events below and tune in to the virtual events to learn more!
The Economist Back to Blue programme and The Nippon Foundation hosted the "Ocean Acidification: a threat to marine ecosystems and economies in the Commonwealth and beyond" event on 14 November 2023 in London. The event brought together senior government representatives, policymakers, scientists and other ocean experts from within and outside the Commonwealth to discuss this growing crisis. This event featured GOA-ON and OARS co-chairs, co-champions, and members, in a lively discussion regarding OA science, policy, and more.
Applications are open for new members of the seven OARS (Ocean Acidification Research for Sustainability) Outcome Working Groups. Working groups, along with their co-champions, serve as an advisory panel for each OARS Outcome and engage directly in the implementation of actions and projects. Working group members are responsible for identifying priorities, providing guidance, motivating the OA community, and actively participating in activities related to the Outcome. To apply, send a short motivation letter indicating which Outcome you are interested in along with a CV to secretariat@goa-on.org.
IOC-UNESCO, together with CEAZA and the Universidad Catolica del Norte, as well as many other partners and sponsors, organized the GOOD-OARS-CLAP-COPAS Summer School from 6-12 November 2023 in La Serena, Chile to teach the latest science of ocean acidification and deoxygenation. This summer school provided an opportunity for 33 young researchers from 17 countries to meet over 15 expert lecturers. The summer school included presentations on different aspects of ocean acidification and deoxygenation, science communication, and science ethics, as well as practicals on modelling, laboratory experiments, and shipboard measurements and analysis. The school concluded with a visit to offshore sea scallops aquaculture platforms in Tongoy Bay. The next GOOD-OARS summer school is provisionally planned for 2025.
The COP28 Virtual Ocean Pavilion, a free to access online platform dedicated to raising the visibility of the ocean and showcasing why the ocean matters in climate negotiations, will be live from 22 November - 12 December, 2023. Supported by the Global Ocean Forum and Plymouth Marine Laboratory, the pavilion aims to promote unity and inclusivity, whilst increasing knowledge, commitment, and action for the ocean-climate nexus at key events during the UN Climate Conference (COP28) in Dubai, UAE. Visit the pavilion to access live and on–demand ocean and climate events, including high level speakers, explore exhibition booths, watch on-location COP28 reporting and interviews with delegates, take educational quizzes, earn certifications of attendance, access valuable networking opportunities and discover the treasure trove to learn more about the ocean and climate connection.
Did you miss any sessions from OA Week 2023? From 30 October - 3 November 2023, GOA-ON hosted 94 virtual presentations across 22 sessions focusing on all things ocean acidification, including GOA-ON regional hubs, the latest in sensor technology, policy, and capacity building. Over 750 attendees attended OA Week 2023 live and all sessions are now posted on the GOA-ON YouTube channel. The GOA-ON Secretariat extends a warm thank you to all participants and attendees!
Back to Blue to Host a Virtual OA Event on 14 November
The Economist Back to Blue programme and The Nippon Foundation are hosting an event, "Ocean Acidification: a threat to marine ecosystems and economies in the Commonwealth and beyond" on November 14 in London. This event, which will also broadcast virtually, will bring together senior government representatives, policymakers, scientists and other ocean experts from within and outside the Commonwealth to discuss this growing crisis. The discussion will explore the threat ocean acidification poses to marine ecosystems and the potential consequences for economies, communities, and individuals, and showcase best practices that can be adopted to mitigate its impact. This event features GOA-ON and OARS co-chairs, co-champions, and members. Register by clicking the link below.
Welcome to the newest GOA-ON Regional Hub, the OA Caribbean Hub! The formation of this hub was initiated following a Caribbean OA Needs Based Assessment Survey, which highlighted the needs within the region, including technical capacity, training, networking, and capacity building within the region. The hub co-chairs are Debbie-Ann Gordon-Smith (Jamaica) and Amber Packard (USVI), and the steering committee members are Sylvia Lander (Dominica), Alain Munoz (Cuba), Julio Morell (Puerto Rico), Jair Valladarez (Belize), and Clayton Vondriska (USVI). This hub welcomes ocean professionals from the wider Caribbean region, excluding mainland US. To join, click the link below to join GOA-ON and select the OA Caribbean Hub. Early Career Ocean Professionals are also encouraged to join the International Carbon Ocean Network for Early Career (ICONEC) Community.
The Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON) and the Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS) are seeking to develop a Southern Ocean collaborative hub on ocean acidification. The aim of the hub is to facilitate community building and collaboration across nations and disciplines, providing a network of interdisciplinary experts to coordinate research activities for future Southern Ocean OA activities. We are asking interested individuals to complete a short survey, which will capture your thoughts of what this hub might look like and gain insight into what you see as the key research areas and specific aims the hub could target. Please fill in the questionnaire until 20 November.
Register Your Commitment to Tackling Ocean Acidification
From individuals to global entities, each Commitment to one or more of the OARS outcomes signifies a pledge to combat this crisis and safeguard marine ecosystems and the well-being and livelihoods of those reliant on them. By publicly declaring your Commitment, you not only show the world what you are doing to address ocean acidification but also inspire others to join in, catalysing a chain reaction of positive contributions. Commitments will be highlighted on our website, fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration. Every effort, regardless of its scale, holds significance, and we warmly invite you to be a part of realising the aspirations and outcomes of the OARS UN Ocean Decade program.
GOA-ON is thrilled to introduce our two new OA Week Coordinators, Dr. Yumeng Pang and Dr. Shaimaa El-Gamal, who are working with the GOA-ON Secretariat to coordinate and implement OA Week 2023. Dr. Pang is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Washington (USA), whose work compares the OA adaptability of fishing communities between Japan and the US. Dr. El-Gamal is the Head of the Marine Geology Lab at the National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (Egypt). Her research interests include eutrophication and heavy metal pollution in marine environments. Please join us in welcoming them both!
The schedule for GOA-ON's OA Week, a virtual multi-day forum to highlight ocean acidification research, is now available. Check out the sessions at the link and register for Zoom participation. OA Week 2023 will highlight sessions from the UN Ocean Decade programme OARS, the early career network ICONEC, GOA-ON Regional Hubs, and more. All sessions will take place from 30 October - 3 November 2023. Participation is free and open to everyone.
5-week Part-Time GOA-ON OA Week Remote Coordinator Internship opportunity for early career ocean professions (ECOPs) to be a part of the OA Week Planning Team alongside the GOA-ON Secretariat. GOA-ON aims to offer opportunities such as these to provide ECOPs experience in different careers, exposure to the global ocean professional community, and opportunities to strengthen a diverse set of skills. See the attached description of the OA Week Coordinator Internship. To apply, please email the GOA-ON Secretariat (secretariat@goa-on.org) with a brief (max 1 paragraph) description of why you are interested in this position, your predicted time availability, and location where you are based BEFORE THURSDAY 28 SEPTEMBER 2023. This is a voluntary position and you will receive an Official Certificate and recognition across the network. ICONEC members are encouraged to apply.
The Ocean-based Carbon Dioxide Removal (oCDR; also often referred to as marine CDR or mCDR) GOA-ON Working Group is conducting a survey to understand the GOA-ON community's interest and involvement in oCDR. The information generated by this survey will help the GOA-ON Working Group to address and understand the rising interest in oCDR within the GOA-ON community and allow us to be responsive to the larger community relative to GOA-ON's expertise and capabilities. Read more about oCDR and the GOA-ON Working Group goals on the webpage. Please fill out this survey by Friday 6 October 2023 and feel free to spread it throughout your networks.
Researchers have published a new web-based graphic tool of ocean acidification data, inspired by the widely-used "climate stripes". These ocean acidification stripes represent the annual pH of the ocean and were developed by Luke Gregor and Nicholas Gruber based on the OceanSODA-ETHZ dataset. The OceanSODA (Satellite Oceanographic Datasets for Acidification) project combines ship-based observations and satellite data for the time period 1982-2021. The researchers hope to increase public awareness of ocean acidification and the ramifications for marine ecosystems as a result of climate change.
A recent news article features PI-TOA Scientist Dr. Katy Soapi and her OA research in the highly vulnerable and undersampled Pacific Islands. Dr. Soapi is a pioneer of OA research in the Pacific Islands and the coordinator of the Pacific Community Centre for Ocean Science, one of the leading organizations within the Pacific Island Ocean Acidificiation Centre (PIOAC). PIOAC has been training dozens of ocean scientists from Pacific nations, including Azaria Pickering, who is taking the lead on the trial site near Suva, Fiji, where they are testing OA monitoring instruments that they received through GOA-ON in a Box Kits. Read the full article on the link below.
Scholarship alert! Did you know that GOA-ON's Pier2Peer program offers scholarships to eligible mentor/mentee pairs? These awards from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Ocean Acidification Program (NOAA OAP) in partnership with The Ocean Foundation are typically $5,000 USD, but up to $7,500 may be granted if justification is reasonable. These scholarships help support international collaborations between mentors and mentees that result in tangible gains in technical capacity, cooperation, and knowledge. For more information, including eligibility and application information, visit the Pier2Peer webpage on GOA-ON. Make sure to apply by the October 20th deadline!
PI-TOA GOA-ON Regional Hub is currently recruiting new steering committee members since four current members' terms are up at the end of 2023. Steering committee members are elected for three year terms and are expected to fulfill the duties outlined in the PI-TOA Steering Committee Roles and Requirements Document linked below. All interested ocean professionals within the Pacific Islands and Territories are welcomed to apply and early career ocean professionals are particularly encouraged to submit applications to increase cross collaboration between the early career ICONEC Community and PI-TOA. To submit an application, please send an email by 6 October 2023 to the GOA-ON Secretariat (secretariat@goa-on.org) with a statement of interest, explanation of relevant experience, and a CV. Please spread this notice widely and reach out to the GOA-ON Secretariat with any questions.
The updated version of the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) Biogeochemical Sensor Data Best Practices and User Guide has been released and can be accessed on the Ocean Best Practices System (OBPS) website. The guide, endorsed by the IOCCP (International Ocean Carbon Coordination Project) in its capacity as the GOOS (Global Ocean Observing System) Biogeochemistry Panel of Experts, is an NSF funded grassroots effort to broaden the use of OOI biogeochemical sensor data and increase community capacity to produce analysis-ready data products. The guide provides information on the OOI program, including data access, processing, and recommended end user QA/QC relevant to all OOI biogeochemical sensors, and covers the BGC variables dissolved oxygen, nitrate, carbonate chemistry, and bio-optics, with associated sensors.
Ocean Acidification Week 2023 will take place from 30 October - 3 November 2023. Save the date to tune into GOA-ON's OA Week, which is a virtual multi-day forum to highlight ocean acidification research for sustainability initiatives around the world. OA Week 2023 will highlight sessions from the UN Ocean Decade programme OARS, the early career network ICONEC, GOA-ON Regional Hubs, and more. Session organisation is currently underway and the detailed agenda will be announced closer to the date.
The Horizon Europe OceanICU Understanding Ocean Carbon Project will present its first webinar on 28 September 2023, at 14:00 CEST, moderated by Dr. Richard Sanders. OceanICU is a five-year project that seeks to gain a new understanding of the biological carbon pump and its processes in order to provide fundamental knowledge and tools to help policy makers, regulators and industry, manage and understand the impact of their actions on Ocean Carbon. Together with partners in the OceanICU project, and building on existing infrastructure, IOCCP will work to develop an internationally-agreed strategy for sustainable, operational monitoring of the surface ocean CO2 (regionally and globally), capable of responding to the needs of global and regional policy drivers.
Applications are now open for a "Workshop on Communicating on Ocean Acidification", which will take place in San Jose, Costa Rica from 13-24 November 2023. Organized by the IAEA Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre (OA-ICC) and hosted by the Government of Costa Rica, the workshop will share science communication theories and strategies with scientists working in the ocean acidification field (chemistry, biology, or modelling). Participants will have the opportunity to engage with citizens, journalists and policy makers to better understand science communication strategies. The workshop is open to participants from IAEA Member States and priority will be given to early career scientists with experience in ocean acidification research. Applications are due 28 September 2023.
The United Nations have published the Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023. The annual report highlights progress and challenges for all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and provides a call to action based on the latest data and estimates. Goal 14 is dedicated to the ocean and includes a specific Target 14.3 calling to "Minimise and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels." While the number of countries and stations reporting ocean acidification (OA) data towards the SDG has increased in the last years, major gaps in the global coverage of OA observations remain, according to IOC/UNESCO, the custodian agency for this target. The UN Secretary General notes that "Ocean acidification is increasing and will continue to do so if carbon dioxide emissions do not stop rising, threatening marine ecosystems and the services they provide."
The Ocean Sciences Meeting 2024 is planned for 18-23 February 2024 in New Orleans, USA. We encourage you to submit an abstract to one of two ocean acidification sessions co-chaired by several GOA-ON members. Session CC002 titled "Advancing ocean acidification forecasts and projections: the need for better representation of coastal processes and biology" is chaired by Jan Newton and co-chaired by Samantha Siedlecki, Richard Bellerby, Sam Dupont, and Lauren Haygood. Session ED013 titled "Ocean acidification capacity building within communities, society, and education" is chaired by Kalina Grabb and co-chaired by Katherina Schoo, Sarah Flickinger, and Ashley Bantelman. Abstracts are due on 13 September 2023.
The Ocean-based Carbon Dioxide Removal (oCDR; also often referred to as marine CDR or mCDR) GOA-ON Working Group is conducting a survey to understand the GOA-ON community's interest and involvement in oCDR. The information generated by this survey will help the GOA-ON Working Group to address and understand the rising interest in oCDR within the GOA-ON community and allow us to be responsive to the larger community relative to GOA-ON's expertise and capabilities. Read more about oCDR and the GOA-ON Working Group goals on the webpage.
A new publication by Duke et al. reviews current understanding, identifies existing research gaps, and suggests steps forward to improve estimates of how the oceans surrounding Canada absorb carbon dioxide, which is critical for climate change mitigation efforts. This paper, entitled "Canada's marine carbon sink: an early career perspective on the state of research and existing knowledge gaps", compiles an extensive collection of reported surface ocean air–sea carbon dioxide exchange values and discusses processes driving variability within each of Canada's three adjacent ocean basins (Pacific, Arctic, and Atlantic Ocean). It also highlights future work needed, discusses pathways to bridge different ways of knowing in collaborating with First Nations, and presents recommendations to improve equity, diversity, and inclusion in ocean carbon science and technology.
Ocean Acidification Week will be back in 2023! GOA-ON's OA Week event is a virtual multi-day forum to highlight ocean acidification research for sustainability initiatives around the world. If you aren’t familiar with OA Week, this event consists of Plenary Talks, thematic sessions featuring 3-5 talks, and community discussions. It is free and open to everyone for participation. OA Week is a great opportunity to share your research or ideas around the OA community with a wider audience and we welcome all ideas for topics and sessions. If you are interested in participating in OA Week 2023, please respond to the linked survey by 11 August 2023.
Apply Now: GOA-ON in a Box Kits in the Pacific Islands
An application for institutions in eligible Pacific Island countries and territories to receive a GOA-ON in a Box ocean acidification equipment kit, a training grant, and research stipend is now open! Applications will be accepted via the linked form until 2 August, 2023. With the support of many partners, The Ocean Foundation (TOF) has distributed 22 GOA-ON in a Box kits to research teams around the globe, including 12 in the Pacific Islands. This kit, valued at around $25,000 USD, supports high-quality measurements of carbonate chemistry and comprises everything that is needed--down to the specialized rubber bands--to collect samples for laboratory analysis and conduct field research following established best practices. Selected kit recipients will also receive a travel grant to obtain hands-on training at the Pacific Islands Ocean Acidification Centre (PIOAC) in Suva, Fiji and payments to help support research activities over two years.
GOA-ON in a Box kits are an integral part of GOA-ON efforts to improve our understanding of global ocean acidification (OA) conditions. Through this program, with support from The Ocean Foundation, low-cost kits for collecting weather quality OA measurements have been distributed to scientists in sixteen countries in Africa, the Pacific Islands, and Latin America. In an effort to broaden the impact of the GOA-ON in a box program, we would like to ask our GOA-ON community for donations; if you have any of the equipment used in the GOA-ON in a box kit going unused in your labs, please consider donating it. We kindly ask that you cover the shipping costs for the donated equipment.The equipment list for the GOA-ON in a box kit is available below. Please review this list and if you find that you have any fully functional spare equipment or consumables (including older models), please email secretariat@goa-on.org and we will be in touch shortly.
Please join us for GOA-ON's August webinar focusing on "Ocean acidification indicators and NOAA's marine Carbon Dioxide Removal draft strategy", hosted by the North American Regional Hub. The webinar will take place on 2 August 2023 at 15:00 UTC and will feature presentations by Dr. Li-Qing Jiang (NOAA Cooperative Institute for Satellite Earth System Studies (CISESS) of the University of Maryland, USA) and Dr. Jessica Cross (NOAA Ocean Acidification Program, USA). Richard A. Feely from NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory in the USA will moderate.
GOA-ON Executive Council Convenes for Annual Meeting
The GOA-ON Executive Council (EC) held their annual meeting in Palma de Mallorca, Spain on 10-11 June 2023. The purpose of the hybrid meeting was to review GOA-ON activities, outputs, and progress towards delivering GOA-ON’s vision and high-level objectives. Topics discussed included updates from partner organisations, a needs and strengths assessment from the GOA-ON regional hubs, GOA-ON capacity building programs including Pier2Peer and GOA-ON in a box, collaboration with the OARS programme, and the future of GOA-ON. The EC heard updates from the new ICONEC community and from planned future regional hubs. Planned outcomes from this meeting include developing future GOA-ON meetings, topical webinars, and strengthened connections between the regional hubs.
Please join us for GOA-ON's June webinar focusing on "Biogeochemical Studies in the Tropical and South Atlantic Ocean - from air-sea CO2 exchanges to ocean acidification", hosted by the LAOCA regional hub. The webinar will take place on 27 June 2023 at 14:00 UTC and will feature presentations by Michelle Graco (Instituto del Mar del Peru) and Thiago Monteiro (Federal University of Rio Grande, Brazil). Carla Berghoff from the National Institute for Fisheries Research and Development in Argentina will moderate.
The Ocean Acidification International Coordination Center (OA-ICC) at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Marine Environment Labs in Monaco is hosting an Ocean Change and Blue Carbon workshop. The workshop will take place from 28 August through 8 September 2023 and is open to early career scientists with a background in marine science. The course will provide participants with the foundations to carry out research on the capacity of coastal vegetated ecosystems (i.e. mangroves, seagrasses and saltmarshes) to sequester carbon and will be led by experts in the field. Applications are due on 26 June 2023.
GOA-ON’s SAROA regional hub is looking for two interns to work on ocean acidification networking, communicating, writing and collaboration. This one-year position is open to MSc students in their final year, PhD students, and first year postdocs in South or South-east Asia. The position can be remote or based in Kolkata, India. Interested candidates can contact saroahub@gmail.com.
New Publication Estimates Change in DIC From 2004–2019
A paper published in May by Keppler et al. estimates the global monthly fields of dissolved inorganic carbon integrated over the top 1500m of the ocean for the period from 2004 to 2019. The paper, titled “Recent Trends and Variability in the Oceanic Storage of Dissolved Inorganic Carbon”, reports an average annual increase in the ocean DIC pool of 3.2 ± 0.7 Pg C yr−1. The monthly DIC data product, called Mapped Observation-Based Oceanic DIC (MOBO-DIC), uses a neural network to interpolate and map DIC measurements from GLODAPv2.2021 and is available for download.
ICONEC (International Carbon Ocean Network for Early Career) aims to create a community of early career ocean professionals (ECOP) who can interact and support each other as peers across international borders. As a community of GOA-ON, ICONEC interacts and overlaps with the GOA-ON Regional Hubs. GOA-ON members who identify as ECOPs (10 years or less of professional experience), and ECOPs who support the goals of GOA-ON, can find an inclusive and welcoming community centered around a common interest in global marine carbon cycling. If you are already a member of GOA-ON, please email secretariat@goa-on.org to join the ICONEC community. If you are new to GOA-ON, to join, click on the GOA-ON Membership Registration link below and select the option to join ICONEC as well as a Regional Hub.
The Pacific Islands and Territories Ocean Acidification (PI-TOA) Regional Hub has created a map which captures the countries and locations where ocean acidification (OA) activities are happening. This map highlights the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network Kit (GOA-ON) recipients, equipment, and methodologies used. Prepared by the Pacific Islands Ocean Acidification Centre (PIOAC) the map provides a preliminary view of the OA landscape in the PI-TOA region of GOA-ON. This map is an excellent resource for scientists, policymakers, and anyone interested in learning more about OA activities in the Pacific Islands.
GOA-ON Webinar: Carbonate System Reference Materials
Please join us for GOA-ON's May webinar focusing on carbonate system reference materials, hosted by the IOCCP. The webinar will take place on 31 May 2023 at 13:00 UTC and will feature presentations by Maribel I. García-Ibáñez from Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM), CSIC, and Regina Easley from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Artur P. Palacz from the IOCCP will moderate.
As part of its 2023 Quality Status Report (QSR), the OSPAR Commission has published an assessment of ocean acidification (OA) in the OSPAR Maritime Area. Several members of the GOA-ON North East Atlantic Hub are members of the OSPAR Intersessional Correspondence Group on OA (ICG-OA) and wrote this publication. Lead author Evin McGovern presented the findings during the OA session at ECCWO5. The assessment states that ocean acidification can be observed in all regions of the OSPAR Maritime Area, which extends from the southern Spanish Atlantic coast to the waters north of Iceland. Trends and variability are discussed as well as future projections of OA and its impacts on ecosystems and ecosystem services. The report highlights the scarcity of high quality ocean acidification time-series data currently available and the great need to increase the frequency and coverage of carbonate chemistry observations being taken in the region. The assessment concludes that ocean acidification needs to be taken into account when considering climate change mitigation and adaptation responses.
WMO Statement on the Global Climate 2022 Published
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released its annual Statement on the State of the Global Climate. The report was compiled by scientists from United Nations', international agencies and national agencies. It informs policy makers on the need for climate action by providing the latest findings on the impacts of climate change and its socio-economic consequences. The 2022 Report again features ocean acidification, one of the seven Global Climate Indicators and concludes that it is "highly likely that global mean ocean pH has been steadily declining at rates not seen for at least the past 26,000 years".
Two papers have been released in the past few months using data collected in part through the use of GOA-ON in a box kits. GOA-ON member Carla Edworthy used the equipment from the GOA-ON in a box kit to measure pH and carbonate chemistry variables in a coastal embayment in South Africa. The GOA-ON in a box kit was also used to demonstrate the ability to measure organic alkalinity in Dublin Bay, Ireland. The continued distribution of these GOA-ON in a box kits, sponsored by our partners at The Ocean Foundation with support from NOAA, the US Department of State, and the Government of Sweden, are a key piece of the GOA-ON efforts to improve our understanding of global OA conditions.
Scholarship alert! Did you know that GOA-ON's Pier2Peer program offers scholarships to eligible mentor/mentee pairs? These awards from The Ocean Foundation — up to $5,000 USD — help support international collaborations between mentors and mentees that result in tangible gains in technical capacity, cooperation, and knowledge. For more information, including eligibility and application information, visit the Pier2Peer webpage on GOA-ON. Make sure to apply by the April 15th deadline!
The UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development programme "Ocean Acidification Research for Sustainability" (OARS), spearheaded by the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON), invites you to participate in the community review of its white papers.The OARS programme provides a vision for ocean acidification research for the next decade by setting out a roadmap that, when implemented in collaboration with multiple partners, will deliver against seven outcomes by 2030. These seven white papers are an important step on that path. Each paper outlines the vision for the outcome, highlights the key outputs and products, describes the research and outreach activities and identifies the key inputs and partners necessary to successfully implement each outcome. With this review, we invite the community to provide their thoughts and input to the OARS programme and the implementation plans. Please provide your input by 20 March 2023.
The SOLAS-IMBeR Ocean Acidification working group (SIOA) is surveying the ocean acidification community regarding the next "Ocean in a High CO2 World Symposium". The International Symposium on the Ocean in a High CO2 World was first initiated in 2004 in Paris, France and held every 4 years until its 5th edition organized in Lima, Peru in 2022. The symposium gathers hundreds of researchers, students, and government and industry representatives with a common interest in ocean acidification and its impacts. This survey aims to evaluate the need and potential format for a 6th edition and should take between 5 and 10 minutes to complete. The deadline for submission is 15 March 2023.
GOA-ON Regional Hub PI-TOA engaged in a capacity building training in Suva, Fiji, 30 January to 3 February 2023. This training, organised by The Ocean Foundation (TOF) with support from NOAA Ocean Acidification Program (OAP), U.S. Department of State (DOS), and Oceans and Fisheries Canada (DFO), took place at the Pacific Island Ocean Acidification Centre (PIOAC) and brought together 21 trainees from 10 Pacific Islands and Territories who will receive GOA-ON in a Box kits. The Centre was established in 2021 with funding from the DOS and is hosted jointly by The Pacific Community (SPC) and the University of the South Pacific, with technical support provided by the New Zealand National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research and the University of Otago. The participants learned how to make ocean acidification measurements, including field sampling and laboratory analysis to aim for weather-quality data to establish regional OA monitoring programs and use sustained results to inform local policy, aquaculture, conservation, and management decisions. Data will also be submitted to the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14.3.1 Data Portal.
Caribbean Community of Practice Needs-Based Assessment Survey
The Caribbean Community of Practice (CoP) for Ocean Acidification is conducting a needs-based assessment survey for all ocean practitioners within the Caribbean to participate in. The CoP aims to strengthen capacity for research, monitoring, and adaptive solutions for ocean acidification resilience and associated multi-stressors. This group seeks to create a strategic framework and funding plan to enable increased capacity to monitor and respond to ocean change in the Caribbean, with a focus on ocean acidification. The results of this survey will be reported via email and at local conferences (i.e. AMLC Meeting in St. Kitts 22-26 May, 2023). They will also assist in informing policymakers and identifying appropriate partners and funding to meet the needs of the Caribbean region.
Two Sessions Focusing on Ocean Acidification at ASLO Meeting
The UN Ocean Decade program "OARS - Ocean Acidification Research for Sustainability" proposes two sessions at the upcoming ASLO Aquatic Sciences Meeting in Palma de Mallorca, 4-9 June 2023. Please consider submitting your abstract to Session SS066 on "Ocean Acidification 2.0 — From Chemistry to Society" or Session SS117 "Societally Relevant Ocean Forecasts and Projections of Climate Change and Ocean Acidification" by 23 February 2023.
The February GOA-ON Webinar "Ocean Acidification Observation and Impacts" is hosted and moderated by the North East Atlantic Hub. Join us for presentations on the French Coastal Monitoring Network for the Carbonate System by Sebastien Petton (Ifremer, French National Institute for Ocean Science) and hear from Callum Hudson (Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University) about how ocean acidification increases the impact of typhoons on algal communities on 22 February 2023 at 9:00 UTC.
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO has launched the new Ocean-CD Hub, an online platform listing ocean capacity development activities and opportunities offered by national, regional and global organisations around the world.
You can search the Hub for opportunities including Training & Higher Education, Travel Grants, Research Funding, Grants & Scholarships and Access to Infrastructure, among many other interesting offers.
Join us for GOA-ON’s January webinar, "Mediterranean calcifying organisms under the effect of ocean acidification and warming" on 30 January 2023 at 15:00 UTC. Dr. Chloe Carbonne (Laboratory of Oceanography of Villefranche, Sorbonne University, Villefrance-sur-Mer, France) and Maximiliano Szkope (University of Malaga, Malaga, Spain) will be presenting their work on calcifying organisms in the Mediterranean Sea under the effects of ocean acidification and warming.
The innovative paper titled "Unifying biological field observations to detect and compare ocean acidification impacts across marine species and ecosystems: What to monitor and why" by the GOA-ON Biological Working Group develops a new approach using five broad classes of biological indicators that, when coupled with environmental observations including carbonate chemistry, would allow the rate and severity of biological change in response to OA to be observed and compared globally. This novel observing methodology allows inclusion of a wide diversity of marine ecosystems in regional and global assessments and has the potential to increase the contribution of OA observations from countries with developing OA science capacity.
Immersive OA Webstory from Back to Blue Initiative
Back to Blue, an initiative of Economist Impact and the Nippon Foundation, produced an engaging web story communicating the urgency of addressing the ocean acidification crisis this month. Through text, animated graphics, and video, the publication conveys the science of ocean acidification from chemistry to biology, the biological and economic impacts of this global issue, and potential solutions to mitigate these images. GOA-ON co-chair Steve Widdicombe contributed to this effort along with GOA-ON members Richard Feely, Helen Findlay, and Frédéric Gazeau.
GOA-ON has joined the International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification (OA Alliance) as an affiliate member. The OA Alliance aims to bring together governments and organizations from across the globe dedicated to taking urgent action to protect coastal communities and livelihoods from the threat of ocean acidification and other climate-ocean impacts. GOA-ON is thrilled to officially join this effort to elevate urgency and ambition for climate action, integrate ocean actions across climate commitments and frameworks and translate knowledge into policy actions and investments.
GOA-ON’s December webinar, "Carbon cycle monitoring in the extreme latitudes: the Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean" was held on December 14. Dr. Margaret Ogundare (Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria) and Dr. Mohamed Ahmed (Esri Canada) presented their work in polar regions, which spans topics such as increasing the spatial and temporal observations of the Southern Ocean, the Arctic marine carbon sink, as well as neural network machine learning.
Join the flagship event for ocean and marine issues at the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Conference COP15, "An Ocean of Life: Knowledge and Solutions for Marine and Coastal Biodiversity under the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework", on 16 December 2022 from 8:30 - 13:00 EST, hosted by IOC-UNESCO. This hybrid event will explore the challenges and opportunities to move from knowledge to action in marine and coastal ecosystems, bring together high level speakers from government, science, industry, and philanthropy to explore the data, infrastructure and knowledge needs of different user groups to inform policy and decision making and showcase global solutions for conserving and restoring marine biodiversity in a changing climate. GOA-ON co-chair Prof Steve Widdicombe is a panelist in Session 1 of the event.
The GOA-ON in a Box Instructional Video Series is now available! These videos review the operation of the kit's specialized equipment and outline the protocols for collecting ocean acidification data. Each video is available with subtitles in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish. These videos are for individuals who have received kits and training, but want to refresh their memories, as well as for individuals accessing training for the first time. The videos can even supplement remote training sessions.
The "Global Carbon Budget 2022" is the work of 105 scientists from 80 research institutions.It compiles millions of data points and over 40 global models of oceans, land, atmosphere and land use. The latest Carbon Budget is the most comprehensive to date with improved data and models. The ocean CO2 sink resumed a more rapid growth in the past 2 decades after low or no growth during the 1991–2002 period. Accurate assessment of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions and their redistribution among the atmosphere, ocean, and terrestrial biosphere in a changing climate is critical to better understand the global carbon cycle, support the development of climate policies, and project future climate change.
GOA-ON co-chair Dr. Jan Newton, Executive Director, Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems (NANOOS), Senior Principal Oceanographer and Affiliate Professor, University of Washington, has been awarded the Lockheed Martin Award for Ocean Science and Engineering by the Marine Technology Society (MTS). The award recognises Dr. Newton’s significant contributions to the design and development of sustained ocean observing, data analysis and forecasting. She led the coordination between IOOS, NOAA and the shellfish growers to research and mitigate ocean acidification that nearly devastated a $5 billion dollar industry within the United States. Dr. Newton is globally recognized as an expert in this field and is a co-founder and co-chair of the Global Ocean Acidification Network. Congratulations!
The 27th Annual UNFCCC Conference of the Parties, COP27, taking place 6 - 18 November 2022 in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, will feature several events highlighting ocean acidification. Two side events featuring GOA-ON and OARS will be livestreamed: 1) GOA-ON co-chair Steve Widdicombe will highlight the OARS programme at a side event called “Ocean acidification, climate and society – mitigation and adaptation opportunities and challenges towards addressing SDG 14.3” on 11 November (7:00-8:00 UTC), and 2) Members of the GOA-ON OA Africa regional hub and GOA-ON co-chair Steve Widdicombe will speak at a side event on "Ocean acidification adaptation and resilience in Africa" at the #Atoms4Climate Pavilion on 12 November (7:00-8:00 UTC).
For more updates, please follow along on Twitter @GOA_ON and @OARSOceanDecade.
Applications are open for the GOOD-OARS-CLAP-COPAS International Summer School, which will be held in Chile in November 2023. The Summer School is designed to prepare participating ocean scientists to multidisciplinary research and increase understanding on the response of marine ecosystems in the next decades. The GOOD-OARS-CLAP-COPAS Summer School is open to graduate and doctoral students, and early career scientists interested in interacting with world leading experts in the field in a friendly atmosphere, and enhance their understanding of the processes constraining the future state of the oceans and environmental risks to marine habitats and ecosystems. Apply by 15 December 2022.
The Ocean Foundation's scholarship application period for the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON) Pier2Peer program is currently open. Awards of up to USD $5,000 are available to help support international collaborations between mentors and mentees that result in tangible gains for technical capacity, cooperation, and knowledge. The application deadline is 25 November 2022 at 11:59 PST. To apply and check eligibility requirements, please visit the link below.
Join us for GOA-ON’s December webinar, "Carbon cycle monitoring in the extreme latitudes: the Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean" on 14 December 2022 at 3pm UTC. Dr. Margaret Ogundare (Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria) and Dr. Mohamed Ahmed (Esri Canada) will be presenting their work in polar regions, which spans topics such as increasing the spatial and temporal observations of the Southern Ocean, the Arctic marine carbon sink, as well as neural network machine learning.
The Ocean Decade launched the Call for Decade Actions No. 04/2022 on 15 October 2022, soliciting transformative Decade Programmes that address Ocean Decade Challenge 6 (Coastal Resilience), and Ocean Decade Challenge 8 (Digital Representation of the Ocean). As part of this call, 25 endorsed Decade Programmes, including the GOA-ON led Ocean Decade Programme OARS - Ocean Acidification Research for Sustainability, are also inviting Decade Project submissions. Learn more about OARS, the Actions, and sign up for the online Q&A session for the opportunity to ask questions at the links below.
Summary for the GOA-ON and OARS 5th High CO2 Symposium in Lima
GOA-ON and OARS were well represented at the 5th Symposium for the Ocean in a High CO2 World, held from 13-16 September 2022 in Lima, Peru. Please read our summary of the Symposium and the related side events.
GOA-ON Webinar: ICONA Discusses OA Adaptation and Analogues
Join us for GOA-ON’s November webinar, "Molecular basis and behavioural adjustments reveal potential local adaptation to acidifying oceans, a lesson from natural analogues" on November 2, 2022 at 9 am UTC. Professor Timothy Ravasi (Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology) and Dr Davide Spatafora (Shimoda Marine Research Center) will present on the behavior responses of fish to ocean acidification using volcanic seeps as natural OA analogues.
A new paper by the GOA-ON Biological Working Group titled "Unifying biological field observations to detect and compare ocean acidification impacts across marine species and ecosystems: What to monitor and why" presents methodology focusing on ocean acidification biological monitoring, introducing sensitive traits and a focus on rate of changes. The preprint of the paper is available online on the EGU interactive community platform and open for discussion. We hereby invite the GOA-ON community to comment on the preprint until 21 November 2022.
New Publication: "OARS: co-designing global action on local scales"
The GOA-ON led Ocean Acidification Research for Sustainability (OARS) programme was endorsed by the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development in 2021. Here, we describe how OARS will build on the work of GOA-ON through its seven Decade Action Outcomes. OARS will develop an implementation plan for each Decade Action Outcome through a Theory of Change framework, identifying the stakeholders and rights-holders, as well as the tools, means, and positive consequences required for their successful delivery. Moreover, OARS will work towards adapting future work to local contexts by fostering tailored, co-designed science and information flows.
GOA-ON and partners have prepared several new resources that may benefit the GOA-ON community over the last several months. These resources include a table of commercially available pH sensors, a method for preparing Tris buffer to measure pHT, a policy document, and more.
Ocean Action Newsletter on the 2022 UN Ocean Conference
The latest edition of the Ocean Action Newsletter is dedicated to the 2022 UN Ocean Conference and highlights ocean acidification as a key issue discussed at the conference. GOA-ON, its partners, and representatives hosted, participated in, and organised a range of events on ocean acidification and OARS, the GOA-ON led UN Ocean Decade Programme. The Communities of Ocean Action were established to support the implementation of Voluntary Commitments in support of SDG 14 targets, submitted since the first UN Ocean Conference in 2017. One of the nine Communities is focussed on Ocean Acidification, represented by Dr. Bronte Tilbrook, former GOA-ON co-chair, and Ms. Florence Descroix-Comanducci, Director of the IAEA Marine Environment Laboratories.
GOA-ON Booth at the Virtual Ocean Pavilion on the Road to COP27
The COP27 Virtual Ocean Pavilion opened 29 August 2022 on the road to COP27 and will remain open through 18 November 2022. Visit the pavilion to explore exhibitor booths, download exhibitor materials including publications and videos in a virtual delegate bag, chat with exhibitors, and view live events in the auditorium. Find GOA-ON’s booth for the latest GOA-ON and OARS news, documents, and webinars.
GOA-ON Gears Up for the 5th High CO2 Symposium in Lima
The 5th International Symposium on the Ocean in a High CO2 World will take place from the 13-16 September in Lima, Peru. The Symposium will bring together the ocean acidification (OA) and GOA-ON communities. The GOA-ON regional hubs will meet prior to the Symposium and the GOA-ON Executive Council will have a strategic planning meeting after the event. During the event GOA-ON's Pier2Peer program is supporting daily meet-and-greets for new OA community members and early career researchers with established practitioners in the field. Additionally, GOA-ON co-chair Steve Widdicombe will deliver a plenary on 14 September about OARS and the vision of the OARS Outcomes. The plenaries will be available to stream free on the High CO2 YouTube channel.
Applications Open for Basic Training Course on Multiple Stressors and OA
Applications are now open for a basic training course on ocean acidification and multiple stressors, which is organized as part of the activities of the IAEA Peaceful Uses Initiative project Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre (OA-ICC) and partners. The aim of this course is to train early-career scientists and researchers entering the multiple stressor field with the goal to better understand key concepts, assist them to be able to measure and manipulate seawater physico-chemistry, develop relevant experimental strategies, set up pertinent experiments in the laboratory and in the field, avoid typical pitfalls, and ensure comparability with other studies in a sustainable way. The course will be held at the IAEA Marine Environment Laboratories in Monaco from 24 October - 4 November 2022 and applications are due 12 September 2022.
GOA-ON Webinar: Scientific Research in the Pacific Islands Region
GOA-ON's August webinar, "Ocean Acidification Monitoring and Scientific Research in the PI-TOA Region" is now available on the GOA-ON YouTube channel. The webinar was moderated by Dr. Kim Currie with presentations from Dr. Antoine De Ramon N'Yeurt, Associate Professor Patila Amosa, and Ms. Luia Taise. The three speakers spanned topics such as establishing a pH time-series on the Suva reef, the effects of ocean acidification on organismal calcification such as corals and bryozoans, and the impacts on the photosynthetic physiology of a green seaweed.
GOA-ON and OARS Well Represented at United Nation Ocean Conference
The United Nation Ocean Conference (UNOC), co-hosted by the Governments of Portugal and Kenya, was held in Lisbon, Portugal, from 27 June 27 to 1 July, 2022. The conference aimed to accelerate innovative science-based solutions to meet global ocean challenges. GOA-ON and OARS were highlighted throughout the week during eight events to address ocean acidification.
The United Nations published The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2022, which provides a global overview of progress on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, tracking progress towards the 17 Goals. Under Goal 14, dedicated to 'life below water,' SDG Indicator 14.3.1 calls for the "Average marine acidity (pH) measured at agreed suite of representative sampling stations." The data towards this Indicator is collected annually by IOC-UNESCO, the custodian agency for SDG 14.3.1, and submitted to the UN for inclusion in the SDG Report. GOA-ON was instrumental in developing the SDG 14.3.1 Methodology and continues to support the data collection and submission process through training and workshops.
On 21 July 2022, Dr. Sylvain Agostini and Dr. James D. Reimer from the International CO2 Natural Analogues (ICONA) Network joined the GOA-ON webinar series to discuss "What natural analogues can teach us about the future of coral communities and their understudied biodiversity." The talk highlighted natural analogue research focusing on the effects on and resilience of both scleractinian corals and zoantharians to understand adaptation mechanisms that will determine the shape and diversity of future coral communities. ICONA will join the GOA-ON webinar series again in the coming months to discuss natural analogues and fish communities.
IOC-UNESCO Releases State of The Ocean Report 2022
The IOC-UNESCO released the Pilot edition of the "State of the Ocean Report 2022". The pilot edition was developed to keep the public, policy-makers and ocean managers up to date on the current state of the ocean and to monitor progress towards global goals throughout the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030).The report stresses the need for quantitative measurements of the state of the ocean along with established benchmarks and strengthened reporting capacity. GOA-ON secretariat member Katherina Schoo, GOA-ON co-chairs Steve Widdicombe and Jan Newton, and OARS co-chair Kirsten Isensee contributed a chapter titled "Ocean Acidification - a global issue with local effects and impacts".
The Latin American Ocean Acidification Network (LAOCA) kicks off a new Webinar Series, co-sponsored by the Millennium Institute of Oceanography, on Wednesday, June 22 at 12:00 PM (GMT-4) in Spanish. This first 2022 webinar will feature Argentine researchers from LAOCA, Dr. Macarena S. Valiñas (Estación de Fotobiología Playa Unión) and Dr. Natalia Servetto (Córdoba National University). Drs. Valiñas and Servetto will discuss the "Impacts of Ocean Acidification and Other Stressors on Patagonian and Antarctic Ecosystems." This webinar series will be broadcast from the LAOCA Youtube Channel.
The Ocean Foundation recently launched a new mentoring and certification program for ocean science educators and communicators, the Community Ocean Engagement Global Initiative (COEGI). The program focuses on ocean literacy; ocean literate people are better equipped to take action to protect, conserve, and restore the ocean. GOA-ON’s Pier2Peer program is thrilled to partner with COEGI to launch their critical program.
WMO Statement 2021: Ocean Acidification Continues to Increase
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released its annual Statement on the State of the Global Climate for 2021. This flagship report is compiled with input from Meteorological offices, scientists, GOA-ON, IOC-UNESCO and other UN agencies to inform policy makers on the need for climate action. Ocean acidification is one of the seven Global Climate Indicators. It is one of four indicators that have been recorded at their highest global level yet in 2021. The Report highlights the need for global, sustained and repeated observation and measurement of ocean acidification to discern and map ocean acidification and its impacts, and to develop strategies for mitigation and adaptation at relevant scales.
Basic Training Course on Ocean Acidification Held in Sweden
The University of Gothenburg, the IAEA OA-ICC, and GOA-ON's North Atlantic Hub organized a training course on ocean acidification at the Kristineberg Center for Marine Research and Innovation in Fiskebäckski from 14–19 March 2022. It provided 19 participants from 11 countries in Europe with the knowledge necessary for measuring and manipulating seawater carbonate chemistry, setting up experiments, creating research protocols, avoiding typical pitfalls, and ensuring comparability with other studies.
On May 19 12:30-1:30 UTC, join Dr. Punyasloke Bhadury, Dr. Amit Kumar, and Dr. Anwesha Gosh for a presentation on the new South Asia Regional Hub on Ocean Acidification (SAROA). South Asia has some of the largest, and biologically rich, marine ecosystems including mangroves, estuaries, coastal lagoons and coral reefs. Ocean acidification (OA) in South Asia can have huge consequences for the coastal blue economy and linked GDP. SAROA intends to bring together early career and experienced scientists with a common interest of documenting geographically distributed data on OA across seas and oceans of South Asia, monitoring OA and effects on coastal bioresources, and engaging in other activities such as involving citizen scientists.
On April 29 10-11 ET, join Dr. Sarah Cooley, Director of Climate Science at the Ocean Conservancy, Dr. Helen Gurney-Smith, Research Scientist at DFO Canada, and Dr. Libby Jewett, Director of NOAA's Ocean Acidification Program for a presentation on ocean acidification findings in the latest IPCC Working Group 2 report, released in late February. The report assessed the current state of knowledge about ocean acidification and its impacts on ocean systems both globally and regionally. Each of the presenters was a lead author on a different WG2 chapter and will provide insights accordingly.
Hybrid Format for 5th Intl. Symp. On the Ocean in a High-CO2 World
The 5th International Symposium on the Ocean in a High CO2 World, to be held on 13-16 September 2022, announced a hybrid conference format. The deadline for abstract submissions and travel grant applications has also been extended to 24 April 2022. The organisers will continue to monitor the situation with COVID-19 that may require further adjustments to the dates.
30 Mar 2022
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OARS Featured in ECO Magazine
ECO Magazine has featured GOA-ON's UN Ocean Decade Action, Ocean Acidification Research for Sustainability (OARS), in their Spring Issue. The article highlights GOA-ON's ongoing contributions to ocean acidification monitoring, highlights the framework of OARS, as well as the twelve month plan for the UN Decade Action.
Call To Develop a Southern OA Observation Network Hub
GOA-ON and the Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS) seek participants to develop a Southern Ocean collaborative hub on ocean acidification. The hub will provide transdisciplinary expertise to coordinate research activities on OA, its drivers and biological responses from local to regional scales, and to communicate research outcomes with the aim of transitioning to a joint SOOS and GOA-ON collaborative hub. Expressions of interest are requested by 18 March 2022 for team participation across observations, biological impacts, modeling, data management and development of products.
UN Decade Laboratory Satellite Event: Ocean Acidification and Multiple Stressors
A healthy and resilient ocean relies on mitigating and adapting to multiple environmental stressors. This 11 March 2022 event will present concepts and tools, highlight classic misconceptions and discuss the science we need to successfully implement solutions. We welcome scientists, NGO's, UN agencies, policymakers, and private sector workers.
The University of Gothenburg, the OA-ICC, and the GOA-ON’s North Atlantic Hub are organizing a basic training course on ocean acidification at the Kristineberg Marine Research Station in Sweden. The course will train early-career scientists and researchers entering the ocean acidification field and will assist them in learning to measure and manipulate seawater carbonate chemistry, set up pertinent experiments, avoid typical pitfalls and ensure comparability with other studies. The course is open to 15 trainees, and priority will be given to early-career scientists beginning to work in ocean acidification.
GOA-ON has been well-represented at COP26 in Glasgow, and our OARS programme was highlighted in the UNFCCC's "The Ocean Decade at COP" publication. In case you missed any of the events, a list of videos is available.
The latest GOA-ON Newsletter, the October 2021 editions, is now out! In this edition, we unveil the new Ocean Acidification Research for Sustainability (OARS) logo, provide information on how to watch OA-related events at COP26, look back at a successful OA Week 2021, and highlight the many activities in our GOA-ON Hubs and the wider ocean acidification community.
NOAA Pacific Islands OA Master's Student Fellowship
The NOAA Ocean Acidification Program (OAP) is supporting a competitive graduate fellowship that will support students conducting research, in pursuit of a Master's degree, related to OA in the Pacific Islands region to help fill critical gaps in OA research and monitoring capacity. OAP anticipates up to $300,000 USD total will be available to support 3-6 graduate fellows. Each award ($20,000-$32,000 USD per year for 2 years) is intended to fund the fellow's tuition, stipend, research budget, and other costs. The application deadline has been extended to 25 March 2022.
Decoupled Carbonate Chemistry Experimental Work Involving Forams
Please join us for the next GOA-ON webinar, which will feature Dr. Meryem Mojtahid, Associate Professor, University of Angers, France. Her talk will explore the use of deep-sea foraminiferal Sr/Ca ratio as a new carbon system proxy for paleoclimate research studies. The webinar will take place on Tuesday, 9 November 2021 at 16:00 Central European Time (UTC +1). Click the registration link for more information.
On April 4, 2022, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released the most up-to-date physical understanding of the climate system and climate change, stating: "It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land." Authors are "virtually certain" that global acidification of the surface ocean has been driven by anthropogenic CO2 emissions, and that the rate at which this will increase in the 21st century will be dependent on future CO2 emissions. Finally, authors indicate that anthropogenic CO2 removal could be employed to reverse surface ocean acidification (with high confidence).
Response of the Sydney Rock Oyster Microbiome to Rapidly Warming and Acidifying Australian Estuaries
Please join us for the next GOA-ON webinar, which will feature Dr. Elliot Scanes, a Chancellor’s Research Fellow at The University of Technology in Sydney, Australia. He will discuss his research on how warming and acidification can shift the microbiome of Sydney rock oysters (Saccostrea glomerata) and how these effects can be ameliorated by selective breeding. The webinar will take place on Tuesday, 10 August 2021 at 10:00 AM Australian Eastern Standard Time (UTC +10). Click the registration link for more information.
The latest GOA-ON Newsletter, the July 2021 edition is now out! In this edition, we announce the official endorsement of the GOA-ON Programme OARS as an Ocean Decade Action, introduce OA Week 2021 – coming up in September! – and highlight the many activities in our GOA-ON Hubs and the wider ocean acidification community.
Regional Changes in Southern Ocean Biogeochemistry Due to Projected Carbon Uptake
Please join us for the next GOA-ON Webinar, which will feature Dr. Eric Mortenson, a postdoctoral researcher with CSIRO. He will discuss his biogeochemical modeling research, which has identified regions of pronounced change and forecasts increased carbon uptake in the Southern Ocean. The webinar will take place on Wednesday, 14 July 2021 at 10:00 Australian Eastern Standard Time (UTC +10). Click the registration link for more information.
Last year, GOA-ON launched OA Week as a response to the postponement of conferences and events due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. After such a positive response we’re bringing it back this year with more sessions, plenary speakers, and engaging talks about ocean acidification research. Save the dates: 13-17 September 2021.
GOA-ON is delighted to announce that its proposed Decade Action "OARS: Ocean Acidification Research for Sustainability" has been formally endorsed as a programme of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. The OARS programme will build on the work of GOA-ON to further develop the science of ocean acidification by enhancing ocean acidification capacity, increasing observations of ocean chemistry changes, identifying the impacts on marine ecosystems on local and global scales, and providing society and decision makers with the information needed to mitigate and adapt to ocean acidification.
Arctic-African Collaborative OA Research on the Canary Current and Benguela Current Upwelling Systems
Please join us for the next GOA-ON Webinar. Drs. Mohammed Idrissi, Melissa Chierici, and Chibo Chikwililwa will discuss their research efforts into the carbonate system of the Canary Current and Benguela Current upwelling systems. The webinar will occur on Thursday, 10 June 2021 @ 16:00 Central Africa Time (UTC +2). Click the registration link for more information.
Communities of Ocean Action on Ocean Acidification Webinar Announcement
The Communities of Ocean Action on Ocean Acidification, Bronte Tilbrook (CISRO), and Peter Swarzenski (IAEA) will provide updates about progress made on the Voluntary Commitments (VC) and other developments. They will be joined by Roshan Ramessur (OA Africa Network) and Kirsten Isensee (IOC-UNESCO) who will share lessons learned from their VCs during the past year. UN-DESA will conclude the meeting by giving a brief demo on how to submit your own VC and use the COA online resources. 17 May 2021 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM CEST
New Zealand OA Scientist Wins MacDiarmid Emerging Scientist Prize
Congratulations and our thanks to Dr. Chris Cornwall, a Rutherford University Fellow at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington and GOA-ON Pier2Peer mentor, who won the 2020 Prime Minister’s MacDiarmid Emerging Scientist Prize for his research into impacts of ocean acidification on seaweeds, calcifying algae, and corals in New Zealand and globally. A quote from Dr. Cornwall underscores the importance of OA research: "The public isn’t as aware of what’s happening in the marine environment – if a forest burns down it’s on the news but what’s happening in the marine environment is not as obvious. It’s a good time to highlight the changes that are occurring."
CO2-in-seawater Reference Materials Community Survey
The U.S. Interagency Working Group on Ocean Acidification is engaging in efforts to increase the resilience of the production and distribution of reference materials for the quality control of measurements of seawater CO2 system parameters. Currently, there is a single source of reference materials for total alkalinity, dissolved inorganic carbon, and pH in seawater and a calibrated HCl titrant for seawater alkalinity analysis (A. Dickson Laboratory, UC San Diego). Please participate in this community survey about your use of CO2-in-seawater reference materials.
Canada's Ocean Acidification Community of Practice
Please join us for the next edition of the GOA-ON Webinar Series. Dr. Kristina Barclay will present a talk about Canada's Ocean Acidification Community of Practice, an organization with the goal of sharing knowledge and improving linkages between OA knowledge creators and end-users across Canada. The webinar will take place on Wednesday, 21 April 2021 at 14:00 EDT (UTC -4). If you can't make the live event, the webinar will be recorded and archived on the GOA-ON YouTube Channel.
What Do You (Really) Need to Know to Understand Multiple Stressors?
Please join us for the next edition of the GOA-ON Webinar Series. Dr. Sam Dupont will present an interactive talk that will explore concepts and common misconceptions when interpreting data from multiple driver studies. He will also provide some tips on how to design a meaningful strategy to resolve impacts of multiple stressors. The webinar will take place on Thursday, 8 April 2021 at 16:00 CEST (UTC +2). If you can't make the live event, the webinar will be recorded and archived on the GOA-ON Youtube Channel.
GOA-ON Webinar Series Presents "Measuring Protons with Photons"
This presentation in the GOA-ON Webinar Series will be shared by Dr. David Long, William Pardis, and Kalina Grabb. Their talk is entitled, "Measuring Protons with Photons: a pH Analyzer and community science program to change the relationship between humans and ocean science". This webinar will suggest a new way to think about conducting ocean science and will highlight a new tool, a hand-held pH instrument called the pHyter. The webinar will take place on Thursday, March 18, 2021 at 11:00 am EDT (UTC -4). If you can't make the live event, the webinar will be recorded and archived on the GOA-ON Youtube Channel.
Webinar on Certified Reference Materials by Dr. Andrew Dickson
The United States Interagency Working Group on Ocean Acidification (IWG-OA) has organized a webinar about carbonate chemistry certified reference materials (CRMs). Dr. Andrew Dickson of the Scripps Oceanographic Institute, whose lab produces the world's supply of CRMs, will present his talk entitled, "CO2-in-seawater reference materials: yesterday, today, and tomorrow." The webinar will occur on Tuesday 16 March 2021 at 12:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time (UTC -4). GOA-ON members are encouraged to attend!
The Ocean Foundation seeks applications from institutions to become a regional ocean acidification training hub for the Pacific Islands. The regional training hub will receive financial support for staff time, two GOA-ON in a Box monitoring systems to use for regional training activities, and additional support from The Ocean Foundation and the project partners. Full details including proposal requirements are included in the Request for Proposals, linked below. Applications are due by 1 April 2021 and should be sent to IOAI@oceanfdn.org.
New Mooring Station Joins the Canary Islands OA Network
In January 2021, the QUIMA group at the Instituto de Oceanografía y Cambio Global de la ULPGC expanded the CanOA (The Canary Island Ocean Acidification Network) by deploying a new oceanographic buoy (CanOA ULA 2) at the Marine Reserve "Punta La Restinga-Mar de las Calmas". The new buoy can measure pCO2, pH, dissolved oxygen, fluorescence, temperature and salinity, and all data are transmitted daily to the QUIMA laboratory. This buoy joins the CanOA MORGAN1 buoy and two SOOP VOS lines. A third buoy will be deployed later this year, which will further expand coverage across the Canary Archipelago.
GOA-ON welcomes Professor Steve Widdicombe as its new co-chair. Prof. Widdicombe follows Dr Bronte Tilbrook into this position and will be co-chairing GOA-ON with Dr Jan Newton. Prof. Widdicombe is Director of Science at Plymouth Marine Laboratory in the UK. As a marine ecologist with expertise in the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification on marine organisms and ecosystems, Prof. Widdicombe is an expert in using field observations and large manipulative experiments to address issues relating to benthic ecology, biodiversity and ecosystem function. Prof. Widdicombe has established the North East Atlantic regional hub of GOA-ON, together with Dr Helen Findlay, and is part of the GOA-ON Biological working group. Welcome aboard!
GOA-ON Webinar Series Presents Drs. Dupont & Widdicombe
The first presentation in the GOA-ON Webinar Series will be shared by Dr. Sam Dupont and Dr. Steve Widdicombe. Their talk is entitled, "Unifying biological field observations to detect and compare ocean acidification impacts across marine species and ecosystems". The webinar will take place on Wednesday, January 27, 2021 at 16:00–17:00 CET (UTC +1). If you can't make the live event, the webinar will be recorded and archived on the GOA-ON Youtube Channel.
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO would like to invite GOA-ON members to contribute to the second global ocean acidification data collection in relation to the SDG 14.3.1 Indicator: Average marine acidity (pH) measured at agreed suite of representative sampling stations. The Indicator is a milestone in the global recognition of ocean acidification as a stressor on marine ecosystems and of the importance of observing ocean acidification for the sustainable management of ocean resources. To facilitate data submission, storage and sharing, IOC has developed an online tool: the SDG 14.3.1 Data Portal. Data submitted by 15 January 2021 will be included in the next UN SDG Report.
When GOA-ON was founded in 2012, the network was composed of 62 scientists from 23 countries. Since then, the network has expanded its activities, gained visibility, and as a result, has become truly global. As of November 2020, GOA-ON membership has grown to more than 800 individuals from 105 countries! The growth in membership is a remarkable achievement due to the significance of the issue and the willingness of the members to collaborate and contribute their expertise to build the network.
Communicating OA Science to Policy Makers Virtual Workshop
In October 2020, a virtual communication workshop was co-hosted and co-produced by the OA Alliance and The Ocean Foundation. This workshop was geared towards OA researchers interested in interacting with policymakers. The Ocean Foundation and OA Alliance provided an overview of best practices in communicating OA science to policymakers and other stakeholders and drew upon lessons learned and experiences from national and subnational government members.
Join a virtual workshop co-hosted and co-produced by OA Alliance and The Ocean Foundation. This workshop is meant for scientists working on ocean acidification who are interested in learning how to interact with policymakers. The Ocean Foundation and OA Alliance will provide an overview of best practices in communicating OA science to decision and policy makers and other stakeholders, drawing upon lessons learned and experiences from our national and subnational government members. The workshop will be offered twice—in two different time slots—in order to accommodate many time zones. Workshop 1 will be on 20 October from 7:00am-9:30am PDT (UTC-7) for North America, South America, Europe, Middle East, and Africa time zones. Workshop 2 will be on 21 October from 6:00pm to 8:30pm PDT (UTC-7) for Asia, Australia, Oceania, and Pacific Region time zones.
Tracking Ocean Acidification in Puerto Rico: A Video Journey
"Tracking Ocean Acidification in Puerto Rico: A Video Journey" was created as part of the NOAA OAP Education Minigrants in collaboration with Lisamarie Carrubba (NOAA Fisheries, PI) and Efra Figueroa/efravisuals. The objective of this video is to educate the Spanish-speaking public of Puerto Rico regarding ocean acidification and effects on coral habitats, particularly reefs. The impacts of ocean acidification on the local economy through activities such as tourism, food security, and coastal protection is expected to have widespread effects on the local coastal communities and other Caribbean islands. The video is presented in Spanish with English subtitles.
In lieu of the many postponed conferences originally scheduled for 2020, GOA-ON and its organizing partners are hosting Ocean Acidification Week, a virtual multi-day forum to highlight different aspects of ocean acidification research and initiatives. This event will engage the ocean acidification and broader oceanographic communities by raising awareness to global efforts related to monitoring, research, capacity building, stakeholder involvement, and education. Each session will be hosted by a different GOA-ON regional hub and will be approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. Sessions will span several time zones to be conducive to a broad, international audience, and all sessions will be archived on the GOA-ON Youtube Channel. Spread the word and mark your calendars: OA Week will take place on 8-10 September 2020.
The second in-person meeting of the GOA ON North American Ocean Acidification Hub was held 16-18 December 2019 at the Universidad del Mar, Huatulco, México, and was attended by 26 hub members from Canada, México, and the United States. This workshop built upon the goals and initiatives established in the hub’s inaugural meeting in 2018. The meeting included updates on current ocean acidification research efforts in the region, future capacity building opportunities and reassessing the near and long-term priorities of the regional hub.
The GOA-ON NE Atlantic Hub moderated a 'Deep Dive' focused on Ocean Acidification and Climate-Ocean Impacts during the first-ever completely virtual global conference for ocean action, the Virtual Ocean Dialogues, held in June 2020 organized by the World Economic Forum and Friends of Ocean Action. The 'Deep Dive' explored innovative and inclusive actions to help local communities, industry partners, and governments find solutions for addressing and adapting to impacts of ocean acidification. The event was hosted by the International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification together with Plymouth Marine Laboratory, UN Peace Boat and UK Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs.
GOA-ON will be moderating a panel discussion during the World Economic Forum's (WEF) Virtual Ocean Dialogue on Data and Science on 4 June 2020. The program will explore innovative and inclusive actions that are helping local communities, industry partners and governments find solutions—including policy actions—for addressing and adapting to impacts of ocean acidification. The program is being hosted by the International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification in collaboration with UN Peace Boat, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, and UK Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs. To participate in this session, please request access to the Virtual Ocean Dialogues from the link below. Photo credit: WEF.
COVID-19 Update: 5th Intl. Symposium on the Ocean in a High-CO2 World
In view of the current situation with COVID-19, the Organizing Committee of the 5th International Symposium on the Ocean in a High CO2 World has extended the deadline for submissions of abstracts and travel grant applications until Friday, 24 April 2020. Applicants for travel support will be notified on the outcome of their application by 7 May. A decision will be made by mid-May on whether to continue with the proposed date (7-10 September 2020) or delay the Symposium. The Symposium organizers are monitoring the situation closely and updates will be posted on the Symposium website.
In 2012, when GOA-ON was founded, the network was comprised of 62 scientists from 23 countries. Since then, the network has expanded its activities, gained visibility, and as a result, has become truly global. As of 2020, GOA-ON membership has reached 730 scientists from 100 countries! The growth in membership is a remarkable achievement due to the significance of the issue and the willingness of the members to collaborate and contribute their expertise to build the network.
Increasing Ocean Acidification Documented in 2019 WMO Statement
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) published the Statement on the State of the Global Climate for 2019 on 10 March 2020. The multi-agency Statement, compiled with input from Meteorological offices, scientists, GOA-ON, IOC-UNESCO and other UN agencies, documents the status of climate change, including global impacts on the atmosphere, land and ocean. GOA-ON contributed to the Chapter on ocean acidification, one of the Global Climate Indicators. The flagship report provides definitive information for policy makers on the need for climate action.
The GOA-ON Data Portal now includes data links, metadata and track visualizations, and from 71 Biogeochemical Argo Floats (BGC Argo). These BGC Argo Floats all measure pH profiles throughout the water column, along with other hydrographic parameters. The BGC Argo Floats included on the GOA-ON Data Portal are managed by the Southern Ocean Carbon and Climate Observations and Modeling project, the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research, the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency of Germany, the Second Institute of Oceanography China Argo Project and the Observatoire Oceanologique de Villefranche.
The second in-person meeting of the GOA-ON North American Ocean Acidification Hub was held 16-18 December 2019 at the Universidad del Mar, Huatulco, México, and was attended by 26 hub members from Canada, Mexico, and the United States. This workshop built upon the goals and initiatives established in the hub's inaugural meeting in 2018. The meeting included updates on current ocean acidification research efforts in the region, future capacity building opportunities, and reassessing the near- and long-term priorities of the regional hub. The meeting report will be available soon.
IAEA Hosts Training on "GOA-ON in a Box" Methodologies
Fifteen participants from around the world met at the IAEA Environment Laboratories in Monaco to receive training on ocean acidification monitoring. Participants learned how to measure pH and total alkalinity using a set of simplified methodologies, referred to as the "GOA-ON in a Box", developed by The Ocean Foundation, the IAEA Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre (OA-ICC), and experts from GOA-ON. The course included lectures and practical sessions on carbonate chemistry, sampling design, data quality and assurance, biological impacts, experimental design, and opportunities for international networking and collaboration.
An updated version of the GOA-ON Implementation Strategy is now available online. GOA-ON invited members to review the Implementation Strategy after it was first launched during the 4th GOA-ON International Workshop, held in Hangzhou, China, in April 2019. This updated version of the Strategy reflects the input received from the community and includes the latest developments of the network. The document outlines how to implement the GOA-ON Requirements and Governance Plan, including expanding ocean acidification observations, closing human and technology capacity gaps, and informing about the impacts of ocean acidification.
Call for Abstracts: 5th Intl. Symposium on the Ocean in a High-CO2 World
The 5th International Symposium on the Ocean in a High-CO2 World will be held on 7-10 September 2020 in Lima, Peru. The Symposium is the place to share cutting-edge science in a rapidly developing frontier of research dealing with the science of ocean acidification and related stressors. Abstracts for oral and poster presentations are now being accepted until 25 March 2020. The Symposium themes, abstract submission, and meeting details are available at the link below.
Data from Ocean Observatories Initiative on GOA-ON Data Portal
Near real-time data streams from select Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) platforms are now available on the GOA-ON data portal. These data streams include observations from six OOI Coastal Endurance moorings and two Regional Cabled Array Benthic Experiment Packages (BEP) located off the coasts of Oregon and Washington, USA. Atmospheric and hydrographic variables are available, including near real-time pH and pCO2 measurements. Data access was facilitated by partners at Oregon State University and the University of Washington. (Photo Credit: Oregon State University)
Invitation to Participate in ICOS pCO2 Instrument Intercomparison
The Ocean Thematic Centre (OTC) of the Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS) invites expressions of interest to participate in an intercomparison exercise of instruments used in the measurement of ocean surface and sub-surface pCO2 from 24 August - 04 September 2020 in Oostende, Belgium. The intercomparison exercise aims to compare the performance of instruments over a range of temperatures and pCO2 levels, to improve the handling of instrumentation and data, and achieve the best possible measurement quality. For more information on how to participate, follow the link below.
Ocean Acidification in the Report on the Global Climate in 2015–2019
The Report on the Global Climate in 2015–2019, released by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) on September 22 to inform the United Nations Secretary-General's Climate Action Summit and the United in Science Climate Report, presents a summary of the changes in the global climate over the last five years. In 2018, the WMO established ocean acidification as a Global Climate Indicator. The report, with input from scientists, GOA-ON, IOC-UNESCO and other UN agencies, shows that ocean acidification continues to increase, with observed pH values at open ocean observing stations steadily decreasing.
An official pre-COP25 event was held in Chile 30 September to 3 October 2019, centered around sharing knowledge and concrete solutions to combat ocean acidification on local scales. This event included shellfish growers, ocean acidification scientists, as well as government representatives from Chile and the United States. GOA-ON co-chair Dr. Jan Newton attended these meetings and site visits to share her experiences of working with scientists to address the needs of local communities and businesses to mitigate impacts of ocean acidification in the Pacific Northwest, in part through increasing observations. The 25th UNFCCC Conference of Parties, the COP25 will be held in Madrid, Spain from 2-15 December 2019. (Photo Credit: Ocean Conservancy)
Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published the first Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC). The Special Report, based on the latest scientific findings, highlights the role of the ocean in regulating the global climate and details the consequences of climate change for the ocean, including ocean acidification, decreased oxygen in the ocean, increased seawater temperature and sea level rise. These changes are already disrupting marine organisms, impacting ecosystems and the people who depend on them. The Special Report outlines climate-related risks and consequences if no action is taken to address unprecedented and enduring changes in the ocean and cryosphere.
OceanObs'19 – Framing Ocean Observations for the Next Decade
OceanObs'19 was held in Honolulu, Hawai'i, USA, 16-20 September 2019. There, 1,500 experts from more than 70 countries communicated the decadal progress of ocean observing networks and charted innovative solutions to society's growing needs for ocean information in the coming 10 years. Ocean acidification was featured throughout the conference with GOA-ON representatives actively participating in sessions and panels focusing on information, innovation, interoperability and integration, all topics that form the core of the network. The outcomes of the conference will be summarized in a living action plan to guide future ocean observation products tailored to user needs.
Developing capacity for SDG 14.3 in the West Asian Region
The Regional Education and Research Centre on Oceanography for West Asia (RCOWA) organised a workshop to develop regional capacity for ocean observation in support of SDG target 14.3 together with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO) and GOA-ON. The workshop aimed to align ocean acidification research and monitoring in region of the RCOWA, as well as to foster data collection and experimentation in support of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 14.3. Hosted by the Iranian National Institute for Oceanography and Atmospheric Science (INIOAS) in Tehran, Iran, on June 8-9, 2019, the workshop served 29 scientists and other stakeholders from the region.
The first near-real-time time-series data streams integrated from platforms in South America are now available on the GOA-ON Data Portal. Located off the coast of central Chile, the two stations are the Tongoy Balsa mooring in the Coquimbo region, managed by the Center for Advanced Studies in Arid Zones (CEAZA); and the Seno del Reloncaví mooring in northern Patagonia near Puerto Montt, managed by the University of Los Lagos i-mar Center. Data access was facilitated by the CEAZA Met regional system. GOA-ON is working with Chilean partners to integrate data from other stations in the upcoming months. If you are interested in having your ocean acidification data visualized on the GOA-ON Data Portal, please contact the GOA-ON Secretariat at secretariat@goa-on.org.
An overview of GOA-ON’s genesis, current efforts, challenges, and visions for the coming decade, has been published in a new paper entitled "An Enhanced Ocean Acidification Observing Network: From People to Technology to Data Synthesis and Information Exchange", in Frontiers in Marine Science. This article was written as a community white paper in the context of the OceanObs decadal conference, aimed at highlighting and improving ocean observations on the regional and global scales.
Report Released from North America Hub Inaugural Meeting
The first workshop of the North America regional hub was held 17-18 October 2018 at the Hakai Institute in Victoria, Canada and was attended by 38 hub members from Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The report from this workshop highlights the goals of the regional hub, current ocean acidification research efforts in the region, and near- and long-term priorities. The meeting report includes a strong focus on incorporating biological responses to ocean acidification in research efforts, and ways to best utilize the GOA-ON data portal. A follow up meeting is currently being discussed for late 2019.
Join the Community of Ocean Action on Ocean Acidification
The Communities of Ocean Action (COA) were launched by UN DESA to support the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14. One of the nine established COAs focuses on ocean acidification and is jointly led by GOA-ON co-chair Dr. Bronte Tilbrook and IAEA Environment Laboratories Director David Osborn. There are presently 260 Voluntary Commitments pledged globally to address ocean acidification. GOA-ON has registered a Voluntary Commitment titled "Enhancing global ocean acidification monitoring and research". If you are involved in ocean acidification projects, please consider submitting a Voluntary Commitment on the COA website.
5th International Symposium on the Ocean in a High-CO2 World
Save the date: The SOLAS-IMBeR Working Group on Ocean Acidification has announced that the 5th International Symposium on the Ocean in a High-CO2 World will be held in Lima, Peru during 7-10 September 2020. The lead organizers are from the Pedro Ruiz Gallo National University and Institute of the Sea of Peru (IMARPE). The previous symposia in this series were held in Paris in 2004, Monaco in 2008, Monterey in 2012, and Hobart in 2016, each proving to be essential for the international, multidisciplinary community of researchers studying ocean acidification. The same is expected for this 5th symposium, the first to be held in South America.
The 4th GOA-ON International Workshop was held in Hangzhou, China on 14-17 April 2019, where over 250 scientists from more than 60 countries participated. The workshop included plenary talks, break-out presentations and discussions, and poster sessions. The main themes of the workshop were focused on monitoring OA in multi-stressor environments, studying biological responses, advancing OA modeling, and ways to meet the needs of stakeholders. The first day of the workshop included two special events, one of which was focused on using satellite remote sensing software (SATCO2), and another one aimed at creating a dialogue between scientist and the aquaculture industry.
The GOA-ON Implementation Strategy was officially launched at the 4th GOA-ON International Workshop, held in Hangzhou, China, April 2019. This document outlines how to implement the GOA-ON Requirements and Governance Plan, including expanding ocean acidification observations, closing human and technology capacity gaps, and informing about the impacts of ocean acidification. The Implementation Strategy also offers practical information prompting members to approach GOA-ON's goals. Community feedback is welcome until 1 July 2019, and can be sent directly to Jan Newton (janewton@uw.edu) and the GOA-ON Secretariat (secretariat@goa-on.org).
The first workshop of the North East Atlantic Regional Hub in London was held on 12-13 March 2019, organised by the Plymouth Marine Laboratory and supported by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). This inaugural meeting brought together ocean acidification researchers from France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The hub members discussed how to share information on ocean acidification monitoring activities in the region, including experimental and modelling outputs, collaborations within the hub, cooperation with stakeholders and existing regional observing networks, and capacity development. The hub invites researchers from the North East Atlantic, North Sea, and Baltic Sea regions to join by sending an email.
Members of the OA-Africa network participated in the Blue Oceans Conference held in Monrovia, Liberia on 18-21 March 2019. The conference brought together stakeholders in various maritime sectors to discuss the main environmental threats facing African coastal countries, including climate change, pollution, and unsustainable fishing practices. OA-Africa, a regional hub of GOA-ON, hosted a side event at the conference to raise awareness and showcase the ocean acidification research being done throughout Africa. Following the conference, the OA-Africa Steering Committee met to discuss upcoming opportunities, needs, and priorities to advance ocean acidification science in Africa.
WIOMSA Ocean Acidification Workshop in Mombasa, Kenya
GOA-ON was involved in organizing a coordination workshop for six newly funded projects in the Western Indian Ocean related to establishing observations and investigating biological responses to ocean acidification in the region. This workshop was held on 12-14 February 2019 at the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) in Mombasa, Kenya with support from the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA), GOA-ON, and IOC-UNESCO. These ocean acidification projects will be funded by WIOMSA and include participants from institutes in Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, and Tanzania.
Commonwealth OA Action Group Workshop in New Zealand
A new initiative to build an OA action plan is being led by New Zealand as part of the Commonwealth Blue Charter. The first meeting for the action plan was held 17-19 February 2019 in Dunedin, New Zealand, and was attended by 45 scientists and government representatives of 17 Commonwealth countries. GOA-ON was represented at the meeting along with key partners to provide information on the existing effort to monitor OA, impacts and associated policy responses. The preliminary meeting was used to assess existing efforts in OA monitoring, capacity building requirements and potential to join the action plan.
The Methodology for the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14.3.1 Indicator, which calls for the "Average marine acidity (pH) measured at agreed suite of representative sampling stations", along with the associated data and metadata files, are now available on the newly remodelled GOA-ON Resources webpage. The Methodology provides the necessary guidance on how to conduct ocean acidification observations, what to measure and how, providing standard operating procedures and methods approved by the ocean acidification community. It further provides support on what kinds of data to collect, and how to submit, towards the SDG 14.3.1 Indicator to enable the collection and comparison of ocean acidification data worldwide.
Regional OA Action Plan for Latin America and the Caribbean
The recently published Regional Action Plan on Ocean Acidification for Latin America and the Caribbean, which is available in four languages (Spanish, Portuguese, French, English), sets out the priorities needed to address ocean acidification in the region. The Action Plan acknowledges key needs, including mobilizing resources to build and support the necessary scientific and technical capacity, broadening the scope of discussions and considerations under the Green Climate Fund to address ocean acidification, and utilizing the expertise of scientists in the regional ocean acidification network, LAOCA. The Action Plan is the result of the first regional meeting of the Ocean Acidification international Reference User Group (OAiRUG) held in March 2018 in Colombia, with support from the OA-ICC, and in collaboration IUCN and the LAOCA regional hub.
Building Capacity in Latin America and the Caribbean
The Ocean Foundation hosted an ocean acidification symposium and advanced training course for the Latin American and Caribbean region with support from GOA-ON, IOC-UNESCO, OA-ICC, and other partners. The symposium was held at the Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (INVEMAR) in Santa Marta, Colombia from 21-24 January and included 80 participants from 15 countries. The event brought together scientists, policy-makers, and industry professionals from the region to collaborate and identify strategies for building resilience to ocean acidification. Following the symposium, the advanced training course was held from 28 January - 1 February, where 14 participants from 5 countries received training on the GOA-ON in a Box monitoring kit, as well as using the SDG 14.3.1 Indicator Methodology and the associated data and metadata files.
GOA-ON represented at Asia-Pacific Day for the Ocean
As part of the UN ESCAP Asia-Pacific Day for the Ocean held in Bangkok, Thailand on 20 November 2018, GOA-ON participated in a session titled "Ocean acidification, promoting scientific knowledge and accelerating action". GOA-ON Executive Council member Somkiat Khokiattiwong, representing IOC-WESTPAC's ocean acidification initiatives, gave a talk about developing research capacity and the transfer of marine technology in the Western Pacific through collaborations with GOA-ON and other partners. This session also included discussions on the various ocean acidification activities taking place in the Asia Pacific, particularly in the framework of SDG 14 and the upcoming UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.
SDG Indicator 14.3.1 Ocean Acidification Data Survey
GOA-ON and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO invite you to take part in a survey on ocean acidification research and observation data. Under the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14, "Life below water", the Target 3 on ocean acidification calls to "minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels". IOC-UNESCO is the custodian agency for the Indicator 14.3.1, which is used to measure the progress made to achieve the target, and developed the Methodology with support from GOA-ON and other experts on ocean acidification. Your answers to this survey will help trace where ocean acidification data is being collected, and where it is stored and served, to facilitate reporting towards the SDG Indicator. Please share this survey widely and submit your answers by December 20, 2018.
WESTPAC Hosts Ocean Acidification Symposium and Workshop
As a GOA-ON regional hub, the UNESCO-IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC) has developed and strengthened a sustained research and monitoring network for ocean acidification in the Western Pacific and its adjacent waters. WESTPAC held an Ocean Acidification Symposium followed by the 5th WESTPAC Workshop on Research and Monitoring of the Ecological Impacts of Ocean Acidification on Coral Reef Ecosystems, 5-7 November 2018, in Xiamen, China. Both meetings were hosted and generously supported by the Third Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration of China. Seventy-six researchers from thirteen countries participated.
GOA-ON North American Hub Holds First In-Person Meeting
Ocean acidification researchers from Canada, the United States, and Mexico came together for the first in-person meeting of the GOA-ON North American Hub on 17-18 October 2018 at the Hakai Institute in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Members of the new network hub discussed existing work in the three countries and opportunities for collaboration on research, data management, training workshops, and data synthesis products. Participants also discussed community "best practices" in data collection and quality control and agreed upon lists of objectives and priorities for the hub’s activities.
GOA-ON and OA-ICC Host Advanced Data Workshop in Monaco
GOA-ON and the IAEA Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre (OA-ICC) held a technical meeting on the management, analysis, and quality control of ocean acidification data on 22-26 October 2018 at the IAEA Environment Laboratories in Monaco. The advanced workshop included participation from 15 scientists representing 15 different countries from various regions around the world, many of whom have participated in past GOA-ON and OA-ICC capacity building workshops and have been involved in the GOA-ON Pier2Peer program. The workshop brought together both chemical oceanographers and biologists and took an interdisciplinary approach to discuss ocean acidification data analysis. Lectures were given on quality assurance and quality control techniques used in monitoring and experimental research, such as estimating uncertainties, identifying outliers and flagging data.
Great success for the ocean acidification community: The Sustainable Development Goal Target Indicator 14.3.1 was upgraded from Tier III to Tier II by the IAEG-SDG of the United Nations Statistical Commission following a presentation by IOC UNESCO, the custodian agency for the Indicator. Tier II classification means that the “Indicator is conceptually clear, has an internationally established methodology and standards are available, but data are not regularly produced by countries.” The SDG Indicator 14.3.1 calls for "average marine acidity (pH) measured at an agreed suite of representative sampling stations". The Indicator Methodology, which provides guidance to scientists and countries about how to carry out measurements and how to report them, was developed with the support of experts in the ocean acidification community, including members of GOA-ON.
The newly established North East Atlantic Regional Hub of GOA-ON will be holding its inaugural workshop on the 12-13th March 2019 in London, UK. The objectives of the meeting are to share information about ongoing European ocean acidification research, including monitoring, experimental and modelling activities, to provide integration across the region, to foster possible collaboration opportunities and to promote community best practices for ocean acidification research to enable the efficient collection of comparable and geographically distributed data. To attend, please contact the organisers by 1st December 2018. For more information and updates visit the North East Atlantic hub website.
4th GOA-ON International Workshop in Hangzhou, China
GOA-ON is delighted to announce that it will be holding its 4th International Workshop in Hangzhou, China, on 14-17 April 2019, to be hosted by the State Key Laboratory of Satellite Ocean Environment Dynamics (SOED) and the Second Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration. This workshop will bring together scientists from around the world to discuss emerging aspects from the coupled effects of ocean acidification with multi-stressors, review global ocean acidification status and forecast capabilities, and explore opportunities for capacity development. The deadline for abstracts is 31 January 2019. We look forward to seeing you there!
OA Symposium and Training for Latin America and the Caribbean
The Latin American and Caribbean Regional Symposium on Ocean Acidification will be held on 21-24 January 2019 at the Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (INVEMAR) in Santa Marta, Colombia. One of the objectives of the symposium is for attendees to leave with an understanding of what implications ocean acidification has for their work. The Advanced Ocean Acidification Training Workshop will be held at INVEMAR following the symposium, on 28 January – 1 February 2019, and will focus on the use of the GOA-ON in a Box monitoring kit. These two events will be organized by The Ocean Foundation and its partners, including GOA-ON, LAOCA and the OA-ICC. The training is funded by the U.S. Department of State and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.
The 2018 Galapagos Ocean Acidification School was held between 19-28 August 2018. This advanced training course served as an opportunity to train twelve participants from seven countries (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador, and Mexico) on both theoretical and practical techniques, using a natural CO2 vent system in the Galapagos Islands as the study site. Participants gained expertise in measuring carbonate chemistry in the lab, collecting seawater and biological samples in the field for isotopic analyses, as well as managing and analysing data. Several GOA-ON partners supported this course, including LAOCA, OA-ICC, IOC-UNESCO, and others. Support was also provided by the Galapagos Marine Research and Exploration Program, the Millennium Institute of Oceanography, the Galapagos National Park, INOCAR, and SCOR.
International experts on ocean acidification, including members of the GOA-ON Executive Council, met at the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO in Paris from October 17-19 to discuss the SDG Indicator 14.3.1 Methodology. The SDG Target Indicator 14.3.1 calls for "average marine acidity measured at an agreed suite of representative sampling stations" and the Methodology provides guidance to scientists and countries on how to carry out measurements and report the findings following the established best practices. The workshop participants discussed the data reporting, quality control and visualisation mechanisms for the Indicator as well as ways to disseminate the Methodology.
GOA-ON has recently launched its own Facebook and Twitter pages, which includes updates on GOA-ON's various activities, new and updated data sources to the GOA-ON data portal, and other relevant information from the global OA community. Follow these pages by clicking on the links below.
The Pacific Islands Advanced OA Monitoring Workshop was held at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa from 13-17 August 2018, organized by The Ocean Foundation, GOA-ON, and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ocean Acidification Program, and funded by the US Department of State and the Swedish International Development Agency. Scientists from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa and NOAA led eleven participants from seven Pacific Island States in a week of hands-on training with the equipment they received in the past year as part of the "GOA-ON in a Box" program. The program grants a set of laboratory and field equipment to chosen applicants, with the long-term goal of expanding carbonate chemistry monitoring and increasing capacity of scientists in developing countries to measure ocean chemistry.
GOA-ON's global collaboration efforts were highlighted in a Nature article by Bates et al., published 15 August 2018. The paper emphasizes the need for ecologists to "understand how marine life responds to changing local conditions, rather than overall global temperature rise". The authors stress the need to measure and model local variability at smaller scales of space and time, the 'ocean weather', which is highly dynamic and very relevant to marine organisms. The article addresses the importance of collaboration, mentioning that "there are some models for [global collaboration]. The Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON), for instance, is an international effort to provide highly resolved biogeochemical data on the scale of metres, to enable researchers to optimize models of ocean acidification".
IOC-UNESCO Executive Council Welcomes SDG Indicator 14.3.1 Methodology
During its 51st Executive Council Meeting from 3-6 July 2018, the Member States of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO welcomed the Methodology for the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target Indicator 14.3.1 and recommended to the IOC secretary as the custodian agency for this indicator to propose its upgrade from Tier III to Tier II. The SDG Target Indicator 14.3.1 calls for "average marine acidity measured at an agreed suite of representative sampling stations". The Methodology provides guidance to scientists and countries about how to carry out measurements following the best practices established by experts in the ocean acidification community, including GOA-ON members, and explains how to report the collected information.
The IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC) has announced their 5th Workshop on Research and Monitoring of the Ecological Impacts of Ocean Acidification on Coral Reef Ecosystems, scheduled for 6-7 November 2018 in Xiamen, China. Additionally, a WESTPAC Ocean Acidification Symposium will be held on 5 November preceding the workshop to highlight recent ocean acidification research. The workshop and the science symposium will be hosted by the Third Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration of China. As a regional hub of GOA-ON, WESTPAC contributes to monitoring ocean acidification and its impacts particularly in coral reef environments, while building capacity in the Western Pacific and its adjacent regions.
The 4th Symposium on the Effects of Climate Change on the World’s Oceans, held on 4-8 June 2018 in Washington DC, USA, included a session entitled "Carbon uptake, ocean acidification, and ecosystems and human impacts." This session included presentations on GOA-ON's efforts, given by several Executive Council members. Ocean acidification research and monitoring was featured prominently at this session and throughout the conference by GOA-ON members. GOA-ON partners helped in supporting the symposium, including the IOC-UNESCO, OA-ICC and NOAA.
GOA-ON Executive Council Holds Annual Meeting in Sopot, Poland
Supported by IOC UNESCO, the GOA-ON Executive Council held its 5th Annual Meeting, 28-30 May 2018 at the Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IO PAN) in Sopot, Poland. During the meeting, the methodology for the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target indicator 14.3.1 "average marine acidity measured at an agreed suite of representative sampling stations" was reviewed. Additionally, the GOA-ON Executive Council reported on GOA-ON international capacity building activities, received updates from the regional hubs, and welcomed the new GOA-ON Secretariat, among other exciting updates.
Invitation to join the Ocean Acidification Information Exchange
The Ocean Acidification Information Exchange is an interactive website catalyzing response to ocean acidification through collaboration. We invite you to join this online conversation! Current members are using the site's tools to share resources, engage in online discussions, and interact with people in other disciplines and regions to build a well-informed community working to respond and adapt to ocean acidification. Anyone working on or with an interest in ocean acidification can join the OA Information Exchange. The US Interagency Working Group on Ocean Acidification conceived and funds the OA Information Exchange, which is operated by the Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems.
The Galapagos Islands are a unique natural laboratory where different currents converge, giving origin to an exceptional marine biodiversity. Roca Redonda is an active submarine volcano where CO2 is released through cold vents, simulating the conditions of ocean acidification. The 2018 Galapagos Ocean Acidification School will be held 19-28 August at the Charles Darwin Research Station, Puerto Ayora, Galápagos. Using natural CO2 seeps as experimental units, participants from Latin-American and Caribbean countries will gain knowledge in aspects of ocean acidification research including in-situ sample collection in a CO2 vent, analytical chemistry techniques for carbon system parameters, and the study of benthic community structure under the influence of high CO2 conditions. Applications are due by 4 June 2018.
The next decadal OceanObs conference will be held in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, on 16-20 September 2019. The themes of this conference encompass advances in ocean acidification observing, and applications to user groups at the global and regional level. The organizers solicit participation in OceanObs’19 especially from underrepresented nations and end-users. GOA-ON will be submitting an abstract on behalf of our network for white paper development; other abstracts are encouraged. Abstract submissions will remain open until 15 March 2018.
GOA-ON Contributes to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
In January 2018, multiple GOA-ON members met at the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO in Paris, France, to develop the indicator methodology for the 2030 Agenda SDG target 14.3 "average marine acidity measured at an agreed suite of representative sampling stations". The methodology, similar to a recipe, provides guidance to scientists and countries in terms of what measurements are needed and how often, as well as how to report the collected information.
Several GOA-ON members, including Carol Turley, Plymouth Marine Lab (PML), Phil Williamson, University of East Anglia, and Jan Newton, University of Washington, participated in the UNFCCC COP23 in Bonn, Germany, over 8-14 November 2017. GOA-ON was represented at several panels, including the Ocean Action Day, EU Ocean Day, World Climate Research Program (WCRP) event, and International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification event, among others.
The Ocean Conference: 5-9 June 2017 at the United Nations
The UN hosted a conference this June in New York focused on implementing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14, which is centered on marine sustainability. Of particular interest to the ocean acidification community is the SDG target 14.3: "Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels." In preparation for this conference an online discussion was held on 31 March, moderated by several members of the GOA-ON Executive Council. As a result of strong international participation in that discussion, a number of important issues were raised, including the need for additional research, education, outreach, and capacity building.
Pier2Peer is a scientific mentorship program that matches senior researchers with early career scientists to facilitate an exchange of expertise and to provide a platform for international collaborations. Pier2Peer employs an adaptive and self-driven approach to capacity development with guiding principles to focus on user needs at the local, regional, national, and international level and to foster inter-regional and global collaboration. The program officially launched during the 3rd GOA-ON Science Workshop in Hobart, Australia in May 2016.
The OA-Africa network led an African "Ocean Acidification Day" on World Oceans Day (June 8, 2017), encouraging scientists from all over Africa and around the world to join forces to measure pH at the same time, following the indicator of SDG 14.3: "Average marine acidity (pH) measured at agreed suite of representative sampling stations."
Buneos Aires, 24-26 October 2017. The symposium will convoke researchers, students, government and industries representatives from Latin America, and is open to the global community interested in acquiring a regional and global knowledge about the impacts of ocean acidification on marine resources and ecosystems in Latin-America. This 1st symposium will be an opportunity for participants to share their research results and to explore new opportunities of collaborative research in the region.
