The second Blue Planet symposium for the GEO marine Task SB-01 “Oceans and Society: the Blue Planet” was held in Cairns, Australia from 27 to 29 May 2015. The symposium was co-organised by CSIRO and POGO. Additional side meetings of the NF-POGO Alumni Network for Oceans and ChloroGIN/SAFARI also took place prior to the symposium.
The structure of the 2015 Blue Planet symposium was formed around the six components, with sessions and presentations dedicated to each:
- C1: Sustained Ocean Observations
- C2: Sustained Ecosystems and Food Security
- C3: Ocean Forecasting and Services
- C4: Services for the Coastal Zone
- C5: Ocean Climate and Carbon
- C6: Developing Capacity and Social Awareness
Of particular emphasis during the symposium was:
- Observations in the Asia-Pacific region
- Linking observations to societal benefit areas, particularly in coastal environments and Small Island Developing States
- Showcasing operational oceanography
- Enhancing user engagement
- Satellite observations in the Southern Hemisphere
- Links to freshwater aquatic systems
- Blue Economy
A total of over 160 delegates registered comprising leaders and representatives of various international organisations and networks, research scientists, ocean science communicators and postdoctoral and graduate students. The symposium offered the opportunity for participants to become familiar with the full scope of the Blue Planet Task, and helped to develop synergies and to plan future activities.
Delegates of the Second Blue Planet Symposium, Cairns, Australia (Photo Credit: CSIRO)
Symposium outputs
