IMDOS – the Integrated Marine Debris Observing System, a key GEO Blue Planet initiative, held its first Steering Committee meeting in January 2025. This meeting brought together new members to strengthen global cooperation and set action plans for the year.
As negotiations for a global plastic pollution treaty continue, IMDOS aims to bridge knowledge gaps by coordinating efforts towards a sustainable marine debris monitoring system. It promotes standardized methods and data harmonization to provide reliable, science-driven information for decision-making, research, and industry.
IMDOS is supported by GEO Blue Planet, and the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) in cooperation with UNEP through the Global Partnership on Plastic Pollution and Marine Litter (GPML). The European Union, through the EU4OceanObs project, is providing funding support.
GEO Blue Planet will pilot three of the eleven Task Teams focusing on “Engagement Activities,” namely Data for Policy, the UN Global Plastics Treaty, and Regional Observing Systems/Groups.
For the Data for Policy Task Team, activities will foster communication and synergies within the expanding marine debris community, particularly between researchers and decision-makers. For example, the Task team could organise an expert meeting to improve the reporting of country data.
The UN Global Plastics Treaty Task Team will also focus on communications and synergies, this time with experts in the framework of the Global treaty negotiations and implementation. Work could include supporting INC negotiations and liaising with countries and the INC Secretariat.
The Regional Observing Systems/Groups Task Team will focus on creating synergies amongst regional groups, including the Regional Seas Conventions, the regional offices of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) and regional maritime organisations.
The report for this meeting is being prepared and will be shared here as soon as possible.
More on IMDOS website: https://imdos.org/news/first-imdos-steering-committee-meeting