Building an ocean research coordination network for Future Earth: an opportunity for innovative collaboration

Abstract:

Future Earth is an ambitious international and interdisciplinary research program on global change. While the program demands a "step-change" in how we do Earth system research, it will also build on the large suite of projects already established under the Global Environmental Change programs, and the Future Earth framework will need to support these in rising to the challenge of the new research model. Ocean research is deserving of a focused coordination network given: the ocean’s scale (71% of the planet) and role in global change and in human society; the numerous existing Global Environmental Change core projects related to ocean science (as many as 19) and numerous other relevant ICSU and international programs to be considered; and the resources and infrastructure required to access the ocean. We propose a model for ocean research coordination that will work with existing Global Environmental Change projects and the Future Earth Secretariat to facilitate research collaboration, communication, and stakeholder co-design of an integrative ocean science program focus beyond the level or responsibility of any individual project, with the goal of building capacity for cross-cutting research and deliverables.