G7 Science and Technology Ministers, meeting in 15-17 May 2016 in advance of the G7 summit to be hosted by Japan later this month, issued the Tsukuba Communiqué, recognizing a need for enhanced action for science-based management, conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, seas, and marine resources.

It called for enhanced global ocean observation required to monitor climate change and marine biodiversity, fully sustaining and coordinating with ongoing observation, supporting an enhanced system of ocean assessment through the UN Regular Process, promoting open science and the improvement of global data sharing infrastructure, the development of regional observing capabilities, and enhanced cooperation to improve future routine ocean observations.

Supporting papers identified the need to build on existing systems such as the Global Ocean Observing System, accelerating development and implementation of ecosystem/biodiversity Essential Ocean Variables, and improve global data sharing infrastructure such as the Global Earth Observing System of Systems being implemented by the Group on Earth Observations.

The Tsukuba Communiqué and its attachments are available to download here.