Join the Global Ocean Observing System in Nice, France this June as the global community gathers for the One Ocean Science Congress and the 2025 UN Ocean Conference. Explore our events and advocacy efforts to elevate ocean observing as essential infrastructure for society and a sustainable future.
This June 2025, the global community will gather in Nice, France, for two landmark events focused on the future of our ocean. The One Ocean Science Congress (4–6 June), co-organized by CNRS and IFREMER, will bring together leading scientists to generate evidence-based recommendations ahead of the 2025 UN Ocean Conference (9–13 June), co-hosted by the Governments of France and Costa Rica. With the theme of “Accelerating action and mobilizing all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean”, the UN Ocean Conference will focus on driving real progress on Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water), from advancing international cooperation, to scaling up financing and making ocean knowledge more accessible for better decision-making.
At both events, the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) will play an active role, co-organizing and contributing to multiple high-level sessions, panels, and side events. GOOS will advocate for ocean observing as critical infrastructure, essential for safeguarding communities, guiding sustainable development, and supporting climate resilience. We will work to elevate the role of ocean data in policymaking, and to unite our global community in calling for coordinated investment in sustained ocean observations.
This page highlights ocean observing-related events taking place at the One Ocean Science Congress and the UN Ocean Conference. We invite the ocean observing community to join us and help champion the transformative power of ocean data for a more sustainable future.
Ocean observing events at the One Ocean Science Congress:
4 June 2025
- TM-8: The Need for a Sustained and Fit-for-Purpose Ocean Observing System: From Physics to Socio-Ecosystems
Town Hall | 9:00 – 10:00 | Room 1 | GOOS event!
The Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) plays a key role in providing critical ocean data that underpins climate modeling, disaster preparedness, and sustainable decision-making. However, major gaps in observational coverage and sustained funding persist, especially in under-observed and vulnerable regions. Advancing a robust, holistic ocean observing system that incorporates economic and societal parameters alongside traditional environmental data is essential to meet the growing societal demand for comprehensive ocean information. This Town Hall will introduce the crucial elements of the transition towards an integrated, comprehensive observing system.
Read more - TM-13: Ocean Observation Governance in the 21st Century: What History Tells Us About the Future
Town Hall | 12:45 – 13:45 | Room 7 | GOOS event!
The aim of this Town Hall meeting is, by briefly recalling a few particularly instructive examples, to discuss possible and original ways of improving the current governance of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) to make it more sustainable. Should GOOS governance move closer to that of the World Meteorological Organization Integrated Global Observing System (WIGOS)? Is this possible without a change in the very paradigms of GOOS? Are other models possible? What balance should be struck between the current approach led by the United Nations’ specialised agencies and more targeted diplomacy led by motivated national entities, as history has sometimes shown?
Read more - TM-24: Call for Action to Advance Ocean Prediction Capabilities for the Benefits of Society
Town Hall | 9:00 – 10:00 | Room 3
This Town Hall meeting will build on the OceanPredict 2024 (OP’24) symposium outcomes and the activities of the relevant UN Decade programmes and the OceanPrediction UN Decade Collaborative Center to present a call for action for international mobilization to advance ocean prediction capabilities in response to societal needs. The one-hour session will be organized around a series of talks summarizing OP’24 discussions and outcomes.
Read more - Observing the Ocean: The Role of France
Side event | 16:30 – 18:00 | EU Digital Ocean Pavilion
This session will offer a general presentation of the French Ocean Observing System (Fr-OOS), its components, and its long-term strategy. A live demonstration of the Fr-OOS dashboard will allow participants to visualize the various components and networks of Fr-OOS. Connections and interactions with EOOS (European Ocean Observing System) and GOOS will also be discussed.
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5 June 2025
- T10-18: From Science to Shoreline: Bridging Knowledge, Policy and Action for Coastal Resilience
Session | 14:00 – 15:30 | Room 8 | GOOS event!
The session focuses on translating scientific advancements into practical strategies for enhancing coastal resilience. A highlight is the presentation on the CoastPredict GOOS UN Ocean Decade Programme, which aims to integrate coastal ocean observations and predictions to support multi-hazard early warning systems, climate risk assessments, and digital twins for environmental management and climate adaptation. By leveraging data from satellites, in situ networks, Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, and citizen science, and employing AI and machine learning tools, the programme seeks to develop a flexible, interoperable ‘GlobalCoast’ cloud infrastructure that will connect regional and pilot site data spaces and existing repositories.
Read more - T10-9: Strengthening the Link between Science and Policy in the Context of International Ocean Governance
Session | 14:00 – 15:30 | Room 4
During this session, GOOS Director Joanna Post will give a presentation on Co-designing the Global Ocean Observing System for Service Delivery.
Read more - T10-19: Connecting Ocean Science to Global Biodiversity Goals: Observations, Data and Knowledge to Support GBF and BBNJ Implementation
Session | 16:00 – 17:30 | Room 8
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Ocean observing events at UNOC 2025:
9 June 2025
- Approaching an Intelligent and Inspiring Ocean: New Science-Based Actions for Sustainable Futures
Side event | 10:30 – 11:45 | Blue Zone, Room 1 | GOOS event!
Ocean data and information, prediction and forecasting are critical public tools for global ocean governance, providing essential support for addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, and escalating pollution. This side event promotes open ocean data sharing, scientific innovation, and international collaboration to support SDG14, strengthen early warning systems, and advance intelligent ocean services for addressing these unprecedented challenges and ensuring a sustainable future. - Ocean Space Forum
Offsite side event | 15:00 – 18:00 | Observatoire Côte d’Azur, Hills of Nice
More information coming soon
10 June 2025
- Ocean Observation for the Governance of the High Seas
Offsite side event | 14:00 – 17:30 | Citadelle de Villefranche-sur-Mer | GOOS event!
This event explores how ocean observation supports governance of the High Seas, using the Thermal Dome in Central America as a case study. It highlights the role of technologies such as biogeochemical Argo floats, satellites, and ocean modeling in informing Area-Based Management Tools (ABMTs) under the BBNJ agreement. The discussion will expand to global implications, focusing on conservation and equitable access. Featuring experts from science, diplomacy, NGOs, industry, and intergovernmental bodies, the event promotes science-based governance. Artistic and ocean literacy components will enhance engagement and support SDG 14 through awareness and education. A cocktail reception will be hosted at the end of the event for all attendees. - Towards a Decade Digital Ecosystem: the UN Decade Vision 2030
Side event | 17:00 – 17:45 | EU Digital Ocean Pavillion, Green Zone
This event will strengthen international partnerships by promoting collaboration among the OceanPrediction Decade Collaborative Centre, the Ocean Observing Decade Coordination Offices, and the Ocean Data Sharing Decade Coordination Office to develop a Decade Digital Ecosystem aligned with the EU priorities and the UN Decade Vision 2030, leveraging on the Challenge 8 “Digital representation of the ocean”. - The Need for a Sustained and Fit-for-Purpose Ocean Observing System: From Physics to Socio-Ecosystems
Offsite side event | 18:00 – 20:00 | Marine Observatory, Villefranche-sur-Mer | GOOS event!
This side event will spotlight the urgent need for a fit-for-purpose, SDG 14-aligned ocean observing system. Through expert talks, platform demonstrations, and a roundtable discussion, it will explore integrated approaches to ocean-climate monitoring, biodiversity protection, and sustainable marine governance.
Register here before 2 June!
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11 June 2025
- Call for Action to Advance Ocean Prediction Capabilities for the Benefits of Society
Side event | 17:00 – 17:45 | EU Digital Ocean Pavilion – INSPIRE Area, Green Zone
This high-level event aims to relay the town hall organized at the One Ocean Science Congress to build a call for international mobilization to advance ocean prediction capabilities in response to societal needs, based on the outcomes of the OceanPredict 2024 (OP’24) symposium and the activities of relevant UN Decade programmes and the OceanPrediction UN Decade Collaborative Center. The session will feature a series of talks summarizing the discussions and outcomes of OP’24, concluding with the presentation of the call to action. - Promoting Offshore Sailing for Science Initiatives
Side event | 17:00 – 18:30 | IMEV Villefrance, Green Zone
This event, organized by IMOCA and Ifremer, highlights a pioneering collaboration between offshore sailing and ocean science. Through partnerships with IOC-UNESCO and scientific institutions, IMOCA skippers collect critical ocean data during races, advancing climate forecasting, supporting global observation efforts, and engaging the public in a new model of participatory ocean science.
12 June 2025
- Let’s Talk about Ocean & Climate
Side event | 10:30 – 13:30 | EU Digital Ocean Pavillion, Green Zone
This session aims to facilitate a multi-stakeholder dialogue on the evolving, interdependend relationship between climate change and the ocean. With contributions from leading voices in science, diplomacy, civil society, and youth engagement, the session will explore the profound and accelerating changes in the ocean driven by anthropogenic climate change. Experts and institutional leaders will share the latest advancements in ocean observations and modeling tools. - Ocean Observing: Critical Infrastructure for our Ocean Future
Side event | 13:30 – 15:00 | Lehmkuhl Sailing Ship, Port of Nice, Red Zone | GOOS event!
This session will demonstrate how the coordinated collection of ocean observations is already underpinning national economies at many levels and that it is time to consider ocean observing as critical infrastructure that supports nations in achieving sustainable blue economic growth, risk management of extremes, and a healthy ocean.
More information coming soon - Planetary Boundaries – Ocean
Side event | 18:00 – 20:00 | European Pavilion, Green Zone | GOOS event!
This side event will challenge participants to extend the Planetary Boundaries framework into the ocean’s interior and all its domains, from physics to biogeochemistry and biodiversity, so that it represents the functioning and habitability of the planet more generally. An essential tool in this context is the emerging concept of an international framework for ocean indicators.
13 June 2025
- 10 000 Ships for the Ocean: Partnering with the shipping industry to scale-up global ocean observations
Side event | 12:15 – 13:30 | Room 3, Blue Zone | GOOS event!
This high-level event unites a global coalition to expand ship-based observations. Backed by leading international organizations, France and marine industry pioneers, we are gathering the shipping industries to join an ambitious new partnership. Together, we will equip fleets with cutting-edge, standardized and automated metocean technologies, unlocking global benefits for operations, forecasting, early warnings and environmental stewardship. This event will culminate in a bold joint statement, laying out concrete commitments to achieve the UN Decade’s 2030 vision for ship-based observations and calling on the entire shipping industry to step up for SDGs.
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