Led by IOCCP - GOOS Biogeochemistry Panel Co-Chair, Adrienne Sutton, the ocean carbon leadership within GO-SHIP, BGC-Argo, and SOCONET have recently published an insightful new paper in Earth's Future: Cross-Network Synergies Fundamental to Sustained Global Ocean Carbon Observing, which was also highlighted in Eos.
Our paper describes how ocean carbon measurements contribute to tracking the ocean response to climate forcing and provide this information for operational needs, such as routine climate assessments and future ocean ecosystem forecasts that inform policy and society. In the paper we make several recommendations highlighting the joint initiatives the ocean carbon networks and IOCCP - GOOS BGC Panel hope to undertake, including:
- Observing network designs should consider the collective of ocean carbon observing networks
- The networks should actively engage with international efforts seeking to ensure data interoperability
- Utilise established forums to provide routine updates on progress in optimising cross-network synergies
- Networks should establish specific targets for cross-network synergies
By publishing this paper together, we commit to collectively implementing those recommendations, strengthening cross-network synergies around ocean carbon. These recommendations are also relevant to how we engage across GOOS.