REPORT BY THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL OCEANOGRAPHIC COMMISSION ON ITS ACTIVITIES ( ) OUTLINE

Conférence générale Vingt-neuvième session Rapport 8W\WKINP\I] UM\DWKW\ZE] /GIOZIQP OWG]QI] FWFFE] /MUNIOV rep Paris 1997 General Conference Twenty-ninth Session Report Conferencia General 29 a reunión Informe 29 C/REP.5 26 August 1997 Original: English REPORT BY THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL OCEANOGRAPHIC COMMISSION ON ITS ACTIVITIES (1995-1996) OUTLINE Source: Article 12 of the Statutes of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission. Background: In accordance with Article 12 of its Statutes IOC shall prepare regular reports on its activities which shall be submitted to the General Conference of UNESCO. Purpose: The programme of IOC, as planned and approved by the sessions of the IOC Assembly, endorsed by the General Conference, is implemented in accordance with the available resources and the resolutions of the Assembly. Mid-term adjustments are made at the sessions of the IOC Executive Council as required in light of the resource situation. The development of IOC within UNESCO is an ongoing process. A certain priority in the programme has been allocated to the development of the Global Ocean Observing System, follow-up to UNCED, through regional and co-operative mechanisms, and TEMA activities. Decision required: The report requires no decision.

29 C/REP.5 General overview 1. During 1995 and 1996 significant developments occurred for IOC within UNESCO, following preparatory work of DOSS and subsequently from 1993. Most significantly, a Special Account for IOC within UNESCO was established and the related Financial Regulations adopted by the Executive Board. Member States are invited to make use of this Special Account so as to provide dependable resources for IOC programme implementation. 2. Of equal significance was the decision of the twenty-eighth session of the General Conference to provide a protected or incompressible budget for IOC. This should go a long way towards achieving dependable resources for IOC since the amount of the UNESCO contribution is now well known and incompressible. It is therefore reasonable to expect a commensurable contribution from IOC Member States non-members of UNESCO. The resources provided from UNESCO can now also be better related to the size of the IOC programme and the requirements for an adequate rate of its implementation. 3. The Action Plan reviewed by the Assembly at its eighteenth session, June 1995, shows the ratio of available dependable resources to implementation requirements to be about 1/3-1/2. A major task for Governing Bodies is an agreement on priorities. IOC cannot under present conditions do all it is required to do: focus is necessary. 4. The General Conference adopted the Medium-Term Strategy of UNESCO for 1996-2001. This is a profound step, implying a wide range of adjustments of UNESCO and its programmes. For IOC it opens up and supports the intersectoriality, policy shaping, and issue-oriented approach; the Action Plan presented to the Assembly in 1995 relates the IOC programmes to major issues of society. 5. Another very important development within UNESCO is the establishment of the interdisciplinary project on coastal zones and small islands and the associated management structure. The base funding for the project originates from the part of the integrated IOC/MRI programme referred to as MRI, before 1991 essentially the Division of Marine Sciences. 6. The special unit established in the Secretariat responsible for the implementation of the project corresponds to the MRI part of IOC/MRI. This part is now under the direct authority of the Assistant Director-General for Science (ADG/SC). This development is related to the Joint Statement of the Chairs of IOC, IGCP, IHP and MAB, adopted in conjunction with the twenty-seventh session of the General Conference, and endorsed by Commission III of the General Conference. The meeting of the Chairs was repeated in conjunction with the twentyeighth session of the General Conference, also including the social sciences MOST programme. A Joint Statement was adopted, reconfirming the intention to co-operate and to focus in this respect on the coastal zones and small islands project (CSI). This was welcomed by Commission III of the twenty-eighth session of the General Conference (November 1995), and has led to an increasing interaction between the activities. 7. The Joint Statement is also followed up through co-operation in other projects between IOC and IHP (Caspian Sea), IGCP (GLOSS and absolute sea-level determinations, natural hazard reductions), MAB (biological diversity, with IOC now a partner in Biodiversitas, and potential establishment of biosphere reserves). The establishment of CSI has also implied that IOC has taken over some activities previously supported through the MRI part of IOC/MRI. 8. As a follow-up to the eighteenth session of the Assembly, the Director-General proposed and the Executive Secretary prepared a document on Intersectoral Aspects of the

29 C/REP.5 - page 2 IOC programme for the General Directorate of UNESCO. This was presented to the Directorate in the fall of 1995. The reception was very positive and led to the establishment of an intersectoral Task Team, charged with planning for the UNESCO contribution to the 1998 International Year of the Ocean, and with proposing appropriate initiatives to bring oceans into the school education system of Member States. This has been followed-up. A draft programme was presented to the IOC Executive Council, September 1996. 9. The strategy to strengthen IOC within UNESCO has worked, IOC has been strengthened within UNESCO and is becoming better known. However, there is still a need for considerable effort to make IOC better known and understood in the UNESCO National Commissions and other national organs. 10. The national base for IOC must be widened and strengthened in most countries. Regional co-operation and regional subsidiary bodies are being gradually strengthened and are becoming better known and accepted outside the IOC community. The gradually increasing support for regional co-operation from several donors is a significant positive trend. 11. The status of IOC outside UNESCO is maintained at a reasonable level. However, the difficulty we have in meeting, in a timely manner, our obligations in accordance with cooperative agreements regarding GOOS, GCOS, WCRP, GIPME, are undermining our credibility. A particular case is GOOS development. IOC must very soon achieve a considerably improved delivery rate as regards GOOS development. In this respect two points should be noted. First, strong support and active acknowledgement by Member States of the role of IOC in relation to GOOS development are required. We will not succeed only through the Secretariat. The post of Director of the GOOS Office has been filled as of May 1997, and a firmer guidance is expected to be provided to GOOS development. 12. The credibility of IOC and its ability to deliver is of great importance in relation to our efforts towards the follow-up to UNCED, the related conventions as well as with respect to UNCLOS. Again, it appears to the Executive Secretary IOC that an important action by Member States is to positively acknowledge IOC as an instrument and an existing body which can be used. 13. Interest in the ocean is currently increasing. This is apparent by the entering into force of UNCLOS; the initiation of the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-Based Activities; the establishment of the Independent World Commission on Oceans; the initiation of the third GESAMP review of the state of the marine environment, the simultaneous initiation of a SCOPE study of ocean problems and the conditions of the marine environment. The fourth session of the Commission for Sustainable Development (CSD) was addressing oceans (1996); as from 1996 the General Assembly will consider oceans under a separate agenda item. The 1998 International Year of the Ocean and EXPO 98 are in planning. In this wave of activities it is imperative for IOC to be able to master the surf and ride, and support the wave. This requires an effort from all parts of IOC. 14. The relation of IOC programmes to issues or problems of society should be continuously considered, as initiated in the formulation of the IOC Medium-Term Strategy and Action Plan and reviewed by the Assembly at its eighteenth session. A logical continuation of this effort seems to be to prepare a synthesis of results of IOC efforts over some suitable period of time. This could be coupled with an effort to prepare an overview, or synthesis statement from IOC on where we stand as far as scientific understanding of the ocean and the ability to use it is concerned. What do we understand sufficiently to be able to

29 C/REP.5 - page 3 make useful forecasting? Where are the gaps? What are the priorities in research, observations, capacity-building? How do these efforts help solve society s major problems? It seems that IOC should make an effort in this direction, and also relate itself to management questions. This is a logical sequence to recent developments within IOC. The twenty-ninth session of the Executive Council reviewed this proposal and agreed that it should be brought to the Assembly. 15. The implementation of resolutions adopted by the IOC Assembly (1995) and Executive Council (1996) has been pursued to the extent possible within the available resources (see IOC Annual Reports for 1995 and 1996). The resources are almost equally provided by the UNESCO regular programme, contributions to the IOC Special Account (Trust Fund) from Member States, co-operating organizations and donors, and some contributions to UNESCO- FIT. 16. Programme implementation, including extensive co-operation with other bodies inside and outside the United Nations system, is proceeding at a rate the resources permit. The resource situation in the IOC Secretariat is of great concern. The increasing demands make it very difficult to meet all the needs, despite the efforts of UNESCO to maintain strong support of IOC. Decentralization is increasing, but will not solve the resource problem. As part of its TEMA programme, during the biennium, the IOC Secretariat implemented about 50 training courses or workshops. In addition, about 60 meetings were organized at a global or regional level, and IOC participated in about 30 other meetings. In some areas development occurs relatively rapidly and programme adjustments are required. IOC needs to respond to demands in the contest of rapidly changing conditions. 17. Many Member States provided support to the Secretariat through secondment of staff (Australia, France, Korea, Russian Federation, United States), associate experts (Denmark, Italy, Japan), and financial provisions to the Special Account/Trust Fund. Member States also increasingly refer to IOC in statements at other policy-oriented and governing body meetings. This is most important in order to raise the acknowledgement of IOC and make Member States realize that the IOC mechanism can be used. CSD and the United Nations General Assembly are particularly important and the efforts of Portugal to support and refer to IOC in the CSD context should be specifically mentioned. Reference to IOC at the Contracting Parties to the Conventions meetings is also most important, and it is encouraging to note that some references do occur. However, there is a need for more and for persistence. Programme implementation 18. For details of programme implementation, results and experience, reference is made to the IOC Annual Reports for 1995 and 1996. In view of space limitations only a few aspects are highlighted here. 19. IOC has contributed to the follow-up to UNCED through participation in the work of the Framework Convention on Climate Change, Convention on Biological Diversity and implementation of Agenda 21, Chapter 17. Contributions of IOC include: presentation of all existing sea-level observations on a CD-ROM to the Contracting Parties of the Framework Convention; presentation of species inventory base (marine) to the Convention on Biological Diversity; update on the role of the ocean for the atmospheric CO 2 content; efforts for the development of GOOS, initiation of regional components of GOOS and maintenance of existing ocean observing systems; participation in several joint programmes, in particular, integrated coastal area management, marine pollution research and monitoring, research on oceans and climate; support to the work of GESAMP; participation in the formulation of the

29 C/REP.5 - page 4 Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-Based Activities and in the initiation of the related assessment work; completion of the International Mussel Watch programme s first phase for the Wider Caribbean and South America and of the Atlantic Open Ocean Baseline Study; support to and participation in the work of the ACC Sub-Committee on Oceans and Coastal Areas, through which efforts are co-ordinated and inter-agency co-operation reviewed, and for which IOC provides the Secretariat. The ACC Sub-Committee prepared reports on oceans to CSD. 20. IOC is also a partner in several IGBP core projects, e.g. JGOFS, LOICZ and GLOBEC, and related agreements on co-operation have been established. 21. IOC participates actively in the work of UNCLOS, including in response to its particular responsibilities identified by the Convention, attendance at relevant meetings and preparation of scientific inputs. Co-operation is being initiated with the International Sea-Bed Authority, as well as liaison with the Tribunal. Through ICSPRO and the ACC Sub- Committee, close interaction is ensured with UN-DOALOS. Co-operation is also close with IHO. The Ocean Mapping and OSNLR programmes are important contributors in this context. 22. In all these subject and activity areas IOC actively contributes towards capacitybuilding. This is focused on the regional programme perspective, partnerships and networking. Mechanisms used are training courses and workshops; conferences, such as the Coastal Change Conference in Bordeaux 1995; publications, e.g. manuals, methods, scientific overviews, such as the COASTS volumes in the Sea Series, two volumes on ICAM, one on harmful algal blooms; study and travel grants for participation in meetings and extended visits to partnership institutes; provision of equipment and expendables, maintenance; research grants (in particular, for the Western Indian Ocean region in co-operation with Sweden through SIDA (SAREC) and WIOMSA; support to participation in cruises, including the Floating University programme. 23. A Centre for Harmful Algal Bloom studies has been established in May 1995 at the University of Copenhagen, with support from DANIDA, the University and the Danish Marine Research and Fisheries Institute. A similar centre for Spanish-speaking countries was established in 1996 at the Spanish Institute for Oceanology in Vigo, Spain. An agreement has been reached with the University of Las Palmas to organize a joint training and education programme, in particular for West African countries. 24. Support to the development of GOOS is a major effort of IOC, in relative and absolute terms. The effects of these efforts are, however, so far very limited. This is partly due to the very small resources available to IOC, and partly to the weak status of IOC in relation to other, larger organizations. The governments, in most cases, do not yet have IOC in mind as an organization that can deliver. It is in this context that the efforts of some Member States to stress the importance of IOC in various intergovernmental meetings are very important. 25. On the basis of contributions mainly from the United States, IOC has re-initiated the establishment of a Global Coral Reef Monitoring network, in co-operation with UNEP and IUCN. A co-ordinator with office bases at AIMS in Australia and at ICLARM in Manila is working full time, and further support is coming from the United States and United Kingdom (ODA).

29 C/REP.5 - page 5 26. Progress has also been made in the specification of GOOS modules on climate and health of the ocean. The latter has drawn considerably on GIPME. The existing ocean observing systems, e.g. IGOSS, GLOSS, DBCP, should be seen as constituting the first phase of GOOS. The development builds on these and the recent research results from TOGA, WOCE and JGOFS. 27. The Ocean Services programmes of IOC also contribute to GOOS development. A functioning data exchange system as IODE is a necessity for GOOS, as are strong linkages to the satellite observing systems. Hence, the importance of the IOC interaction with CEOS. The interfacing with the user communities can also be obtained through the existing systems. So far, liaison and dialogue with the users were not addressed in GOOS establishment, and this must be done in order to succeed. 28. The well-developed IOC programme on marine information management can serve a useful purpose in this context. As well functioning IOC Homepage has been established on the Internet. 29. The International Tsunami Warning System (ITSU) for the Pacific is one operating system for natural hazards warning, and IOC has endeavoured to inform about this at a global level, through our relation to IDNDR. 30. The IOC regional subsidiary bodies have been further consolidated. Donor support for programme implementation is provided to IOCINCWIO (most prominent), IOCARIBE and WESTPAC. The support of Sweden through SIDA(SAREC) is particularly acknowledged. The IOC-WESTPAC Secretariat hosted by the National Research Council of Thailand in Bangkok has benefited the development of the Sub-Commission greatly. This clearly shows the significance of a secretariat support base in the region. The IOCARIBE Secretariat hosted by Colombia in Cartagena is likewise a necessary base for the IOCARIBE Sub-Commission. 31. During the biennium the IOC Black Sea Regional Committee was established by the Assembly (1995) and held its first session in 1996, hosted by Bulgaria, where it agreed upon its initial regional co-operative programme. The Sub-Commissions (IOCARIBE and WESTPAC), IOCEA, IOCINDIO and IOCSOC have also held their intergovernmental meetings during the biennium, hosted by Barbados, Japan, Spain (Gran Canaria, Las Palmas), India and Germany, respectively. 32. Furthermore, subregional meetings in close association with IOC have been held in the South West Atlantic through ASOS (Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay), and in the South East Pacific through CPPS. Activities are also pursued in other regions, where IOC does not have a regional body, e.g. the Mediterranean, the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea. 33. Close co-operation with other organizations is being maintained in all the regions. In particular, our co-operation with UNEP has seen a recent increase. Outlook 34. IOC endeavours to co-operate very closely with other organizations, e.g. through ICSPRO, GESAMP and the ACC Sub-Committee on Oceans and Coastal Areas.

29 C/REP.5 - page 6 35. Joint programmes are used as pooling mechanisms, e.g. WCRP, GIPME, GOOS. This nevertheless puts considerable demands on the Secretariat to deliver both financial and human resources. The follow-up to UNCED and UNCLOS requires attendance at many meetings and much reporting, in order for IOC to be regarded as a contributor. We are also required to cooperate outside the United Nations system, with ICSU-SCOR in particular, but also with other bodies, e.g. IUCN and the Independent World Commission on the Oceans. Contributions are often required as regards financial and intellectual inputs. Preparations for the 1998 International Year of the Ocean are ongoing through the biennium and require increasing attention. 36. Regional programmes are emerging as the major substantial actions of IOC to support the development of marine research and observations and contribute towards capacitybuilding. The regional subsidiary bodies are the back bones in these efforts. The programmes are regionally driven, drawing on global IOC programmes, support and donor contributions. Decentralization should occur through these mechanisms: the WESTPAC case shows it. 37. In order for IOC to be able to consolidate and deliver adequately, resources must be strengthened for the Secretariat, as well as at national levels. We are now at a critical point, with a great opportunity through the 1998 International Year of the Ocean. It is expected that governments and Member States will then make adequate and holding commitments for the oceans, including IOC.

29 C/REP.5 - page 7 LIST OF ACRONYMS ACC Administrative Committee on Co-ordination AIMS Australian Institute of Marine Science CEOS Committee on Earth Observation Satellites COASTS Programme on Coastal Ocean Advanced Science and Technology Study CSD Commission for Sustainable Development CPPS Permanent Commission for the South Pacific DANIDA Danish Agency for International Development DBCP Data Buoy Co-operation Panel DOSS Ad hoc Study Group on IOC Development, Operations, Structure and Statutes GCOS Global Climate Observing System GESAMP IMO-FAO-UNESCO-WMO-WHO-IAEA-UN-UNEP Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection GIPME Global Investigation of Pollution in the Marine Environment GLOBEC Global Ocean Ecosystem Dynamics GLOSS Global Sea Level Observing System GOOS Global Ocean Observing System ICAM Integrated Coastal Area Management ICLARM International Centre for Living Aquatic Resources Management ICSPRO Intersecretariat Committee on Scientific Programmes Related to Oceanography ICSU International Council of Scientific Unions IDNDR International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (1990-1999) IGBP International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme - A Study of Global Change IGCP International Geological Correlation Programme IHO International Hydrographic Organization IGOSS Integrated Global Ocean Services System IOCARIBE IOC Sub-Commission for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions IOCEA IOC Regional Committee for the Central Eastern Atlantic IOCINCWIO IOC Regional Committee for the Co-operative Investigation in the North and Central Western Indian Ocean IOCINDIO IOC Regional Committee for the Central Indian Ocean IOC Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission IOC/MRI Office of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission and Marine Science Related Issues IOCSOC IOC Regional Committee for the Southern Ocean IODE International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange ITSU International Tsunami Warning System IUCN World Conservation Union JGOFS Joint Global Ocean Flux Study LOICZ Land-Ocean Interaction in the Coastal Zone MAB Programme on Man and the Biosphere MOST Management of Social Transformation MRI See: Marine Science Related Issues ODA Overseas Development Administration (UK) OSNLR Ocean Science in Relation to Non-Living Resources SAREC Swedish Agency for Research Co-operation with Developing Countries SCOR Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research

29 C/REP.5 - page 8 SCOPE Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment SIDA Swedish International Development Authority TOGA Tropical Ocean and Global Atmosphere (Experiment) UNCED United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Rio de Janeiro, 1992) UNCLOS United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Montego Bay, 1982) UN-DOALOS United Nations - Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNEP United Nations Environment Programme UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO-FIT FIT - Funds-in-Trust WCRP World Climate Research Programme WESTPAC IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific WIOMSA Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association WOCE World Ocean Circulation Experiment

29 C/REP.5 Add. I Resolution 20 PROGRAMME AND BUDGET 1998-1999 The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, Having considered the proposal on the Draft Programme and Budget 1998-1999 as contained in document IOC-XIX/2 Annex 4, Recalling the advice provided by IOC ad hoc study groups and ensuing decisions of IOC governing bodies, notably through IOC resolution XVII-20, in regard to the formulation of the programme and budget as well as in regard to the evolution of IOC within UNESCO and its role within UNESCO as an intergovernmental body with functional autonomy, Expressing its appreciation to UNESCO which, through decision made at the twenty-eighth session of the General Conference, decided that the funding provided by UNESCO to IOC in support of its programme, as well as the associated staff funding, would be considered as an incompressible budget, Being of the view that this has led to greater dependability in regard to IOC funding and greatly facilitates the basic functioning of the Commission, Noting that substantial supplementary support has been mobilized by Member States, notably through contributions to the IOC Trust Fund, Reiterating the need to obtain longer term and more advance commitments from Member States that intend to support the work of IOC through both in-kind and direct support in order to provide a more reliable forecast of anticipated income and its impact on programme implementation, Recognizing the leading role of UNESCO and its IOC in relation to the 1998 International Year of the Ocean and the potential offered by this event to increase public awareness and stimulate governmental recognition of the importance of the ocean to the planetary ecosystem, Approves, as a basis for future planning, the IOC Draft Programme and Budget 1998-1999 of $12,650,000, made up of: $6,469,000 from the UNESCO regular programme, of which $3,110,000 for programme implementation and UNESCO staff costs of $3,359,000 for 22 staff positions; and an estimated $6,181,000 in extrabudgetary funding, of which $3,400,000 for programme implementation and $2,781,000 for seconded staff (direct or inkind); in addition the Assembly requests an increase of three additional Professional posts from UNESCO; Authorizes the IOC Executive Council at its thirty-first session to approve any adjustments to the Programme and Budget that may be required in the light of resources and expenditures;

29 C/REP.5 Add. - page 2 A In regard to UNESCO Having taken note of the IOC entry contained in paragraphs 02056-02062 of the Draft Programme and Budget for 1998-1999 (29 C/5 Draft), Having been informed that the Members of the UNESCO Executive Board at its 152nd session will finalize their recommendations on draft document 29 C/5 under cover of document 29 C/6, by which the UNESCO Draft Programme and Budget for 1998-1999 will be transmitted to the twenty-ninth session of the UNESCO General Conference, Expresses its appreciation to the Director-General for the continued initiatives taken to clarify the role of IOC within UNESCO and to create favourable conditions within which IOC can respond properly to its mandate; Recognizes, with appreciation, the essential support provided by UNESCO to the work of IOC and that this has been greatly enhanced by the principle of an incompressible budget as decided upon by the twenty-eighth session of the General Conference; Calls attention, however, to the increasing gap between the responsibilities being assumed by IOC and the number of Professional staff posts provided by UNESCO; Considers that the basic functioning of IOC needs to be ensured by a minimum of 25 UNESCO staff posts, 1 rather than the 22 presently forecast in draft document 29 C/5; Invites the Director-General to transmit to the 152nd session of the Executive Board of UNESCO and the twenty-ninth session of the General Conference the views of IOC as reflected in this resolution and its attachment; Further invites the Director-General to give full consideration and maximum approval to requests related to ocean and coastal area concerns that are submitted under the Participation Programme of UNESCO; B In regard to IOC Member States Recognizing that the resources made available to the Commission through voluntary contributions of Member States to the IOC Trust Fund, secondment of staff and in-kind support are an essential element for effective implementation of IOC programmes, Noting that more realistic planning and implementation of activities, together with evaluation and reporting aspects, are dependent upon firm and longer term commitments that identify the source, amount and time-period envisaged by Member States within their national policy regarding their support to IOC, 1. ADG/Executive Secretary, Deputy Executive Secretary, two posts for each of the four IOC major programme objectives, one post for programme management, one for the IOCARIBE Regional Subcommission and 13 General Service posts ($651,000 for three additional Professional posts).

29 C/REP.5 Add. - page 3 Emphasizing the vital role played by IOC national contacts in developing concerted action within Member States in regard to ocean and coastal areas within the United Nations system and especially through UNESCO as IOC s parent body, Recalling the opportunities offered by the Participation Programme of UNESCO to support national and regional activities and to provide assistance to Member States, Encourages Member States to present proposals under the Participation Programme of UNESCO in subject areas of relevance to the IOC programmes; Invites Member States to provide a listing of their contributions to IOC, both financial and inkind, on a regular basis as recommended by the nineteenth session of the IOC Executive Council (IOC/EC-XIX/3, paras. 166-172); Urges Member States to continue and increase their support to IOC and, whenever possible in doing so, to make longer term and firm commitments; Calls upon Member States to take energetic action through appropriate national channels so as to ensure that the Commission s views are taken into account during debate at the UNESCO Executive Board and General Conference. II Annex to Resolution IOC-XIX-20 Proposed General Conference resolution THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL OCEANOGRAPHIC COMMISSION The General Conference, Recalling that, by amendment of the Statutes of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) in 1987, the twenty-fourth session of the General Conference confirmed that IOC is established as a body with functional autonomy within UNESCO, Having taken note of the report on the activities of IOC during the biennium 1995-1996 and matters brought to its attention by the nineteenth session of the IOC Assembly, 1. Requests IOC, in accordance with its Statutes, to pursue the programme of work for 1998-1999, as approved by the IOC Assembly at its nineteenth session, and in particular: (a) Objective 1 Assess and reduce scientific uncertainties on oceans and coastal areas; (b) Objective 2 Strengthen ocean services and GOOS implementation; (c) Objective 3 Capacity-building in developing countries for marine science and observations; (d) Objective 4 Stimulate regional and international co-operation and commitments; 2. Authorizes the Director-General to support the IOC by an incompressible financial provision in the amount of $6,469,000 under the regular programme, Major Programme

29 C/REP.5 Add. - page 4 II, of which $3,110,000 would be attributed to programme implementation and $3,359,000 to staff costs; 3. Further authorizes the Director-General to strengthen support to IOC by placing at its disposition three additional UNESCO Professional posts, the costs of which are $651,000; 4. Expresses its appreciation to the Member States and organizations that have supported the IOC programmes through voluntary and in-kind contributions, including staff, and invites them to continue their support for the 1998-1999 biennium; 5. Further requests IOC, in accordance with Article 2(i) of its Statutes, to make recommendations and provide technical guidance to other UNESCO sectors on the interdisciplinary aspects on oceans and coastal areas of relevance to UNCED follow-up, including implementation of the 1998 International Year of the Ocean and the formulation and execution of the marine science aspects of the project on environment and development of coastal regions and small islands.