Summary:

The IOC Executive Council, composed of 40 elected IOC Member States, met at UNESCO Headquarters during 3.5 days from 1 to 4 July 2014 the occasion of its 47th session. The Council considered 24 items on its agenda and approved 18 decisions and 2 resolutions. The plenary meeting was supported by some 13 preparatory and sessional group meetings and 8 information side meetings. See full report. Here are some highlights of the session:

Fifty years after IOC involvement as coordinator of the greatest international, interdisciplinary oceanographic research efforts to explore Indian Ocean, the 47th session of the Council has marked a new commitment of the Commission in the 2nd International Indian Ocean Expedition (IIOE-2) for the period 2015-2020 in collaboration with the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR) and Indian Ocean Global Ocean Observing System (IOGOOS). IOC supports the establishment of the Interim Planning Committee by the nomination of 10 IOC Member States experts out of 15. IOC Member States are called to develop national plans, nominate national focal points and to support this endeavour through funding planning activities and hosting the secretariat.

The principle of producing a Global Ocean Science Report was approved with an initial outline and timeline. The publication will provide an overview on nations’ investments, resources, and scientific productivity in Ocean Science. The final draft is expected in June 2016. It will provide a tool for mapping and evaluating the human and institutional capacity of Member States in terms of marine research, observations and data/information management, as well as a global overview of the main fields of research interest, technological developments, capacity building needs and overall trends.

Recognizing the importance of capacity development as one of the cornerstones of IOC activities, IOC Member States are working intersessionally to complete a Capacity Development Strategic Plan for 2015-2021 and elements of a related work plan. The work is done in consultation with IOC regional and technical subsidiary bodies, major programmes and partner organizations.

In an extensive reflection on the future of the Commission, IOC Member States are engaged intersessionally to formulate a common message about the social benefits of IOC mission, programmes and activities and an adequate strategy of communicating it to UNESCO and other organizations. Mindful that increased funding also depends on the perception of the Commission by the scientific community and stakeholders, Member States strive to reveal the potential of IOC as a joint specialized mechanism in the UN System while being a body established with functional autonomy within UNESCO. Refection is engaged on the flexibility and adaptability of IOC governance and new or expanded roles IOC regional sub-commissions and other subsidiary bodies should play to strengthen clear IOC science missions.

With a reduced budget of US $8,643,600 under the UNESCO US $507 M expenditure plan for 2014–2015, the Council has endorsed the Programme for 2014–2017 and Workplans for 2014–2015 contained in document IOC/EC-XLVII/2 Annex 3 rev. that ensures programme continuity at essential level consistent with the priorities of its Medium-Term Strategy for 2014–2021. The Commission has adopted guiding principles for prioritizing activities and it develops an important Complementary Additional Programme (CAP) of projects to be funded on extrabudgetary resources. An Intersessional Financial Advisory Group is working to provide guidance in preparing the Programme & Budget for 2016-2017.

See IOC membership (147 Member States in September 2014).

The draft summary report was adopted in three parts. Pending availability of the full report in the language, all decisions and resolutions having been approved during the session are considered final, though undedited, in all language versions in the files below: .

• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3

Lecture and side events: The IOC Roger Revelle Memorial Lecture took place on the afternoon of 1 July. Side events are listed here.

Photos of the Executive Council Session and side events here.

Final Report   Summary Report of the 47th Session of the IOC Executive Council, Paris, UNESCO, 1-4 July 2014

Agenda   The agenda for this event is accessible by following the links below: [View detailed online agenda] [View basic printable agenda] [View annotated printable agenda] Documents   There are 76 documents associated with this event. [View documents]