IOC established
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IOC in a nutshell
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14 world leaders commit to 100% sustainable ocean management
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Member States Portal
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Protecting and managing biodiversity in the high seas: What role for IOC?
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Call for Decade Actions
Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO
(IOC-UNESCO)
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC) is the United Nations body responsible for supporting global ocean science and services. The IOC enables its 150 Member States to work together to protect the health of our shared ocean by coordinating programmes in areas such as ocean observations, tsunami warnings and marine spatial planning. Since it was established in 1960, the IOC has provided a focus for all other United Nations bodies that are working to understand and improve the management of our oceans, coasts and marine ecosystems. Today, the IOC is supporting all its Member States to build their scientific and institutional capacity in order to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14 to conserve and sustainably manage ocean and marine resources by 2030.
Our Work
For 60 years the IOC has worked behind the scenes to enable its Member States to work together to strengthen our scientific understanding of the ocean for the benefit of humanity. However, in recent years, there has been a growing need to highlight the unique intergovernmental value that it provides for Member States, the IOC community, the ocean environment and wider society.
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1960
150
IOC Member States
$3 Trillion
The projected value of ocean economy by 2030
5%
The area of the seabed that has been mapped at high resolution
Latest News
The United Nations has proclaimed a Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) to support efforts to reverse the cycle of decline in ocean health and gather ocean stakeholders worldwide behind a common framework that will ensure ocean science can fully support countries in creating improved conditions for sustainable development of the Ocean.