A Forum for Ocean Affairs
The World Ocean Observatory is a place of exchange for ocean information, education and public discourse about the future of the ocean and its implication for human survival. Incorporating THE CULTURAL OCEAN, a survey of maritime arts, cultural manifestations and research tools; THE PHYSICAL OCEAN, the UN Atlas of the Oceans, UNESCO Ocean Portal, NOAA, NASA, Census of Marine Life, climate, and other useful sites; THE WORLD OCEAN DIRECTORY, an indexed network of more than 18,500 organizations worldwide with ocean interests; THE WORLD OCEAN FORUM, a digest of breaking news, monthly letter, publications, exhibits, and media; FORUM EVENTS include dynamic, media-rich sites on critical ocean topics such as Ocean Acidification and Cities and Oceans; and THE WORLD OCEAN CLASSROOM, an inventory of curricula, portraits of ocean exemplars and schools, and listings of on-line educational resources for global distribution.

Of particular interest might be the webpages related to IPY.

There are a number of w2o / IPY joint projects

Many physical and biological systems on the Earth appear to be experiencing substantial recent changes, beyond the expected range of natural variability. These changes show most clearly, and appear to happen most quickly, at the poles. Between 2007 and 2009, thousands of physical, biological and social scientists from more than 60 nations will study the polar regions as part of a large internationally-coordinated research effort known as the International Polar Year (IPY). The World Ocean Observatory is working in partnership with IPY on several projects during this time. These will be available on this site as they occur over the next two years.

Interviews and biographies of leading polar research scientists can be heard and read on the w2o / IPY website.

The Physical Ocean
The ocean comprises 71% of the earth's surface and is an integral part of every aspect of human life. Throughout history, the ocean has connected our world through exploration and scientific inquiry, immigration and acculturation, trade, and the exploitation of maritime resources. The ocean is essential to human well-being through production of fresh water, food, energy, and medicine. Without a healthy ocean, our survival is at risk. To understand the ocean and thereafter to act on its behalf requires comprehensive, responsible information. As an integrated, global social system, ocean knowledge is complex and synergistic. The sites recommended here can provide the best organized, most comprehensive resources for answers to your ocean questions.

The Cultural Ocean
The World Ocean Observatory is predicated on the definition of the ocean as “an integrated, global, social system, hence its goal is to demonstrate how ocean issues transcend investigations of species and habitat and how political synergy and social sustainability result from successful expression of human behavior on land and sea.


The Ocean Forum
The ocean comprises 71% of the earth's surface and is an integral part of every aspect of human life. Throughout history, the ocean has connected our world through exploration and scientific inquiry, immigration and acculturation, trade, and the exploitation of maritime resources. The ocean is essential to human well-being through production of fresh water, food, energy, and medicine. Without a healthy ocean, our survival is at risk. To understand the ocean and thereafter to act on its behalf requires comprehensive, responsible information. As an integrated, global social system, ocean knowledge is complex and synergistic. The sites recommended here can provide the best organized, most comprehensive resources for answers to your ocean questions.

The World Ocean Directory
An online searchable worldwide ocean directory.

The Ocean Classroom
Education is the primary tool for building public awareness and the inter-generational transfer of knowledge. The Ocean Classroom provides essential information about on-line resources, a catalogue of curriculum, profiles of ocean exemplars and provocative organizations,ocean schools, and visualization theatre, a unique series of audio-visual demonstrations of the inter-relationship of natural systems and human activities. The Ocean Classroom is organized by themes: Fresh Water and Sanitation, Marine Biology, Ocean Energy, Fisheries and Food, Commerce, Coastal Issues,The Law of the Sea, and Cultural History and Traditions.