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INTERGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION GROUP FOR THE TSUNAMI EARLY WARNING AND MITIGATION SYSTEM IN THE NORTH-EASTERN ATLANTIC, THE MEDITERRANEAN AND CONNECTED SEAS
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission,
Following the guidance of the World Conference on Disaster Reduction held in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan, 18-22 January 2005, and of the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 adopted by that World Conference,
Considering the 26 December 2004 event in the Indian Ocean that showed the devastating power of the tsunami and that its disastrous consequences could have been reduced if a tsunami early warning system had been in place,
Being aware that tsunamis pose threats in all ocean basins of the world, and that the protection of the coastal populations and mitigation of tsunami effects is a high-priority,
Recognizing that the north-eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean and connected seas are regions with identified potential for catastrophic tsunamis and with a long known history of tsunami events,
Noting that:
(i) no effective regional tsunami early warning system is in place in the north-eastern Atlantic, in the Mediterranean and connected sea, and that the effects of a large tsunami in the area would be more disastrous than in the case of historical events, given the huge increase in coastal development and use in modern times,
(ii) these areas include countries with different levels of resources and development and that assistance to disaster-prone developing countries to set up national strategies and plans of actions and programmes for disaster risk reduction is one of the identified priorities of the Hyogo Framework,
(iii) a project for building up a European monitoring and alert system on tsunamis covering the European waters in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and connected seas is under consideration by the European Commission,
Decides :
(i) to establish an Intergovernmental Coordination Group for a Tsunami Early Warning System in the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean and Connected Sea (ICG/NEAMTWS) with the Terms of Reference annexed to this Resolution, and that such a Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System be developed within the global framework of IOC;
(ii) that the IOC shall provide the Secretariat of the ICG/NEAMTWS;
Invites Member States and other international and regional organizations to provide voluntary contributions to the IOC Trust Fund in order to assist the IOC in the effective provision of secretariat services for the ICG/NEAMTWS;
Instructs the IOC Executive Secretary to initiate consultations with the European Commission on cooperation and mobilization of support for the establishment of the ICG/NEAMTWS;
Welcomes and accepts the offer of Italy to host the first meeting of the ICG/NEAMTWS in Rome before the end of 2005.
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Identified funding: US$ 30,000 from extra-budgetary resources to be identified.
Annex to Resolution XXIII-14
Terms of Reference for the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Tsunami Early Warning and Mitigation System in the North-eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean and Connected Seas
The ICG will be established as an intergovernmental subsidiary body of the IOC and will report to, and seek guidance from, the IOC Assembly.
Objectives:
1. To coordinate the activities of the ICG/NEAMTWS;
2. To organize and facilitate, as appropriate, the exchange of seismic, geodetic, sea-level and other data in or near real-time and information required for interoperability of the ICG/NEAMTWS;
3. To promote the sharing of experience and expertise related to tsunami warning and mitigation for the north-eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean and connected seas;
4. To promote tsunami research;
5. To promote the establishment and further development of national tsunami warning and mitigation capacities in accordance with standard protocols and methods;
6. To develop, adopt and monitor implementation of work plans of the ICG/NEAMTWS, and to identify required resources;
7. To promote implementation of relevant capacity-building;
8. To liaise and coordinate with other tsunami warning systems;
9. To liaise with other relevant organizations, programmes and projects;
10. To promote the implementation of the ICG/NEAMTWS within a multi-hazard framework;
11. To develop a comprehensive programme of capacity-building on tsunami protection for the north-eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean and connected seas, including the Black Sea;
12. To keep under constant scrutiny the status of the system and how it satisfies the needs.
The Secretariat for the ICG/NEAMTWS shall :
1. Support meetings of the Intergovernmental Coordination Group;
2. Facilitate the liaison among the various national contact points and national tsunami warning centres;
3. Maintain a current list of operational national contact points and facilities and make it available on request to all Member States;
4. Organize the liaison of the ICG/NEAMTWS with the PTWC and with other tsunami warning centres to facilitate best practices in tsunami warning;
5. Initiate and support, in consultation with ITIC, training activities and enhance and enrich warning in the north-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean and connected seas.
Membership :
- Member States of the IOC bordering the north-eastern Atlantic and those bordering and within the Mediterranean Sea and connected seas.
- Observers from other IOC Member States.
- Invited observers from other organizations (including NGO’s), programmes and projects in accordance with the IOC rules and procedures.
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