- UN Atlas of the Oceans - The Atlas is an information system designed for use by policy makers who need to become familiar with ocean issues and by scientists, students and resource managers who need access to underlying data bases and approaches to sustainability. (Lead: FAO)
- Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment (GPA) - The major threats to the health, productivity and biodiversity of the marine environment result from human activities on land - in coastal areas and further inland. Some 80% of the pollution load in the oceans originates from land-based activities. The GPA is designed to be a source of conceptual and practical guidance to be drawn upon by national and/or regional authorities for devising and implementing sustained action to prevent, reduce, control and/or eliminate marine degradation from land-based activities.
- The "Assessment of Assessments" (AoA) is being undertaken under the co-leadership of UNEP and UNESCO/IOC as part of the Start-up Phase of the Regular process for global reporting and assessment of the state of the marine environment, including socio-economic aspects (in accordance with paragraph 64 (a) of UNGA resolution 58/240). It was requested for by governments in order to serve as one of the main foundations for the development of a regular process for the global reporting and assessment of the state of the marine environment, including socio-economic aspects. It builds on the work done by other international forums and, either directly or indirectly through those forums, by national authorities concerned with the marine environment.
- The International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) is a partnership among governments, international organizations, and non-government organizations. It strives to preserve coral reefs and related ecosystems by implementing Chapter 17 of Agenda 21, and other relevant international conventions and agreements.
- Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) - GOOS is a permanent global system for observations, modelling and analysis of marine and ocean variables to support operational ocean services worldwide. GOOS is working with national agencies and regional networks to provide accurate descriptions of the present state of the oceans, including living resources, continuous forecasts of the future conditions of the sea for as far ahead as possible, and the basis for forecasts of climate change. (Lead: UNESCO / IOC)
- Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) - GCOS is intended to be a long-term, user-driven operational system capable of providing the comprehensive observations required for monitoring the climate system, for detecting and attributing climate change, for assessing the impacts of climate variability and change, and for supporting research toward improved understanding, modelling and prediction of the climate system. It addresses the total climate system including physical, chemical and biological properties, and atmospheric, oceanic, hydrologic, cryospheric and terrestrial processes. (Lead: WMO)
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