Image shows coverage in the 2023 GEBCO grid, with a focus on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Black areas of the ocean indicate unmapped ocean and blues-purples indicate water depth revealed by measured bathymetric data. (Image credit: Vicki Ferrini and Hayley Drennon)
The Seabed 2030 project has now mapped almost 25% of the ocean floor, helping better protect the marine environment and its resources
A quarter of the earth’s ocean floor has now been mapped, helping policy makers better understand environmental change and how to manage it.
A substantial addition of 5.4 million square kilometers of new data, equivalent to an area twice the size of Argentina, has been integrated into the definitive map of the world’s ocean floor. This expansion brings the total mapped portion of the seabed to 24.9 percent.
HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco disclosed this latest figure during the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) Assembly while in session in Monaco. The Assembly convenes tri-annually, gathering representatives from its 98 Member States and Observers to discuss technical standards advancements, oceanic cartography, and the establishment of resolutions guiding their endeavors.
The comprehensive global undertaking to map the entirety of the world’s ocean floor before the decade’s end is spearheaded by Seabed 2030. This collaborative initiative is steered by The Nippon Foundation and the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO), a cooperative venture between the IHO and UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC).
As the sole organization mandated to map the complete ocean floor, GEBCO provides the most authoritative datasets for global marine cartography.
During the opening ceremony, Prince Albert II lauded the advancements in ocean mapping and acknowledged the pivotal role of GEBCO, which commemorates its 120th year this year. GEBCO’s inception in 1903 was initiated by his predecessor, Prince Albert I of Monaco.
Mapping the ocean floor is a pivotal stride towards informed decision-making in domains like resource management, environmental dynamics, and ocean preservation. This endeavor directly aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goal 14, aimed at conserving and sustainably utilizing the ocean. Seabed 2030 is formally recognized as an Action of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030 (The Ocean Decade).
Upon its launch in 2017, Seabed 2030 served as a catalyst for ocean floor mapping, when only six percent was accurately mapped in high resolution. Concurrently, in the same year, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the Ocean Decade, with a principal objective of crafting a comprehensive ocean map to facilitate sustainable marine environment and resource management.
Remarkably, over the course of six years, an impressive total of 90 million square kilometers of bathymetric data has been amassed, facilitated by global partnerships, data mobilization, and technological innovation. This has led to significant advancements in scientific research and the discovery of various phenomena. In recent times, a new seamount catalog was published, featuring over 19,000 previously unidentified undersea volcanoes. Such revelations advance studies in ecology, ocean dynamics, plate tectonics, and enhance our capacity to safeguard and responsibly manage our oceans.
Despite this considerable progress, a staggering three-quarters of the ocean realm remain unexplored. The endeavor to map the entire ocean floor faces challenges including the vast expanse and depth of the ocean, technological limitations, the substantial cost of mapping expeditions, and the need for capacity building.
Apart from ocean mapping endeavors, Seabed 2030, The Nippon Foundation, GEBCO, IHO, and IOC-UNESCO prioritize capacity building initiatives with the aim of empowering the next generation of hydrographers and ocean researchers.
To this end, programs like the Nippon Foundation-GEBCO training initiative and the IHO’s Empowering Women in Hydrography drive to foster a diverse and inclusive community of ocean mappers. These initiatives are pivotal components of broader efforts aligned with the UN’s development goals and the Ocean Decade’s objective of promoting ocean literacy through community and citizen engagement.
Recent strides in ocean mapping underscore the potential of collaboration, innovation, and dedication toward a shared objective – benefiting humanity. GEBCO’s 120th anniversary serves as a reminder of the substantial progress achieved over the past century and the challenges that still lie ahead.
While the goal is ambitious, it remains entirely attainable through mobilizing the global community’s active participation. Anyone with a connection to the ocean can play a significant role in contributing to the mapping of the entire ocean floor by the decade’s conclusion.
Source: www.ecomagazine.com
