A partnership renewal has been announced between the Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) and the Atlantic International Research Centre (AIR Centre), for the continuation of a Secretariat to coordinate the global MBON.
The MBON and the AIR Centre share a common vision of the building and coordination of a global ocean biodiversity observation system. Both entities recognize the importance of interoperable and open-access information on biodiversity variables, to highlight trends in biological diversity and ecosystem functioning, with direct impacts on the well-being and development of today’s society. Understanding the evolution and functions of biodiversity and ecosystem services is now of crucial importance, not only for scientific reasons but also to meet the demand from policymakers, managers, and stakeholders for scientific-based tools.
The renewal agreement between the MBON and the AIR Centre recognizes ongoing cooperation to reinforce ocean biodiversity observing capacity to make use of the best available resources and expertise. The organizations focus on building global capacity for data collection, management, and open publication by sharing best practices and strengthening the exchange of ideas and integration with global marine observing and data initiatives. These include the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC-UNESCO, including the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS), the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), the Ocean Best Practices System (OBPS), and the Ocean Teacher Global Academy (OTGA)), the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) and the GEO-Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON), regional initiatives like the Asia-Pacific BON/MBON and the Americas MBON including the MBON Americas Pole-to-Pole effort, national programs, and individual academic, private sector, and government agencies and programs.
The MBON is the key biodiversity pillar of the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON) for the marine realm. As a community of practice, the MBON facilitates the coordination of individual monitoring programs and existing networks focused on local, regional, and thematic aspects of marine biology and biodiversity, to improve standards and best practices in the collection, management, and publication of marine biodiversity data and the status and trends of ecosystems and their services. The MBON Secretariat coordinates and focuses the MBON community of practice on solving problems of society.
Considering the importance of studying Atlantic biodiversity, as well as of joining efforts, at a global level, to provide current, accurate, and comprehensive data, information, and knowledge about biodiversity, the AIR Centre and its Earth Observation Laboratory (EO Lab) located in Terceira Island, Azores, is committed to continue providing technical and logistical support to the MBON Secretariat with the allocation of dedicated staff.
Through mutual support the AIR Centre and the MBON aim to consolidate strategic scientific and technological areas for the Atlantic; enhance the benefits of research in partnership, strengthening the relationship between research, technology, and innovation; promote the development of transregional and transnational cooperation projects in technological research and development; stimulate the development of partnerships that promote research and innovation; and provide coordination and leadership to the international, global GEO BON MBON community.
“It was with great pleasure that I saw the commitment to foster an ongoing collaboration dialogue to support the international science and operations community by standing up the MBON”, says Joana Soares, Executive Secretary of MBON and Project Officer of the AIR Centre. “We need such networks to bring different people together to work on difficult questions like where marine life exists and how and why it is changing. The knowledge will help to make a sustainable use of the ocean for the benefit of our own and future generations”.
The Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) is a thematic node of the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON). It facilitates networking amongst the marine biodiversity community to improve standards and best practices in the collection, management, and open publication of marine biodiversity data. The MBON coordinates the community of practice for the Marine Life 2030 Programme endorsed by the Ocean Decade. Marine Life 2030 helps to network different partners to achieve the goals of the UN Ocean Decade, especially those relevant to marine life and life in general.
The AIR Centre is an internationally networked organization, oriented to foster job creation and knowledge-driven sustainable economic development in Atlantic regions. It addresses and integrates space, climate, earth, ocean, energy, and data sciences and promotes cooperation in alignment with national/regional priorities and global challenges. It builds on and expands the abilities of individual organizations, and it advances selected scientific and technological domains and their constellations of actors towards shared targets.
For more information about the MBON, please visit our website, marinebon.org, follow us on Twitter @MarineBON1 or contact joana.soares@gmail.com. For more information about Marine Life 2030, please visit our website, marinelife2030.org, follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram, or contact marinelife2030@gmail.com.
For more information about the AIR Centre, please visit our website, https://www.aircentre.org/, follow us on Twitter @AIRCentre_org, LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/air-centre/, YouTube @AIRCentre or contact info@aircentre.org.