936 



5fl 



cooperatively by the Joint Scientific Committee of the International 

 Council of Scientific unions (ICSU) and the World Meteorological 

 Organization (WMO) and by the Committee on Climatic Changes and the 

 Ocean (CCCO) of the IOC and the Scientific Committee on Oceanic 

 Research (SCOR) of ICSU. The activities of the CCCO are governed by an 

 agreement between ICSU and UNESCO and a memorandum of understanding 

 between IOC and SCOR. 



The International Oceanographic Data Exchange Program is the only 

 mechanism, for example, by which some oceanographic data are accessible 

 to the many agencies in the United States that need these data. Data 

 on subsurface ocean temperatures and salt content obtained by merchant 

 and research ships of many nations are collected and transmitted 

 through IGOSS. Many other IOC activities are also important to U.S. 

 interests, although not at the same level as those highlighted above. 



If the United States were to withdraw from IOC, it is conceivable 

 that, over the course of time, alternative arrangements could be made 

 for data exchange and planning for WCRP, IGOSS, and other programs. 

 But this development of new arrangements would be costly in time and 

 resources. The cooperation of many developing coastal states is 

 essential for the world coverage demanded by the global nature of 

 climate and ocean circulation. Without our continued membership in 

 IOC, such cooperation would be difficult to enlist. 



Division of Marine Sciences . The complementary activities of the 

 Division of Marine Sciences provide considerable investment of 

 resources through UNESCO regional offices for strengthening national 

 infrastructures and training of scientific and technical personnel for 

 enhancing marine science research programs and the study of ocean 

 resources. Other important activities of this division are directed 

 toward the rational management of marine systems and particularly 

 studies on the marine environment and the continental margin involving 

 close collaboration with ICSU and its associated bodies as well as 

 several specialized agencies of the UN system. The division also 

 disseminates research results and scientific information in the marine 

 sciences through documents, reports, and a newsletter. With respect to 

 coastal and island systems, the division supports a number of inter- 

 disciplinary research projects on the productivity of coastal regions 

 and studies pertaining to rational and integrated management of such 

 zones. 



Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Program . The major UNESCO support of MAE 

 activities falls in subprograms X.6-X.9. There are also important 

 contributions within subprogram X.5 pertaining to the management of 

 coastal and island regions as they fall within theme 5 of the MAB 

 program. This is particularly true of the activities related to 

 integrated management of islands and coastal zones. Considerable 

 attention is directed to the training of specialists. 



