A number of steps taken in recent years with 

 IOC participation can contribute to the development 

 of a long-term and expanded program. In I965 a 

 Draft General Scientific Framework for World Ocean 

 Study was prepared for the IOC by SCOR and ACMRR and 

 published.* In I967 a Joint Working Party of SCOR, 

 ACMRR J and WMO (AC) described some of the most impor- 

 tant oceanic research problems, and a number of 

 observations of the Joint Working Party are set forth 

 in UN document E/4487 of April 24, 1968. Already, 

 22 nations have submitted proposals to the IOC con- 

 cerning a) broadening the base of the IOC, within 

 its terms of reference, b) developing a long-term 

 and expanded program. The IOC has strengthened its 

 relationships with other international organizations, 

 and in particular with the FAO and WMO in addition 

 to UNESCO. Consideration is currently being given 

 to establishing an interagency commmittee, initially 

 including officials of UNESCO, FAO, WMO, and IOC, 

 to bring the programs of these and other interested 

 organizations into closer harmony. 



While elaboration of the outline of a long- 

 term and expanded program is only now receiving 

 intensive attention by scientists, individual 

 nations, and international organizations, some 

 general aspects of such a program are clear. The 

 purpose of the program should be to increase knowl- 

 edge of the ocean, its contents and the contents of 

 its subsoil, and its interfaces with the land, the 

 atmosphere, and the ocean floor and to improve 

 understanding of processes operating in or affecting 

 the marine environment, with the goal of enhanced 

 utilization of the ocean and its resources for the 

 benefit of mankind. 



The program should include 



-- scientific investigations. Including 

 the scientific aspects of exploration, 

 of the ocean and its resources 



-- related services in areas such as 

 mapping and charting, observation 

 and prediction of ocean and atmosphere 

 conditions, data and information processing 

 and dissemination, Intercalibratlon of 

 oceanographlc instruments, and navigation 



* A revised and up-to-date edition of this document 

 has now been prepared by UNESCO and will go to press 

 under the new title "Perspectives in Oceanography, I968." 



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