From 25 June to 3 July 2025, the 33rd Session of the Assembly of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) takes place at UNESCO, with the participation of an Italian delegation led by Cosimo Solidoro, Director of the Division of Oceanography at the National Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics, recently elected President of the Italian Oceanographic Commission (COI) for the next four years. The IOC Assembly meets every two years to review the work of the Commission and Member States in oceanographic matters, and to formulate a joint work plan for the following two-year period.
Yesterday saw Italy play a leading role. On the sidelines of the Assembly, two international cooperation programmes coordinated by Italy were presented: CoastPredict and Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership. CoastPredict, born as a contribution to the United Nations Decade for the Oceans (2021-2030) and active within the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), supports coastal resilience in vulnerable regions through integrated ocean observation and forecasting systems. CoastPredict solutions will support decision-makers and coastal communities in managing risk in the short term and planning for climate change mitigation and adaptation in the long term. The European Partnership on the Sustainable Blue Economy promotes the sustainable economy of the oceans and finances actions for knowledge-based coastal management. Finally, Alessandro Amato, head of the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), presented the work of the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Tsunami Early Warning and Mitigation System in the North-Eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean, a body that the Italian scientist has chaired since the beginning of 2024.
