GOOS, co-sponsored by IOC/UNESCO, WMO, UNEP and ICSU, is a permanent global system for observations, modelling and analysis of marine and ocean variables to support operational ocean services worldwide. GOOS provides accurate descriptions of the present state of the oceans, including living resources; continuous forecasts of the future conditions of the sea for as far ahead as possible, and the basis for forecasts of climate change.

GOOS is a system of programmes, each of which is working on different and complementary aspects of establishing an operational ocean observation capability for all of the world's nations. UN sponsorship and UNESCO assemblies assure that international cooperation is always the first priority of the Global Ocean Observing Sytem.

http://www.ioc-goos.org