The GOOS Sponsors Forum

 

GOOS is co-sponsored by three intergovernmental and one international organizations:

• the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO;
• the World Meteorological Organization (WMO);
• the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); and
• the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU)

All GOOS sponsor organisations are brought together in a GOOS Sponsor Forum (GSF) composed of executive representatives of all the sponsors plus the Chairmen of I-GOOS and GSC. The GPO Director participates as an observer. The Forum is chaired by the Executive Director of the primary custodian of GOOS (presently IOC). The Forum meets as occasion demands.

The Forum exists to:

1. Define and reconcile the aspirations of the sponsoring organisations for GOOS;
2. Receive and react to reports from the GPO Director as well as GSC and I-GOOS Chairmen on GOOS progress and problems;
3. Endorse and if necessary define changes to the organisational structure;
4. Approve the selection of chairmen and and members of the Steering Committee;
5. Endorse the Terms of Reference and rules for the organisational elements;
6. Address and apportion internal resourcing requirements;
7. Communicate informally to the executive offices of the sponsoring organisations.