The recent announcement that almost one-fifth of the world’s ocean floor has been mapped under the Seabed 2030 Project is significant. This project aims to bring together existing bathymetric data and generate a comprehensive map of the global ocean floor by 2030. It provides critical data about the world’s oceans and seas, enhancing our understanding of marine environments and contributing meaningfully towards diverse fields like disaster prediction, oil and gas exploration, climate change studies, and more.
The Seabed 2030 Project
A collaboration between Japan’s Nippon Foundation and the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO), the Seabed 2030 Project was launched at the United Nations Ocean Conference in June 2017. It seeks to align itself with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14, which advocates for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas, and marine resources.
The United Nations Ocean Conference
The United Nations Ocean Conference was viewed as a potential game-changer in turning the tide against the decline of ocean health. By uniting diverse stakeholders, it aimed to foster a shared commitment to protect and restore global marine ecosystems. The Seabed 2030 Project symbolises this mission by bringing together available bathymetric data from different sources.
Improving Our Knowledge of Bathymetry
Bathymetry, or the study of the depth and shape of the ocean floor, has traditionally relied on satellites and aircraft equipped with altimeter instruments. However, the Seabed 2030 Project intends to procure higher quality data with a minimum resolution of 100 metres at all locations using advanced equipment such as deepwater hull-mounted sonar systems and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs).
The Importance of Studying the Ocean Floor
Comprehensive knowledge of the ocean floor has wide-ranging applications. It enhances our understanding of various natural phenomena, including ocean currents, tides, and biological hotspots, besides aiding navigation, disaster prediction, and exploration activities such as oil and gas projects, offshore wind turbines construction, fishing resource management, and the laying of cables and pipelines. Additionally, it offers a better insight into climate change impacts, including alterations in ocean current circulation and rising sea levels.
The Role of General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO)
GEBCO is the sole intergovernmental body authorised to map the world’s entire ocean floor. The organisation traces its roots back to the GEBCO chart series initiated in 1903 by Prince Albert I of Monaco. Its mission is to provide the most authoritative publicly available bathymetry of the world’s oceans. GEBCO functions under the dual auspices of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO.
About the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO)
Established in 1921, the IHO is an intergovernmental body dedicated to ensuring that all the world’s seas, oceans, and navigable waters are surveyed and charted. Hosted by the Principality of Monaco, the IHO’s secretariat counts India among its members.
