Arvid Pardo, who in 1967 had stimulated the UNGA to take action on the subject of
a constitution for the ocean as a whole. The Malta conference generated several
significant publications dealing with the marine environment and marine sciences,
disarmament in the marine sector and the legal and institutional structure of the
ocean regime. The group of people organizing the conference and publications
needed an organization so that they could continue to provide inputs to the
negotiations for the ocean constitution. The organization came into being through
support from private donors and a grant from UNDP. The organization under the
name International Ocean Institute was formally established in 1972 at the University of Malta (The IOI Story 2001). The process demonstrated the ability of the
ocean sciences community to cooperate across disciplines and provide constructive
contributions to legal and economic areas. The efforts continued including also
education, training and communication with the public and various communities
highly dependent upon the marine environment. Major contributions of the IOI
included the peace in the ocean (Pacem in Maribus) regular conferences covering
all elements of ocean science and governance, with emphasis on a holistic approach
in research and training, treating the ocean as a whole in harmony with the Law of
the Sea.
A significant lesson from these developments over two decades is the very
important role of individuals, accepted scientific leaders able to communicate
across disciplines and interests, having as a basic principle of thinking through
the problems before taking action and reaching agreement while at the same time
being reasonably pragmatic in view of the significance of the main goals. The
international cooperation during the cold war was stimulated by the desire to keep
exchanges and data flow in place, address various security interests, and maintain
dialogue. Many were the interests as elucidated in the study of oceanographers and
the cold war (Hamblin 2005), not always motivated by serving the common good.
32.4 Can the Ocean Science Community Deliver
the Solutions
Since the creation of these organizations the ocean sciences and marine technology
and related capacities have developed so that an overall goal of finding solutions to
the challenges of the ocean can be achieved through concerted, cooperative and
well coordinated support and action. The ocean dynamics require that ocean
research is international and cooperative. A significant manifestation of all this is
the generation and successful completion of the International Decade of Ocean
Exploration 1971–1980 (IOC-UNESCO 1975).
Systematic oceanographic research was initiated only in the second half of the
nineteenth century. The global research cruise of HMS Challenger starting 1873
provides a landmark for development and support of ocean research. Almost
100 years later the International Decade of Ocean Exploration was conceived by
538
G. Kullenberg
a constitution for the ocean as a whole. The Malta conference generated several
significant publications dealing with the marine environment and marine sciences,
disarmament in the marine sector and the legal and institutional structure of the
ocean regime. The group of people organizing the conference and publications
needed an organization so that they could continue to provide inputs to the
negotiations for the ocean constitution. The organization came into being through
support from private donors and a grant from UNDP. The organization under the
name International Ocean Institute was formally established in 1972 at the University of Malta (The IOI Story 2001). The process demonstrated the ability of the
ocean sciences community to cooperate across disciplines and provide constructive
contributions to legal and economic areas. The efforts continued including also
education, training and communication with the public and various communities
highly dependent upon the marine environment. Major contributions of the IOI
included the peace in the ocean (Pacem in Maribus) regular conferences covering
all elements of ocean science and governance, with emphasis on a holistic approach
in research and training, treating the ocean as a whole in harmony with the Law of
the Sea.
A significant lesson from these developments over two decades is the very
important role of individuals, accepted scientific leaders able to communicate
across disciplines and interests, having as a basic principle of thinking through
the problems before taking action and reaching agreement while at the same time
being reasonably pragmatic in view of the significance of the main goals. The
international cooperation during the cold war was stimulated by the desire to keep
exchanges and data flow in place, address various security interests, and maintain
dialogue. Many were the interests as elucidated in the study of oceanographers and
the cold war (Hamblin 2005), not always motivated by serving the common good.
32.4 Can the Ocean Science Community Deliver
the Solutions
Since the creation of these organizations the ocean sciences and marine technology
and related capacities have developed so that an overall goal of finding solutions to
the challenges of the ocean can be achieved through concerted, cooperative and
well coordinated support and action. The ocean dynamics require that ocean
research is international and cooperative. A significant manifestation of all this is
the generation and successful completion of the International Decade of Ocean
Exploration 1971–1980 (IOC-UNESCO 1975).
Systematic oceanographic research was initiated only in the second half of the
nineteenth century. The global research cruise of HMS Challenger starting 1873
provides a landmark for development and support of ocean research. Almost
100 years later the International Decade of Ocean Exploration was conceived by
538
G. Kullenberg