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About JCOMM
Prior to 1999, marine meteorological and oceanographic observations, data management and service provision programmes were coordinated internationally by two separate bodies - the World Meteorological Organization WMO , through its Commission for Marine Meteorology (CMM), and UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission IOC , jointly with WMO through the Committee for the Integrated Global Ocean Services System (IGOSS). The increasingly close relationship between the two agencies' operational activities in the global oceans culminated when the Thirteenth WMO Congress (May 1999) and the 20th IOC Assembly (July 1999) formally agreed that a new IOC/WMO Joint Technical Commission for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology JCOMM should be established, initially through the merger of CMM and IGOSS. JCOMM was tasked to coordinate globally distributed marine meteorological and oceanographic services and their supporting observational, data management and capacity building programmes.
The long-term strategic vision of JCOMM is to benefit the global community through international co-ordination activities, the development and recommendation of appropriate technical standards and procedures for a fully integrated marine observing, data management and services system. JCOMM promotes a globally distributed but inter-connected state-of-the-art system based on present and next-generation technologies and capabilities that is responsive to the evolving needs of all users of marine data and products. JCOMM also promotes the implementation of an outreach programme to enhance the national capacity of all maritime countries.
JCOMM has a current membership of 123 Countries and approximately 250 experts, with most national delegations comprising roughly equal numbers of oceanographers and marine meteorologists. As formally constituted, JCOMM is an intergovernmental body of experts on all technical aspects of operational marine meteorology and oceanography, and is the major advisory body to the two parent Organizations WMO and IOC (consisting of their Members/Member States, Governing Bodies and other subsidiary bodies and programmes). In fulfilling this role, it is expected to prepare plans, proposals, regulations, guidance etc, within its field of competence, for consideration and approval by the Governing Bodies. Following approval, there is an obligation on Members/Member States to apply and implement them.
(Last Updated: 23-03-2007)