An Enhanced Ocean Acidification Observing Network: From People to Technology to Data Synthesis and Information Exchange

21 pages, 9 figures, 1 tableA successful integrated ocean acidification (OA) observing network must include (1) scientists and technicians from a range of disciplines from physics to chemistry to biology to technology development; (2) government, private, and intergovernmental support; (3) regional cohorts working together on regionally specific issues; (4) publicly accessible data from the open ocean to coastal to estuarine systems; (5) close integration with other networks focusing on related measurements or issues including the social and economic consequences of OA; and (6) observation-based informational products useful for decision making such as management of fisheries and aquaculture. The Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON), a key player in this vision, seeks to expand and enhance geographic extent and availability of coastal and open ocean observing data to ultimately inform adaptive measures and policy action, especially in support of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. GOA-ON works to empower and support regional collaborative networks such as the Latin American Ocean Acidification Network, supports new scientists entering the field with training, mentorship, and equipment, refines approaches for tracking biological impacts, and stimulates development of lower-cost methodology and technologies allowing for wider participation of scientists. GOA-ON seeks to collaborate with and complement work done by other observing networks such as those focused on carbon flux into the ocean, tracking of carbon and oxygen in the ocean, observing biological diversity, and determining short- and long-term variability in these and other ocean parameters through space and timeThe secretariat support provided by the IOC-UNESCO, the International Atomic Energy Agency, and the NOAA Ocean Acidification Program (OAP) is central to the GOA-ON effort. GOA-ON also acknowledges NOAA OAP, the University of Washington, U.S. IOOS, and NANOOS for support of the GOA-ON data portal and website, and The Ocean Foundation and government agencies for capacity building and training support. The Climate Science Centre of CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere and the Integrated Marine Observing System funded the contribution of BT. EJ, RF, DKG, MK, and DG were funded by the NOAA Ocean Acidification Program. MD participation was funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation. JN thanks the University of Washington’s Applied Physics Laboratory and College of the Environment, NOAA OAP, U.S. IOOS, and NANOOS, and the Washington Ocean Acidifdication Center for support for her role in this contribution. MT acknowledges support from the U.S. National Science Foundation grant OCE-1840868 to the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR, U.S.). KI and KS thank the Government of Germany for its financial support to the ocean acidification activities at the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO). LH contributions were funded by the International Atomic Energy Agency Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre (OA-ICC), supported by several Member States via the IAEA Peaceful Uses Initiative. MK contributions were funded by the United States Department of State through an IAEA Junior Professional Officer position. The IAEA is grateful for the support provided to its Environment Laboratories by the Government of the Principality of MonacoPeer Reviewe