U.S. IOOS: Our Eyes on Our Oceans, Coasts, and Great Lakes.

The Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) provides high-quality data and information on current and future states of the oceans and Great Lakes from the global scale of ocean basins to local scales of coastal ecosystems.

Societal goals of IOOS

IOOS provides data in forms and at rates required by decision makers to address seven societal goals:

• Improve predictions of climate change and weather and theireffects on coastal communities and the nation
• Improve the safety and efficiency of maritime operations
• Mitigate the effects of natural hazards more effectively
• Improve national and homeland security
• Reduce public health risks
• Protect and restore healthy coastal ecosystems more effectively

• Enable the sustained use of ocean and coastal resources