Jamie McMichael-Phillips
Director, The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project
Mr. McMichael-Phillips, a hydrographic surveyor and esteemed former Royal Navy captain, has worked in leadership roles that span a wide spectrum, from running his own marine data gathering missions to directing geospatial strategy and plans for the United Kingdom. His extensive experience includes managing government-to-government relationships for geospatial collaboration, as well as outreach and capacity building of fledgling organisations in marine data collection, assessment and cartography. For over 9 years, prior to his current role, Mr McMichael-Phillips chaired the International Hydrographic Organisation's Worldwide ENC Database Working Group, which is responsible for monitoring the global footprint electronic charts that are essential for safe navigation at sea.
Keynote Lecture 3 – Seabed 2030 Project - Emerging Seabed Mapping
Ocean knowledge is crucial to understanding Planet Earth, yet we still have much to learn about our seafloor, with 75% of it yet to be mapped. The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project (Seabed 2030) is a collaboration between The Nippon Foundation and the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO) that aims to produce the definitive GEBCO bathymetric map of the entire ocean by 2030. This will enable the world to make informed policy decisions, use the ocean sustainably, and undertake scientific research that is based on detailed knowledge of seafloor topography.
As a pioneering initiative to map our final frontiers, Seabed 2030 relies on the goodwill and efforts of a global community of governments, industry, research, and philanthropic sectors, in combination with volunteer citizen scientists and contributors. The map of the seafloor is updated annually and is free to download and use – it is a public service for humanity by humanity. Join us and gain a deeper understanding of the key elements of this international project, as well as an overview of the challenges involved in such a global commitment, and how we can shape the way forward.
