Indian Ocean’s Underwater Geographical Structures Being Named

International Hydrographic Organization (IHO)

• It is an intergovernmental organization established in 1921 that works to ensure all the world’s seas, oceans and navigable waters are surveyed and charted
• Function: It coordinates the activities of national hydrographic offices and promotes uniformity in nautical charts and documents. 
  • It issues survey best practices, provides guidelines to maximize the use of hydrographic survey data and develops hydrographic capabilities in Member States.
• Representation: States are represented within the IHO by the national authority responsible for the provision of hydrographic and nautical charting services in each Member State.

UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC)

• The body promotes international cooperation in marine sciences to improve management of the ocean, coasts and marine resources. 
• Member States: The IOC is a 150 Member States body.
• The IOC Secretariat: It  is located in Paris, France
• Focus Areas: The IOC work together by coordinating programmes in capacity development, ocean observations and services, ocean science, tsunami warning and ocean literacy. 
• Objectives: Healthy ocean and sustained ocean ecosystem services; Effective warning systems and preparedness for tsunamis and other ocean-related hazards; Resilience to climate change and contribution to its mitigation; Scientifically-founded services for the sustainable ocean economy; Foresight on emerging ocean science issues.
• The IOC is in charge of coordinating the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030, the “Ocean Decade”.