#Oi2020 History
The era of the “new millennium” made its way within subsea research and development when in 2000, Congress tapped the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy to “investigate and provide recommendations for a ‘coordinated and comprehensive ocean policy’,” according to Advances in Marine Technology (as published by the Marine Technology Society). Following the seven-year investigation and research process, as well as input and public discussion, the commission presented An Ocean Blueprint for the 21st Century, (which according to MTS) included more than 200 recommendations.
Guidance for NSF on National Ocean Research Priorities
Context Within the past decade, new science and technologies have led to breakthroughs and discoveries that have fundamentally altered our basic understanding of the oceans and their relationship to human populations. The value of the ocean to society has been highlighted by multiple commissions (the Pew Oceans Commission; the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy) and a science-based National Ocean Policy has been developed. These reports highlight ongoing changes to oceanic environments that threaten the societal benefits derived from the sea, yet much of the ocean remains unexplored and poorly understoo