The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO is the UN organisation dedicated to ocean science and services and is responsible for fostering cooperation between governments on global issues about oceans.
Throughout the IYB steady progress was made towards the establishment of an Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) on the model of the IPCC, pivotal in assessing the science and raising global awareness of climate change.