Mission
The Interagency Working Group on Ocean Acidification (IWG-OA) aims to coordinate ocean acidification research, monitoring and engagement across the federal government to better assess the impacts of ocean acidification on marine ecosystems and coastal communities and support the development of mitigation and adaptation strategies.
The Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act of 2009 (FOARAM Act; 33 U.S.C. Chapter 50, Sec. 3701-3708) directed the Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology (SOST) to create an Interagency Working Group on Ocean Acidification (IWG-OA). The IWG-OA was chartered by SOST in October 2009 and includes representatives from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Science Foundation (NSF), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of State (DOS), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), National Parks Service (NPS), Smithsonian Institution (SI), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). NOAA chairs the group. The agencies represented on the IWG-OA have mandates for research and/or management of resources and ecosystems likely to be impacted by ocean acidification. The group meets regularly to coordinate ocean acidification activities across the Federal government to fulfill the goals of the FOARAM Act.
Latest News
The Interagency Working Group on Ocean Acidification is hosting the third webinar in the Acidification & Estuaries Webinar Series on November 4, 2024 at 2:00pm ET. This series is starting a conversation about the most important research gaps in acidification and estuaries for the federal government to address. This webinar will discuss examples
The Interagency Working Group on Ocean Acidification is hosting the second webinar in the Acidification & Estuaries Webinar Series on October 23rd at 2:00pm ET. This webinar will give an overview of the state of the science related to acidification in estuaries and discuss remaining research gaps. Speakers will discuss
The Interagency Working Group on Ocean Acidification is hosting a three-part webinar series this fall on acidification and estuaries. Their goal is to bring together researchers, resource managers, industry leaders, and other interested community members to discuss the most important research gaps around acidification in estuaries for the federal government
The following federal agencies participate in the IWGOA and are actively working to develop ocean acidification adaptation and mitigation strategies. The IWG-OA has regular meetings to share information on activities related to the seven thematic areas of the Strategic Research Plan:
- Research to understand responses to ocean acidification
- Monitoring of ocean chemistry and biological impacts
- Modeling to predict changes in the ocean carbon cycle and impacts on marine ecosystems and organisms
- Technology development and standardization of measurements
- Assessment of socioeconomic impacts and development of strategies to conserve marine organisms and ecosystems
- Education, outreach, and engagement strategy on ocean acidification
- Data management and integration
Click on a logo below to learn more about each agency’s role in with the IWG-OA
The Strategic Plan for Federal Research and Monitoring of Ocean Acidification will guide federal research and monitoring investments that will improve our understanding of ocean acidification, its potential impacts on marine species and ecosystems, and adaptation and mitigation strategies. This is the second Strategic Plan and is an update to the first version released in 2014. The Strategic Plan contains objectives and action items organized around seven thematic areas:
- Research
- Monitoring
- Modeling
- Technology development
- Socioeconomic impacts
- Education, outreach, and engagement strategies
- Data management and integration
Some highlights of the plan’s action items include:
- Expand coastal acidification monitoring in the nearshore and estuaries
- Expand certified reference material production for seawater pH measurements
- Identify and support human communities vulnerable to acidification through co-production of knowledge
- Develop synthesis products at coastal and regional scales to guide model development
The plan was developed by the Interagency Working Group on Ocean Acidification as part of the Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act of 2009 (FOARAM Act; 33 U.S.C. Chapter 50, Sec. 3701-3708).
Farming of Seagrasses and Seaweeds: Responsible Restoration & Revenue Generation
The Interagency Working Group for Farming Seaweeds and Seagrasses produced this report that explores opportunities for farming seaweeds and seagrasses to deacidify ocean environments and provide agricultural products, such as livestock feeds.
Ocean Acidification Monitoring Prioritization Plan
The Ocean Acidification Monitoring Prioritization Plan details how to guide U.S. government efforts towards monitoring that could be deployed to meet the gaps described in the Ocean Chemistry Coastal Community Vulnerability Assessment. The plan is complementary to the Strategic Plan for Federal Monitoring and Research of Ocean Acidification, the U.S.
Second Strategic Plan for Federal Research and Monitoring of Ocean Acidification
The Strategic Plan for Federal Research and Monitoring of Ocean Acidification will guide federal research and monitoring investments that will improve our understanding of ocean acidification, its potential impacts on marine species and ecosystems, and adaptation and mitigation strategies. This is the second Strategic Plan and is an update to
Seventh Report on Federally Funded Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Activities
This report describes federally funded ocean acidification activities during fiscal years 2020 and 2021. The report describes projects that were funded across the federal government, organized by region and then by thematic area. Budget tables are included that detail the amount spent by each agency on each thematic area. From
Ocean Chemistry Coastal Community Vulnerability Assessment
Assessment Presents Community Vulnerabilities to Acidification and Research Recommendations The Ocean Chemistry Coastal Community Vulnerability Assessment, written by the Interagency Working Group on Ocean Acidification responds to the Coordinated Ocean Observations and Research Act of 2020. The report is national in scope and describes social vulnerability to ocean acidification across
The Ocean Acidification Information Exchange is a new online community catalyzing response to ocean and coastal acidification through collaboration and information sharing. If you are working on or interested in ocean and/or coastal acidification, come join the conversation! Members of the OA Information Exchange are using the site’s platform to swap ideas, exchange resources, and interact with people in a variety of disciplines across many regions. Together, we are building a well-informed community working to respond and adapt to ocean and coastal acidification.
We welcome members of government, tribal and academic research scientists, citizen scientists, experiential and formal educators, NGO employees, marine resources managers, policy makers, concerned citizens, aquaculturists, people in the fishing industry, technology developers, data managers, and others.
Learn more about the OA Information Exchange at www.OAInfoExchange.org or request an account!
Contact Us
Sarah Cooley
Chair IWG-OA and Director, NOAA Ocean Acidification Program
sarah.cooley@noaa.gov
Courtney Witkowski
Executive Secretary, IWG-OA, and NOAA Ocean Acidification Program
