By Dr. Trevor Platt (incoming POGO executive director) and Dr. Shubha Sathyendranath (POGO Secretariat).

Seen from satellites in space, the Earth is a blue planet: more than two-thirds of the surface is covered by water.

But the ocean does not function in isolation. It is part of the coupled Earth system, comprising the land, the ocean and the atmosphere together, as well as their associated ecosystems.

Because all these components function together, change in any of them can have implications for all the others.

Climate change is a perfect example of this interdependence. Release of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere through burning of fossil fuels on land has led to a modification of the Earth's climate which has, in turn, profoundly a effected the oceans.

The temperature of the ocean is changing, with unpredictable effects on the major current systems, on the intensity and frequency of storms, and on the distribution of sea ice.

The consequences for shipping could be profound. Moreover, as the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases, the acidity of the ocean is increasing, with devastating consequences for biodiversity.

Organisms such as corals are especially vulnerable, leading to adverse conditions for the tourism industry.

Modification of the marine ecosystem by extensive reduction in the abundance of such organisms may have unknown effects on other species, including those exploited by fisheries.

We know that the Earth is undergoing a major climate change. It is the Number One Problem facing society today.

But do we do know all of the ways in which the ocean might be transformed under climate change? We do not.

Mankind relies on the ocean for transportation, for mineral extraction, for fisheries and for recreation.

A large proportion of the world's population lives on the coastal margin, and is hostage to whatever changes the oceans might suffer, including changes to the number, intensity and pathways of marine storms.

It is in everyone's interest to be aware of how the ocean is changing and to anticipate what may happen next.

In other words, a massive effort in monitoring the ocean is required.

Here, the vast extent of the ocean works against us. There is too much water to keep an eye on and too few trained people to do it.

The lion's share of capacity in ocean observations resides in the developed countries, especially in the northern hemisphere.

There are too few ocean data in the southern hemisphere, and nations whose economies are in transition often do not have the capacity to make the ocean observations that they would like to make.

Thus, in trying to cope with the effect of climate change on the ocean we are handicapped both by a shortage of trained personnel and by the sheer scale of the sampling problem.

At the same time, we recognise that knowledge is power, and that our best ammunition is detailed knowledge about the present and future states of the ocean.

The future of the ocean is everyone's problem. The Nippon Foundation is making a vital contribution to our collective capability in this regard.

The Centre of Excellence is a major initiative enabling society to observe and protect its ocean patrimony.