TOWARDS A EUROPEAN OFFICE FOR MARINE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Marine science is a prominent issue on UNCED's Agenda 21. The 1992 con ference of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Developmen t (UNCED) is seen as a major forcing agent (policy pull) for the devel opment of marine science into the next century. The development of new technology, advanced on-line monitoring systems, the launching of a n ew generation of ocean satellites and rapidly increasing computer powe r combine to form a second major forcing agent (technology push). The execution of large global and regional research programmes is a third agent (science pull). The need for the establishment of a European off ice for marine science and technology is discussed in the context of t hese developments.