On the eve of the 3rd United Nations Conference on Oceans in Nice, the multilateral body underscored the importance of mapping the seabeds and establishing a global ocean observation network.

Despite the efforts made in the last few years, we know less about the ocean floor than we do about the surface of the Moon, UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay warned in a statement circulated in this capital.

About the issue, the director general called on the organization’s 194 member states not to ignore scientists’ warnings and invest massively in oceanographic research, which currently accounts for less than 2 percent of national research budgets.

She added that learning about the oceans is the greatest scientific adventure of our time.

UNESCO announced that Azoulay will call for greater efforts on this issue at the Nice forum, scheduled for June 9-13 and co-chaired by France and Costa Rica.

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