The Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR), established in 1957, is the leading non-governmental organization for the promotion and coordination of international oceanographic activities. SCOR does not fund research directly, but initiates the establishment of programs, providing coordination and administrative support during the early stages. SCOR has national committees in 39 countries and often works in association with intergovernmental organizations such as the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) and the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), as well as non-governmental organizations such as the International Geosphere-Biosphere Program (IGBP). The activities of SCOR fall into two main categories: establishment of small international working groups to address narrowly focused scientific problems, or the formation of larger Scientific Steering Committees for the planning and implementation of large-scale programs. At present there are 17 active working groups, which accomplish their objectives in a relatively short time frame (around 4 years) as well as two major SCOR-sponsored scientific committees: the Scientific Steering Committee for the Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS) and the Scientific Steering Committee for Global Ocean Ecosystem Dynamics (GLOBEC). Both these programs have achieved wide international recognition for their scientific excellence. The early affiliation of each of these programs with SCOR ensured an efficient mechanism for international coordination and cooperation. In addition to the working groups and scientific committees, there are also several "SCOR-Affiliated Programs". These programs are of a long-term nature, and generally have their own funding and rely on SCOR for advice, review, oversight or administration. Further information on SCOR can be obtained from their homepage. About the IOCCG | Home