Sustaining in situ Ocean observations in the age of a digital Ocean

On 16 June 2021, the European Marine Board (EMB) published a new policy brief on sustaining in situ ocean observations in the age of a digital Ocean. The new EMB brief focuses on highlighting the necessity for and benefits of in situ observations, funding and governance challenges, and the investment needed for their transformation and sustainability.

The brief emphasises the need for a globally integrated and optimised ocean observing system as Ocean observations are still mostly nationally funded with short-term and insecure funding, involving diverse institutions and not well coordinated on a global scale.

Among the co-authors are Maria Hood, the EU coordinator of the G7 Future of the Seas and Oceans Initiative Coordination Centre and Pierre-Yves Le Traon, the Scientific Director of Mercator Ocean International and head of EU4OceanObs, who both significantly contributed to the brief.