We are proud to announce that, in recognition of its commitment to international ocean governance and ocean observing-driven solutions to safeguard marine environments and foster sustainable marine practices, EU4OceanObs has been endorsed as a Decade Implementing Partner (DIP) of the Ocean Decade (officially, the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030).
Implemented by Mercator Ocean International and funded under the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme, EU4OceanObs catalyses and strengthens essential partnerships between European and international infrastructures to enhance ocean observing, forecasting, data sharing, and the use of ocean data for societal benefit.
Central to its mission, EU4OceanObs coordinates EU activities for the G7 Future of the Seas and Ocean Initiative and GEO Blue Planet, emphasising the economic and societal benefits of ocean observing networks and advocating for sustained investments in these areas. EU4OceanObs also amplifies the global impact of EU services and initiatives, such as the Copernicus Marine Service, EMODnet, and the EU Digital Twin Ocean, and promotes dialogue and collaboration within and beyond the EU.
Now in its second phase, EU4OceanObs catalyses the implementation of the Roadmap for Cooperation on the UN Ocean Decade, developed by IOC/UNESCO and the European Commission’s DG Research and Innovation. This roadmap supports the protection, restoration, and sustainable use of oceans and seas by aligning the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters” objectives with the Ocean Decade Challenges. In this context, EU4OceanObs is focusing on supporting Ocean Decade structures, such as the Decade Collaborative Center for Ocean Prediction and the Decade Coordination Offices for ‘Ocean Observing’ and ‘Ocean Data Sharing’, with the aim to advance knowledge and foster collaboration to support a healthier, more sustainable ocean.
By uniting governments, researchers, non-profits, and the private sector, the initiative strives to address critical ocean challenges such as climate change, marine pollution, and marine biodiversity loss to achieve the Ocean Decade vision: deliver the science we need for the ocean we want.
Additional Information
- The EU4OceanObs page on the Ocean Decade website: https://oceandecade.org/actions/eu4oceanobs/
- EU4OceanObs as a catalyst for EU programme mobilisation in the Ocean Decade https://www.eu4oceanobs.eu/eu-and-the-ocean-decade/
- The ten Ocean Decade Challenges: https://oceandecade.org/challenges/
- The Decade Collaborative Centre for Ocean Prediction: https://www.mercator-ocean.eu/en/presse-en/oceanprediction_dcc/
- The Decade Coordination Office for Ocean Data Sharing: https://oceandatasharing-dco.org/
- The Decade Coordination Office for Ocean Observing: https://oceandecade.org/actions/decade-coordination-office-for-ocean-observing/
- EU Mission Ocean and Waters: https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe/eu-missions-horizon-europe/restore-our-ocean-and-waters_en
