Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development launched
Ant Rozetsky, Unsplash
As of 2021, the world has entered a new decade - the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (UN Ocean Decade). It brings together scientists, policy makers and civil society to address 10 key challenges, from biodiversity loss to pollution and sea level change. In this global endeavour, the Copernicus Marine Service has become a key reference point for the entire scientific and management community.
Today, managing the oceans requires not just observations, but modelling, forecasts and numerical thinking. Through satellites, sensors and numerical models, Copernicus Marine provides data on the three 'colours' of the ocean: blue (physics), white (ice) and green (biogeochemistry). These data help create accurate short- and long-term forecasts, identify trends and provide timely warnings of changes.
One of the main results of this work is the European Digital Twin of the Ocean (EU DTO) project - a digital twin of the ocean modelled on real data. It allows us to study the past, understand the present and predict the future of the marine environment. This is not just a scientific experiment, but the realisation of Ursula von der Leyen's promise made at the One Ocean Summit in Brest in 2022.
Copernicus Marine is a member of the international OceanPrediction DCC, launched in 2022 as part of the UN Ocean Decade. The Centre brings together the efforts of many projects (ForeSea, CoastPredict, Marine Life 2030, etc.) and the recent Ocean Forecasting Architecture Guide is the result of collective contributions from the scientific community and Copernicus in particular.
The programme's global partners include the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), GEO Blue Planet, G7 Future of the Seas and Oceans Initiative and others. Within the EU, there is also a range of initiatives such as the European Green Deal, the EU Mission "Restore our Ocean and Waters", Common Fisheries Policy and the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive.
Forecasting ocean change is becoming the basis for sustainable fisheries management, climate risk defence and coastal infrastructure planning. The digital transformation of oceanography is helping to develop practical measures, from reducing pollution to assessing the impacts of sea-level rise.
Mercator Ocean International Director Pierre Bahurel noted at the European Space Conference 2025 that space and ocean data must be transformed into concrete, useful solutions for users and policy makers.
All this is in preparation for the third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3) to be held in Nice in 2025. After New York (2017) and Lisbon (2022), the conference will once again bring together world leaders, scientists and activists. The European Digital Ocean Pavilion will be a platform to showcase EU leadership in ocean governance.
