On 26-27 September 2023, EMODnet together with EC DG MARE organised a workshop on “EMODnet marine data for coastal tourism”. The workshop was attended by over 42 coastal tourism experts with representatives from diverse sectors including research, policy, marine data services and non-governmental agencies. EMODnet was well represented by thematic experts from geology, human activities, physics, Data Ingestion, Central Portal and the EMODnet Secretariat. The agenda included a demonstration of the latest EMODnet services, use cases of how the coastal tourism sector use EMODnet data and data products, and dialogues on data requirements and data sharing. A report will follow on the EC Maritime Forum.
Science and Research
EMODnet is pleased to announce the release of the EMODnet Open Conference 2023 full draft programme including over 50 expert speakers and panelists. The event will take place on 29-30 November in Brussels, Belgium. Not yet registered? Join the > 200 stakeholders already signed up and secure your place today!
EMODnet was pleased to exhibit at the ICES Annual Science Conference 2023 which took place in Bilbao, Spain on 11-15 September 2023. ICES is a key stakeholder to EMODnet, with ICES being a partner and data provider to multiple EMODnet thematics, including EMODnet Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Human Activities and Data Ingestion. EMODnet experts are also members of a number of ICES Working Groups. The event also saw the launch of the OSPAR Quality Status Report 2023, to which EMODnet data/data products contributed.
EMODnet was represented at an EU-China Blue Partnership Forum for the Oceans that took place on the 23rd of September in Shenzhen, China. The Forum, organized by EC DG MARE and Chinese authorities, served as a tool to advance jointly on relevant topics such as the Blue Economy, International Fisheries and Global Ocean Governance.
Starting this month, the EMODnet newsletter will include updates on the European Atlas of the Seas the EC DG MARE Ocean Literacy tool, powered by EMODnet. The EU Atlas of the Seas offers 275 marine data layers, with over 50% coming from EMODnet. This month the EU Atlas of the Seas has released 5 new predefined maps, a new tutorial for MyMaps tool, took part in outreach activities at the World Cleanup Day village in Brussels, and more!
Join us on 26-27 September 2023 for a two-day online workshop "EMODnet for Coastal tourism". The workshop will take place over two half-days (mornings) and is designed to explore how the coastal tourism industry can benefit from EMODnet. Participants will discover the potential of EMODnet services for the coastal tourism sector and will be able to engage in cross-regional dialogue with participants from all European sea basins.
The Croatian Geological Survey used EMODnet Geology, Bathymetry and Seabed Habitats data to develop the seabed substrate and geology maps within a project that aims to map the marine habitats of the coastal area of the Adriatic Sea down to a depth of 40 m, and down to 200 m in marine protected areas.
Over 100 stakeholders have already registered for the EMODnet Open Conference 2023! Do you have your ticket yet? We welcome all stakeholders across the ocean observation, marine data, information and knowledge value chain to join us on 29-30 November 2023 in Brussels, Belgium! The call for community (e-/digital) poster abstracts has been extended to 14th September. Don’t miss your chance to apply to present your work!
The Digital Ocean Forum 2023 "Unlocking the Potential of the European Digital Twin of the Ocean” took place on the 14-15th of June in Brussels, bringing together marine scientists and wider ocean experts including data scientists and numerical modellers, policymakers, and citizens interested in the co-design and co-creation of the European Digital Twin of the Ocean (EU DTO). EMODnet’s Central Portal Coordinating institute the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) presented EMODnet’s key role in EDITO-Infra, a project in collaboration with Mercator Ocean International to upgrade existing EMODnet and Copernicus Marine Service infrastructures to create a common data lake that will serve the future EU Digital Twin Ocean (DTO). A large number of European funded projects conducting ocean related research and innovation were also invited to participate.
On 27-30 June 2023, EMODnet Physics Coordinating organization, ETT, Italy was a co-organizer of the Ocean Data Week, an event held during The Ocean Race Finale in Genoa, Italy. The event brought together experts from EMODnet Secretariat, Physics, Chemistry and Data Ingestion together with wider stakeholders from the European Commission DG MARE, RTD, IOC-UNESCO, research, civil society and the private sector to exchange on topics spanning European Ocean Observation, the Marine Knowledge Value Chain, the role of Marine Data in EU Policy and Climate Change and Smart Sustainable Cities. EMODnet showcased the importance of diverse data sources highlighting the partnership with The Ocean Race, which saw EMODnet Physics making surface ocean physics data collected from sensors on the racing yacht hulls publicly available in near real-time via the EMODnet Physics dashboard, in collaboration with Copernicus Marine Service.
In this webinar on #WorldOceanDay, you are going to learn more about two of the Blue-Cloud 2026 VLabs, namely the “Carbon-Plankton Dynamics” VLab that was developed in the pilot Blue-Cloud, and the brand new VLab “Integration of Coastal Ocean observations along Europe”.
EU Green Week is an annual event promoting European environmental policies, educating the public, and stimulating discussions. Policymakers, prominent environmentalists, stakeholders, and interested parties from Europe and the world attend this high-level event organised by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Environment.
As part of the Observations Coordinating Group (OCG) Meeting, the OCG and AtlantOS team is hosting a Low-cost technology workshop that will focus on showcasing the technologies available and their application, and opportunities to ensure collected ocean data is FAIR. This workshop will host both on hands training, lightning talks and posters! Please join us either in-person in Cape Town or online at the workshop on June 2nd, 2023, 09:00 - 17:30 SAST.
EMODnet was well represented at the European Maritime Day (EMD) 2023, which took place on 24th-25th May 2023, at the BREST EXPO, Parc des Expositions de Penfeld in Brest, France. EMODnet thematic and data ingestion Coordinators, the Central Portal and Secretariat teams were in attendance, with a variety of roles representing EMODnet at the exhibition and multiple stakeholder workshops related to marine and maritime data for innovation and sustained ocean observations.
On 3rd May 2023 EMODnet’s newly appointed Head of Secretariat, Kate Larkin, presented EMODnet at the second EU Green Deal Data Space (GREAT) Webinar on ‘Biodiversity data for the EU Green Deal data space’.
The event will be an opportunity to witness the political commitments of the Mediterranean countries towards the Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters (europa.eu) and to present the actions and initiatives which contribute to the Mission objectives that may be scaled up and replicated in other sea basins.
The Second International Ocean Data Conference (IODC-II) entitled “The Data We Need for the Ocean We Want” took place on 20 and 21 March 2023 at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France. The Conference focused on the implementation of commitments and main recommendations for ocean data and information management identified at IODC-I. The Conference was attended by 160 participants on site and 296 online - including many representatives from EMODnet - and provided a platform for the global ocean data community to present new solutions to existing barriers and challenges as well as opportunities in the area of oceanographic data and information management and exchange.
The European Marine Board has released a new report on sustainable management of the offshore renewable sector titled "Future Science Brief No. 9 European offshore renewable energy: Towards a sustainable future". While the report highlights the need for increased offshore renewable energy capacity, it also emphasizes the importance of managing the expansion sustainably and responsibly. Furthermore, the report notes that access to industry data remains a significant barrier for offshore renewable energy (ORE) researchers, and EMODnet is playing a significant role in bridging the gap.
On 2 March European Ocean Observing System (EOOS) organised an online webinar presenting its new Strategy and the Roadmap for the implementation.
Every three years the EuroGOOS conference provides a forum for marine scientists and technologists developing operational oceanography products, and the users of these services including decision and policymakers as well as the private sector.