EMODnet has a key role in the EDITO project underpinning the European Digital Twins of the Ocean (DTO). In this capacity, EMODnet presented at the “DTO4ECOPS” satellite event in Barcelona on 9 April, as part of the Ocean Decade week ahead of the United Nations Ocean Decade Conference. This engaging session brought together leading European and international marine data services to explore the impact and potential of DTO's. A key focus was on how these innovative tools can empower Early Career Ocean Professionals, fostering new opportunities and insights in ocean science and management. The Central Portal technical team of EMODnet (VLIZ and the EMODnet Secretariat) continue to coordinate EMODnet’s contribution to the European Digital Twin Ocean via the EDITO infrastructure project. This is increasingly engaging all EMODnet thematics to enable EMODnet’s full offer to be made available in cloud-optimised formats on the EDITO platform. The latest developments will be showcased at the Digital Ocean Forum (DOF) on 12-13 June 2024 in Brussels.

EMODnet is a UN Ocean Decade Implementing Partner. In April 2024 the EMODnet network was very active in presenting EMODnet at the UN Ocean Decade Conference and related side events in Barcelona, including for Digital Twins of the Ocean, Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPS), Ocean Observing and Ocean Prediction, Private Sector Data Sharing, Sea Level Rise, and more. In addition, EMODnet, EUMETSAT and Copernicus Marine Service will host a joint webinar on 19 June 2024 titled “Data for the UN Ocean Decade: A European focus”. Further information will be shared soon on EMODnet and co-organiser social media channels.

EMODnet formally kicked off its Vision 2035 activities in April 2024 with the first meeting of the EMODnet Vision 2035 Drafting Group, which is coordinating a Vision to 2035 of EMODnet’s service evolution. The Group consists of representatives from all EMODnet thematics, data ingestion, central portal and Secretariat, also including Sea-basin Checkpoint Coordinators, EMODnet Associated Partners and key actors from the EU and Global stakeholder community. A key input to the Vision 2035 will be a public consultation, planned for launch in early summer 2024, open to all. Stay tuned to have your say in EMODnet’s future evolution!

EMODnet made a significant impact at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly (EGU 2024) in Vienna, with presentations from EMODnet experts spanning the Chemistry and Geology thematics, among others. At the event, EMODnet Chemistry highlighted its collaboration with NOAA and UNESCO, focusing on accurate, detailed open-access data on ocean acidification. This is crucial for monitoring and reporting on progress towards specific ocean acidification targets under the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Simultaneously, EMODnet Geology presented its comprehensive range of products, including the innovative seabed erosion index database. This showcase reflected the work of a robust consortium of 40 partners and subcontractors, committed to delivering harmonized marine geological data products.

As part of the AdriaClim project, researchers from the University of Bologna and the Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change in Italy utilized EMODnet Chemistry data to create a detailed 3D biogeochemical model for the Adriatic Sea. Their analysis yielded insights into future biogeochemical changes driven by climate change, affecting marine ecosystems and key economic sectors like fisheries.

EMODnet experts from the Secretariat and wider partnership represented EMODnet at the first United Nations Ocean Decade (UN OD) Conference 2024, held in Barcelona from 10-12 April. EMODnet contributed to the Ocean Prediction booth and to number of sessions and week-long side events spanning Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPS) for the European Digital Twin Ocean (DTO), CoastPredict and the JPI Knowledge Hub on Sea Level Rise, the UN OD Challenge 8 digital representation of the ocean, and invited presentations at European project side events.

EMODnet is pleased to announce and welcome 3 new associated partners in Spring 2024: Renewable Grid Initiative (RGI), Voice of the Ocean (VOTO) and Oceano VOX. Each new member brings unique expertise and a strong commitment to advancing collaboration with EMODnet in the areas of data sharing, best practices in marine data, information technology and data services, and expanding the users of EMODnet, including for the Blue Economy.

The National Oceanographic Data Centre of the National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophisics (OGS) coordinate EMODnet Chemistry. As OGS celebrates its twentieth anniversary it also reached an important achievement: UNESCO certification of OGS as a UNESCO-accredited data centre, confirming the quality of the work done by the OGS NODC Italy team.

This year colleagues from NIMRD, Romania hosted the EMODnet Biology annual meeting. The meeting took place over two days, on April 16th and 17th and had 20 colleagues joining on-site and 16 others online. Back-to-back EMODnet Biology organised a workshop with Regional Sea Conventions.

This year, the EGI federation of computing and storage resource providers are holding their annual EGI conference in Lecce, Italy, in collaboration with the CMCC Foundation from 30th September until 4th October 2024. Different contribution types are accepted (short and long talks, posters, and demonstrations) across a variety of topics. Deadline: 24th April, 2024. 

The Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership has announced its second joint transnational call, offering support to research and innovation projects lasting 36 months. This call, co-branded as part of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, focuses on four priority areas: Digital Twins of the Ocean, Blue economy sectors and marine multi-use infrastructures, Planning and managing sea-uses at the regional level, and Blue Bioresources. Applicants have until April 10, 2024 (15H00 CEST) to submit their pre-proposals, with a deadline for full proposals expected in November 2024

The Thalassa 2024 Marine Sciences Conference, organised by EMODnet Associated Partner the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute (CMMI), will take place on 28th-29th May 2024 in Larnaca, Cyprus. Registration is open until 15th April here.

EMOD-PACE (The EMODnet Partnership for China and Europe) between the National Marine Data and Information Service of China (NMDIS) and EMODnet has produced an article published in the Friends of Europe magazine. The article highlights the importance of EMODnet global partnerships and ocean data sharing collaborations at global level to tackle global challenges. You can read the full article here.

The EMODnet Secretariat attended the Equinox Summit "European Climate change Science Summit" on 26th March 2024 in Brussels, co-organised by JPI Climate and European project MAGICA and held under the auspices of the Belgian presidency of the Council of the European Union. The event was attended by many National representatives from Ministries and public authorities, EU policy makers, JPI Climate, JPI Oceans, European projects and wider stakeholders. The event highlighted the value and crucial role of high-quality ocean and climate data, information and science to understand Climate Change and to inform mitigation and adaptation solutions. The EMODnet offer of marine environmental and human activities data spans Ocean and Climate, including Sea Level Rise data products, relevant for the first European Assessment Report on Sea Level Rise coordinated by JPI Oceans and JPI Climate, which will be launched in late Spring 2024.

EMODnet experts from the Human Activities and Secretariat presented EMODnet and provided technical advice at the Technical Expert Group (TEG) on Data for Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) workshop “MSP Data tools and Guidance” which was held as a hybrid event on 13th March 2024.

BLOG #1 (March 2024): EMODnet’s technical state-of-the-art as a unified Portal. The EMODnet EC in situ marine data service is enabled by a large expert community of technical experts in thematic data, data and web services, data ingestion and more. One year on from the launch of EMODnet’s unified Portal, EMODnet launches a technical blog that brings the technical developments and achievements of the EMOD-network to the forefront, championed by EMODnet’s Technical Coordinator, Conor Delaney. The blog is intended for wider stakeholders who use and/or contribute to EMODnet and would like to know more about the latest state-of-the-art in EMODnet services. The technical blog will be released quarterly.

EMODnet was well represented at the Oceanology International 2024 and European Ocean Observing System (EOOS) Technology Forum that took place back-to-back in mid-March 2024 in London, UK. EMODnet Physics, Chemistry, Data Ingestion and wider experts were on-site, complementing a pan-EMODnet feature article in the Hydro International magazine that accompanied the OI 2024 event. 

The EMODnet Biology/EurOBIS team presents an invaluable training course designed to empower data providers in understanding the EMODnet Biology project and its connections with international initiatives like OBIS and GBIF.

EMODnet, represented by EMODnet Biology Coordinator Joana Beja, VLIZ, Belgium, presented EDITO-Infra and EMODnet’s contribution in a webinar hosted the European project Iliad titled ‘Digital Twins of the Ocean and Biodiversity’.

The Digital Ocean Forum (DOF) 2024 takes place on 13th June 2024, from 10:00 to 16:30 CET at the Palace of the Academies in Brussels. This high-level gathering will be hybrid and open to the public and will feature the prototype of the European Digital Twin of the Ocean (DTO), powered by EMODnet and Copernicus Marine Service via EDITO. The DOF 2024 Forum will showcase the capabilities of the EU DTO as a Commission public service, building on existing EU marine data service capability and demonstrating the European DTO's role as an additional asset to drive applications and solutions for ocean resource management, ocean and climate change and a green transition and sustainable operations for the Blue Economy. Discover how the EU DTO aligns with the Green Deal and the UN Decade of Science for Sustainable Development.