The European Commission has voted to adopt OceanEye, an initiative to improve Europe’s ocean intelligence and a major deliverable of the European Ocean Pact adopted last summer, with an initial investment of EUR 92 million (USD 106 million).
“With OceanEye, Europe will lead the race to understand our ocean, to protect it, and to sustainably harness its potential,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a release. “This is about using science and good governance to understand our ocean and secure our future. We call on all member states and global partners to join us in to support the Global Ocean Observing System and make OceanEye a reality.”
Under OceanEye, the European Union will look to expand its ocean observing system to provide 35 percent of global capacity by 2035 while simultaneously securing 25 percent of the ocean observation technology market. The commission has laid out four pillars for OceanEye – better and more unified governance, global leadership through international alliances and partnerships, engaging society and building skills, and the European Digital Twin of the Ocean.
The digital twin will be a virtual representation of the ocean incorporating marine data, allowing users to conduct real-time monitoring and predictive modelling for ocean policy. The commission said it plans to make the digital twin available globally as a public service, with the expectation that it will be fully operational by 2030.
The European Digital Twin Ocean will also be part of the European Digital Ocean System, which will incorporate European data services like Copernicus Marine Service, EMODnet, WISE Marine, and WISE Freshwater into a single-entry point for ocean data.
“We will bring all our assets together to create a robust European digital ocean system, including a fully operational Digital Twin Ocean, to ensure that both public and private entities provide more and better services and products, adding more value for our economies and societies. We call on all partners to choose Europe to develop together a more resilient global system, a common good to the benefit of all,” Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation Ekaterina Zaharieva said in a release.
The commission said it plans to invest EUR 50 million (USD 58 million) to strengthen the Global Ocean Observing System, EUR 12 million (USD 13.8 million) to support resilient global ocean data systems, and EUR 30 million (USD 34.6 million) for a “European Innovation Council thematic challenge on ocean observation technologies.”
The European Union will also establish the New European Bauhaus Ocean, Coastal and Island Communities Lab “to explore creative ways to present ocean data and to raise awareness on the ocean.”
