This Policy Brief focuses on in situ Ocean observations and highlights their benefits, funding and governance challenges, and the investment needed for their transformation and sustainability. This document is the result of an ad hoc Working Group established by the European Marine Board to address this topic, in light of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, and the start of Age of the Digital Ocean.
Recent Publications
Sustaining in situ Ocean Observations in the Age of the Digital Ocean
EMB Annual Report 2020
As for every other organization, the year 2020 was marked by the impact from COVID-19. As formulated by our Chair Gilles Lericolais in his foreword to the Annual Report, the search for solutions out of this crisis demonstrates that research is an investment in our future and should be kept at the heart of the EU’s new Framework Programme Horizon Europe. For EMB and our Member organizations, research and innovation are at the heart of our concerns, and this pandemic has brought new or different ways of organizing research activities, collaborating, networking, organising events, and communicating research results. Find out all about our activities in the EMB Annual Report 2020.
COVID and Marine Science Update
During summer 2020, the EMB Secretariat conducted a survey to ask EMB member organizations about the impacts that the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns had on their research and teaching activities. In a follow up, the survey was re-launched in February 2021 to find out what had changed.
7th EMB Forum Proceedings
The 7th EMB Forum took place online on 23rd October 2020 on the topic of 'Big Data in Marine Science: Supporting the European Green Deal, the EU 2030 Biodiversity Strategy, and a Digital Twin Ocean'. 192 participants from Europe and further afield were present, representing academia, government, industry, and NGOs. Experts gave presentations and participated in panel discussions, with audience interaction. This document is a summary of the discussions, and full recordings of the sessions are available on the EMB YouTube Channel.
Report on initiatives, strategies and roadmaps that contribute to foresight in ocean observation
This report captures the major foresight initiatives and documents relevant for European ocean observation and forecasting.
Policy Needs for Oceans and Human Health
This Policy Brief highlights the inextricable links between oceans health and human health. It presents the main challenges in moving towards a European policy framework that supports and enables Oceans and Human Health to be addressed in a holistic manner. It highlights the research, training, data, monitoring and funding needs to enable such a policy framework to be developed. This publication was produced together with the EU-funded SOPHIE project.
News
Launch of Policy Brief on sustaining in situ Ocean observations
Wednesday, 16 June 2021
The new EMB Policy Brief launched today (pdf) focuses on in situ Ocean observations and highlights their benefits, funding and governance challenges, and the investment needed for their transformation and sustainability.
New papers published on modelling tool for nutrient assessment
Friday, 21 May 2021
EMB Executive Director Sheila Heymans is a co-author in one of three new papers presenting a new tool for assessing the impacts of reduced nutrient inflow into European rivers and the ocean. This work has relevance for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the achievement of Good Environmental Status in European waters.
Every action counts: EMB pledge to Make Europe Blue
Thursday, 20 May 2021
No matter where you live, what you do or the scale of your pledge, we can all act together for a healthy ocean in Europe and beyond. EMB has joined the Make Europe Blue campaign and is ready to make action to protect the ocean and bring the Blue to everybody in Europe
Save our ocean to protect our health – scientists call for global action plan
Wednesday, 12 May 2021
Scientists have proposed the first steps towards a united global plan to save our ocean, for the sake of human health. In a commentary paper published in the American Journal of Public Health the researchers, including co-authors from the European Marine Board Secretariat, call for the current UN Ocean Decade to act as a meaningful catalyst for global change, reminding us that ocean health is intricately linked to human health.
New Science Officer joins EMB Secretariat
Tuesday, 04 May 2021
Ana Rodriguez joined the EMB Secretariat on Monday 3 May 2021 as a Science Officer. Ana Rodriguez (PhD 2019) obtained a B.Sc. degree in Biology at the Eberhard-Karls University of Tübingen (Germany) and subsequently completed an international M.Sc. in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation at Ghent University (Belgium), Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (Ireland) and Anton-de-Kom University (Suriname). She conducted her joint PhD degree at Heriot-Watt University and University of St Andrews (UK). Ana has experience working on marine conservation topics at WWF as well as at the European Commission. At EMB, she will take on the new upcoming H2020 project EcoScope which will focus on ecosystem-based management of fisheries, as well as other activities within the Secretariat.
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Upcoming Events
EMB Science Webinar - Biological time series for science and marine status assessment
15 July 2021
On Thursday 15 July 2021, EMB will host its eleventh Science Lunch Webinar on the topic of 'Biological time series for science and marine status assessment'. The webinar will be 1 hour long and will take place from 13:00 - 14:00 CEST.