The EuroSea foresight workshop will consider the Ocean Observation System in 2035, and look for pathways to ensure its sustainability in all European Ocean basins to deliver accessible, timely, and actionable information to all users who rely on this system. The expected outcomes of this workshop are key recommendations for mechanisms to sustainably fund and coordinate Ocean observation, prediction and information delivery in Europe. These will inform a report on recommendations to the Framework of the European Ocean Observing System (EOOS).
The European Union (EU), through the European Green Deal and other instruments, has set ambitious targets to achieve climate neutrality, while transitioning to a climate resilient society, restoring damaged ecosystems and bringing nature back across Europe. To achieve these targets, information on the current state of the environment and reliable predictions are essential to inform actions such as laws & policies, city & land planning, preparation for emergency events and management of natural resources and services. However, the information we obtain from the Ocean, through observations and monitoring, is currently not enough to inform decision-making processes and achieve the European Green Deal objectives. Consequently, the European Commission launched the “Ocean observation – sharing responsibility” initiative to achieve a common EU approach for measuring once and using the data for many purposes. In order to achieve this common approach, there is the need to tackle the growing disconnect between what information is needed from the Ocean and how to fund the value chain that provides this information. This foresight workshop aims to address some challenging issues of how EU Member States and Associated Countries can make sure that their Ocean information systems allow them to make informed decisions for climate adaptation and foresee extreme events, among others.
The foresight workshop will take place on 15-16 March 2023 at the Museum of Natural Sciences, Brussels (Belgium). For more information you can contact: amuniz@marineboard.eu