Towards a sustained and fit-for-purpose European ocean observing and forecasting system
The EU funded project EuroSea brought together key actors of the European ocean observing and forecasting communities with key users of the ocean observing products and services in order to better integrate existing ocean observation systems and tools, and to improve the delivery of ocean information to users. EuroSea was constructed around the ocean observing value chain that connects observations to users of ocean information, and, just as intended, the value chain concept was a useful prism to improve the system. In this article, we summarize some of the main take-home messages from EuroSea on the needs for developing the European Ocean Observing System and its links with modeling and forecasting systems. During the project, the challenges and gaps in the design and coordination of the European ocean observing and forecasting system were identified and mapped. Many gaps and challenges related to the observations of physical, chemical and biological Essential Ocean Variables were identified. Some of these gaps are related to technological developments, while others are caused by insufficient and short-term funding leading to a not sustainable system, management, and cooperation between different entities, as well as limitations in foresight activities, policies and decisions. This article represents a compilation of the broader needs for advancing the observing and forecasting system, and is meant as a guide for the community, and to funders and investors to advance ocean observing and the delivery of ocean information in Europe. To enhance the sustainability of ocean observations, which is paramount for a reliable provision of quality oceanographic data and services, several recommendations were compiled for ocean observing networks, frameworks, initiatives, as well as the ocean observing funders within the European nations, and the European Commission.
Authors
- George Petihakis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4290-3588)
- Toste Tanhua (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0313-2557)
- Caroline Cusack (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4118-2966)
- Artur Palacz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1634-7880)
- Jay Pearlman
- Inga Lips (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6556-6281)
- Bàrbara Barceló‐Llull (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4219-6676)
- Abed El Rahman Hassoun (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1940-215X)
- Gabriel Navarro (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8919-0060)
- Johannes Karstensen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5044-7079)
- Ángel Muñiz Piniella (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3665-4009)
- Giovanni Liguori (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1617-350X)
- Johanna J. Heymans (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7290-8988)
- Dina Eparkhina (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3993-0240)
- Erik van Doorn (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-5951-7926)
- Kirsten Wilmer-Becker
- Martha B. Dunbar (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1834-5843)
- Nicole Köstner
- Ananda Pascual (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9476-9272)
- Sabrina Speich (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5452-8287)
- Maciej Telszewski (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9139-226X)
- Ana Lara-López (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2896-1367)
- Karina von Schuckmann
- Pierre-Yves Le Traon
- Begoña Pérez Gómez
- Emma Heslop
Institutions
- Met Office (GB)
- University of Tasmania (AU)
- Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ES)
- University of Wollongong (AU)
- École Normale Supérieure - PSL (FR)
- Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (US)
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (DE)
- Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique (FR)
- Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (FR)
- European Global Ocean Observing System (BE)
- CMCC Foundation - Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change (IT)
- Institut Pierre-Simon Laplace (FR)
- Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (ES)
- Mercator Ocean (France) (FR)
- Association des Operateurs Postaux Publics Europeens (BE)
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (GR)
- Institut d'écologie et des sciences de l'environnement de Paris (FR)
- Instytut Oceanologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk (PL)
- MSD (Spain) (ES)
- Instituto de Ciencias Marinas de Andalucía (ES)
- Institut de Ciències del Mar (ES)
- Marine Institute (IE)
- Universitat de les Illes Balears (ES)
- University of Bologna (IT)
- Polish Academy of Sciences (PL)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Frontiers in Marine Science
- Published
- 2024-10-16
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2024.1394549
- Citations
- 4
- Primary Topic
- Atmospheric and Environmental Gas Dynamics
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.13
Funders
- European Commission
- GEOMAR Helmholtz-Zentrum für Ozeanforschung Kiel
- Horizon 2020 Framework Programme