European Marine Board | EuroSea foresight workshop
2023-03-15 - 2023-03-16 | Brussels, Belgium
The European Marine Board is organising a foresight workshop titled “Ensuring accurate climate related predictions in Europe by 2035” from 15 to 16 March 2023 in Brussels.
This workshop is supported by the Innovation Action “EuroSea”, one of the European Union’s contributions to the G7 Future of Seas and Oceans Flagship Initiative. 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).
EuroSea (eurosea.eu) is a European-funded project working to improve the European ocean observing and forecasting system in a global context. The project brings together key European actors of ocean observing and forecasting with users of oceanographic products and services.
For more information: www.marineboard.eu/events/eurosea-foresight-workshop

Integrated Ocean Carbon Research Working Group meeting
2023-05-03 - 2023-05-05 | Brussels, Belgium
The IOC UNESCO working group Integrated Ocean Carbon Research (IOC-R) workshop is co-sponsored by IOC/ UNESCO, the G7 Future of the Seas and Oceans Initiative, Ocean Decade Programme Ocean Negative Carbon Emission (ONCE) and hosted by the European Commission and its EU4OceanObs action. Besides IOC UNESCO, IOC-R is supported by the Integrated Marine Biosphere Research Project (IMBeR), the Surface Ocean – Lower Atmosphere Study (SOLAS), the Climate and Ocean Variability, Predictability and Change project (CLIVAR), the Global Carbon Project and International Ocean Carbon Coordination Project (IOCCP).

Established in 2018, the IOC Expert Working Group of the Integrated Ocean Carbon Research (IOC-R) aims at filling knowledge gaps in relation to ocean inorganic carbon by designing and promoting the implementation of a new generation of integrated ocean carbon research. The working group fosters active collaboration and synergies amongst IOC, IOCCP, SOLAS, IMBeR, GCP, CLIVAR, WCRP and relevant international efforts on carbon research.

Workshop objectives

Review the IOC-R vision document and identify areas requiring an update,
Identify a subset of emerging issues/knowledge gaps and/or areas to focus on in light of existing activities and articulate these in an updated vision document and other communications,
Structure the revised vision document and identify key messages,
Identify key actions in the field of ocean observation and research to fill the identified gaps in ocean carbon research
Identify section lead authors and contributors,
Produce a roadmap / timeline of activities.

Useful links

Integrated ocean carbon research: a summary of ocean carbon research, and vision of coordinated ocean carbon research and observations for the next decade – unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000376708
Horizon Europe OceanICU – New project for improved understanding of the ocean carbon cycle to inform climate action

European Maritime Day 2023
2023-05-24 - 2023-05-25 | Brest, France
The European Maritime Day (EMD) is the annual 2-day event during which Europe’s maritime community meet to network, discuss and outline joint action on maritime affairs and sustainable blue economy.
The EMD is the place where ‘Ocean Leaders Meet’. It provides an engaging and complete interactive experience to catch up on the current state of play on a broad range of issues concerning the blue economy and the marine environment and discuss ways of moving forward. It features a large number of excellent speakers, thematic sessions, stakeholder workshops and project pitch sessions organised by stakeholders and the European Commission. The EMD targets professionals from businesses, governments, public institutions, NGOs and academia.
The 2023 edition of the European Maritime Day will take place in Brest, France, on 24-25 May as physical event.
The EMD 2023 is being organised by the European Commission, the City of Brest, the Secretariat General for the Sea and the Region of Bretagne.
Don’t miss the following workshops dedicated to ocean observing and marine data for policy:

24 May | 14:30 – 15:45 – Workshop 23 (onsite) – Sustainable ocean observation, from open sea to coast: shared responsibilities (organisers: EuroGOOS, Euro-Argo ERIC, Eurofleets Plus, Ifremer and Esprit de Velox
24 May | 16:15 – 17:30 – Workshop 12 (onsite)- Benefiting from Maritime Data to Drive Marine Innovation (Technopôle Brest-Iroise, Blue-Cloud 2026, European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet), VesselAI and the European Ocean Observing System Framework (EOOS)

See the agenda for more information, by clicking here.
At the exhibition, there will be a stand dedicated to the European Digital Twin of the Ocean, hosted by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research (DG RTD) and Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE), together with Mercator Ocean International and VLIZ. For more information, click here.

International Symposium on Sea Ice 2023
2023-06-04 - 2023-06-09 | Bremerhaven, Germany
Organised by the International Glaciological Society, the Alfred-Wegener-Institute (AWI), Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, and the University of Bremen, the International Symposium on Sea Ice across Temporal and Spatial Scales will take place from 4 to 9 June 2023 in Bremerhaven, Germany.
This symposium will invite contributions by the international sea ice research community to exchange recent findings and advances in observations, process understanding, and modeling of sea ice world-wide.
Abstract submission: 17 February 2023
Early bird registration: 28 March 2023
More information available here.

Copernicus Marine General Assembly 2023
2023-06-05 - 2023-06-09 | Brussels, Belgium
The Copernicus Marine General Assembly will take place in Brussels, Belgium from 5 – 9 June 2023. This gathering will provide an opportunity to personally connect with the key stakeholders and Copernicus Marine community, including partners, contractors and downstream users.
The Copernicus Marine Service is the marine component of the European Union’s Copernicus Earth Observation Programme. It provides free, regular and systematic authoritative information on the physical and biogeochemical state of the global ocean and European seas, as well as of sea ice in polar regions. Copernicus Marine is designed to serve EU policies and International legal Commitments related to ocean governance, to cater for the needs of society at large for global ocean knowledge and to boost the Blue Economy across all maritime sectors by providing free-of-charge state-of-the-art ocean data and information.
For more information, visit the event website: Copernicus Marine General Assembly 2023 | CMEMS

Digital Ocean Forum 2023
2023-06-15 | Brussels, Belgium
The European Digital Twin of the Ocean (EU DTO), announced by President von der Leyen at the One Ocean Summit in Brest, will be a key deliverable of the EU Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters. Its purpose is to provide Ocean communities with actionable knowledge and to support them in their daily decisions and planning, to ensure a healthy and sustainable Ocean.
The Digital Ocean Forum 2023 will bring together experts, stakeholders, policymakers and interested citizens in the co-design and co-creation of the European Digital Twin of the Ocean.
The purpose of this event is to collaborate with stakeholders in defining the goals and aspirations that can be accomplished by setting up a robust EU DTO. The objectives public session will:

Present the EU DTO vision and report on progress to date
Provide a short input from a technical workshop, held on 14 June, featuring esteemed experts from approximately 50 invited research projects to gather their views on the development of the EU DTO, methods for potential contributions
Engage in forward looking discussion on how the EU DTO should serve Ocean communities and actors, how it should evolve, and how it will affect policy and decision making

This event is co-organised with Mercator Ocean International and the Flanders Marine Institute
Click here for information and to register.

2013-2023 | 10 years of the Galway Statement
2023-07-05 - 2023-07-06 | Galway, Ireland
Celebrating a decade of marine research cooperation along and across the Atlantic Ocean – Our Shared Resource

The event is co-organised by Irish Government, the European Commission, the Marine Institute, and the University of Galway. It will be a hybrid event held in Galway, Ireland, on 5-6 July 2023, bringing together European and international Atlantic partners and actors.

Much has happened since the Galway Statement was signed in May 2013 between Canada, the European Union and the United States of America. More than 1000 research teams have started to map the North Atlantic seabed, discovered new deep-water volcanoes and species, studied the effects of deep-sea mining and the changing climate on the biodiversity, created a network of floating universities, shared research infrastructures in the Atlantic and Arctic regions, and much else. These successes have led to a new ocean-scale cooperation, culminating in the signing of the All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance Declaration in Washington DC.

This event will also lead the way up towards the 2023 All-Atlantic Forum in South Africa, and it will interconnect with new strategic mobilisation initiatives that have also been launched in Europe, such as the Mission ‘Restore our Ocean and Waters’, with its Atlantic and Arctic lighthouse. Furthermore, it will empower future Atlantic stewards and ensure that all of these initiatives support the UN Decade of Ocean Science and the UN Sustainable Development Agenda 2030.

For more information, click here.

International Marine Debris Data Harmonization Workshop
2023-08-29 - 2023-08-31 | Yokohama, Japan
The overall goal of this international technical workshop is to enhance the level of data including associated metadata identification to support global data harmonization for selected key marine debris indicators that will underpin the successful mitigation of plastic pollution. The workshop will present the state of the art when it comes to harmonization of monitoring methods and data synthesis efforts but will predominantly include working/discussion sessions in plenary and dedicated breakout groups.
The 3-day workshop will take place in Yokohama, Tokyo, Japan, hosted by the Ministry of the Environment Japan (MOEJ) with organisation support from GEO Blue Planet, Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS)/ IOCCP and NIVA Norway and funding support from the European Union through the EU4OceanObs and EuroSea projects. The event will bring together about 50 invited participants, including international experts in marine debris data management, monitoring, and harmonization of methods.
For more information click here.

EuroSea Final General Assembly and Symposium 2023
2023-09-19 - 2023-09-21 | Paris
The EuroSea project entitled ‘Improving and Integrating European Ocean Observing and Forecasting Systems for Sustainable use of the Oceans’ is a EU-funded Horizon 2020 Innovation Action running from November 2019 to December 2023. Bringing together 55 institutes from EU and beyond, the project is a contribution to the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), and the G7 Future of the Seas and Oceans initiative. The final general assembly will take place from 19 to 20 Sept will reunite all partners to look back at the project period, the biggest achievements and of course challenges. The event will also look ahead at EuroSea’s legacy and next steps.
EuroSea worked to accelerate the Technology Readiness Levels of instruments, sensors and platforms, and integrating these observations with ocean models, delivering cost-effective actionable information for improved ocean governance and monitoring. EuroSea focused on innovation in the full ocean observing value chain – from the requirement setting to data collection and delivery of forecasts and information. EuroSea impact will result in knowledge transfer towards innovation in the European ocean observing, monitoring and governance in support of a sustainable blue economy and responding to policy needs.
This final meeting will be followed by the EuroSea Symposium on Ocean Observing and Forecasting on 21 September 2023 at the IOC-UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. The Symposium is a high-level event bringing together national and international stakeholders from policy, science, and industry. It will celebrate the remarkable innovations in European ocean observing and forecasting over recent years. It will serve as a platform for participants to reflect on past achievements and address the challenges that lie ahead in this vital field. The event aims to present and discuss recommendations for building a sustainable ocean observing and forecasting system that provides accessible, timely, and actionable data and information to all ocean users. By fostering collaboration between diverse stakeholders, including policymakers, scientists, and industry leaders, the symposium strives to develop a unified approach to ocean research and forecasting.

EuroSea final assembly 2023 agenda, click here.
EuroSea Symposium 2023 (including link to live streaming)

10th EuroGOOS International Conference
2023-10-03 - 2023-10-05 | Galway, Ireland
European operational oceanography for the ocean we want – addressing the UN Ocean Decade Challenges

The EuroGOOS International Conference takes place every three years to take stock of the progress in the development of the oceanographic services for society. This milestone event is a meeting point for marine scientists, technologists, research managers, and the users of oceanographic services, including decision and policymakers, private sector, and citizens.
Key priorities of the conference:

Analysing the state of the art and defining emerging priorities in operational oceanography;
Advancing the European Ocean Observing System Framework for the sustainability of in situ observations and European integration;
Towards a seamless forecasting of the ocean;
Strengthening the responsiveness of European operational oceanography to policy and governance needs;
Fostering engagement of all users and stakeholders to co-design the European operational oceanography;
Promoting diversity, equity and inclusiveness in oceanography and ocean science;
Integrating European operational oceanography into the global context.

More information on the programme and to register available here: https://marineinstitute.clr.events/event/133655#
Deadline for submission of abstracts: 16 April 2023

EurOcean 2023 Conference
2023-10-10 - 2023-10-12 | Galicia, Spain
EurOCEAN conferences are major European marine science-policy conferences organised every 4-5 years. They provide a forum for the marine and maritime research community and wider stakeholders to interface with European and Member State policymakers and strategic planners.
The aim of the EurOCEAN 2023 science-policy conference is to highlight the synergies between the EU Mission: Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030, other EU research and innovation, and management initiatives, and the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. EurOCEAN 2023 will attract marine policy makers, marine scientists, science stakeholders and communicators, maritime industry representatives and European and national decision makers and programme managers, i.e. those that set, manage and implement the marine science agenda.
For more information, visit: www.euroceanconferences.eu

GEO Blue Planet 6th Symposium
2023-10-31 - 2023-11-02 | Seoul, Korea
The 6th GEO Blue Planet Symposium to be held in Seoul, Korea from 31 October 31 – 2 November 2023 in Seoul, Korea. These GEO Blue Planet symposiums are designed to increase regional linkages, promoting linkages between stakeholders and the observing community and gathering community feedback on the focus of GEO Blue Planet activities.
This year’s symposium, themed Digital Solutions for Sustainable Oceans, is specifically geared towards improving GEO Blue Planet’s engagement with Asian nations to expand the Earth observation community of practice, strengthen local capacity and provide access to resources, tools, and services. The Korean symposium is scheduled to be held by establishing cooperative relationships with international organizations to enhance awareness of GEO Blue Planet in the Asia region.
This in-person event will feature plenary sessions centered on the GEO Blue Planet Core Action Areas of Stakeholder Engagement, Cooperation, and Co-design and Capacity Development. Additionally, it will include multiple sessions on Korean Marine Spatial Planning (K-MSP) and digital solutions, thematic workshops, and an interactive Symposium Forum.
More information will be made available on the event website: https://symposium.geoblueplanet.org/

GEO Week 2023 & Ministerial Summit Cape Town
2023-11-06 - 2023-11-10
GEO Week 2023 will take place in Cape Town, South Africa, from 6-10 November 2023. The week will include the GEO-19 Plenary from 8-9 November and the GEO Ministerial Summit on 10 November. Organized by the Group on Earth Observations (GEO), the event will be hosted by the Government of South Africa.
The theme for this year’s GEO Week and the Ministerial Summit is The Earth Talks, reflecting GEO’s unique ability to listen to what our planet is saying and inspire actions through trusted, open Earth observation solutions. In the run-up to the Plenary and Ministerial Summit, the meeting will demonstrate this ability through a series of community events on 6-7 November and an exhibition that will run throughout the week.
EU4OceanObs and GEO Blue Planet will hold a flash talk on 6 November on showcasing the ocean observing value chain to respond to stakeholder information needs.
For more information, click visit the event website: https://www.earthobservations.org/geoweek2023.php

Towards a new Arctic Ocean – Past, Present, Future
2023-11-07 - 2023-11-09 | Tromso, Norway
The Nansen Legacy project invites the Arctic research community to the international symposium in Tromsø, Norway, 7-9 November 2023.
Contributions and discussions across the Earth system science will shed light on and reveal regional characteristics, connections and pan-Arctic responses. Current understanding of the Arctic Ocean across disciplines and regions will be presented and discussed.

Call for abstracts open. Deadline 15 May 2023.
Symposium website: www.nansenlegacy-symposium.com
Programme overview: www.nansenlegacy-symposium.com/program/program-overview/
To register: www.nansenlegacy-symposium.com/registration/

EMODnet Open Conference 2023
2023-11-29 - 2023-11-30 | Brussels, Belgium
The EMODnet Open Conference 2023 is a public, in-person event in Brussels, Belgium. This provides a unique opportunity to gain access to cutting-edge marine data service updates, influential speakers, have your say in EMODnet’s evolution and expand your network, connecting and exchange with EMODnet experts from the EMODnet partnership, associated partners, data providers, service providers, users and wider stakeholders from Europe and around the world.
The 2023 Conference will be the first of its kind since the unification of EMODnet thematic services in January 2023. It will showcase the upgraded EMODnet Central Portal and the added value of a single entry point to discover, search, visualise and download all of EMODnet’s marine data and data products, and the value of centralised features and functionalities.
EMODnet continues to evolve. At the Conference, EMODnet experts from the full partnership will present the latest developments and innovations in EMODnet’s in situ marine data services, user-interface and infrastructure to meet user and policy needs for a digital and green future.
This will include EMODnet’s key role in the EU Digital Twin Ocean, including the creation of a common data lake between EMODnet and Copernicus Marine Service. It will also discuss how the EMODnet offer is evolving in terms of diversifying data collection e.g., citizen science, filling data gaps in existing parameters, resolution and geographical scope, expanding data parameters e.g., genomics, and increasing EMODnet’s offer of marine data and knowledge for societally relevant topics e.g., coastal vulnerability, sea level rise, biodiversity etc.
Visit the conference website for more information: https://emodnetconference2023.eu/

Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership Symposium
2024-02-13 - 2024-02-14 | Brussels
“Charting the course towards a Sustainable Blue Economy” Symposium
The first Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership Symposium taking place on 13-14 February 2024 at the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium will bring together thought leaders, experts, and practitioners in a big-scale European event to promote the transformation towards a sustainable blue economy.
For more information, click here.

Ocean Observation and Prediction for Coastal Sustainability in Africa
2024-03-04 - 2024-03-07 | Nairobi, Kenya
Building on the outcomes of the Coastal Hazards Plenary Session and Coastline Changes workshop held during the GEO Blue Planet 5th Symposium (2022, Accra), this event will focus on identifying the priorities and needs for ocean observations and prediction to address the challenges of coastal sustainability in Africa. Presentations and discussions will leverage extensive work led by international groups on the regional strategy for sustainable marine and coastal development for Africa.

This workshop is designed to explore the role of ocean observation and prediction in addressing stakeholders needs aligned with the AU blue strategy, the UN Ocean Decade roadmap and in particular the formulation of international frameworks around four thematic areas:

Shoreline and bathymetry changes
Coastal flooding and inundation
Coastal ecosystem mapping
Coastal waters quality

Click here for more information.
Funding and technical support for this workshop is provided by the European Union through EU4OceanObs/ GEO Blue Planet EU Office.

Arctic Science Summit Week 2024
2024-03-21 - 2024-03-29
The Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW) is organised annually by the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) to provide opportunities for coordination, cooperation and collaboration between the various scientific organisations involved in Arctic research. It was initiated by the IASC in 1999 and has evolved into the most important annual gathering of the Arctic research organisation.
The summit brings together perspectives from across national and operational/research boundaries, and centers Indigenous priorities in the conversation. Working groups at the summit link regional Arctic observing efforts into global observing systems, provide community input into SAON initiatives, connect the broader observing community with data system efforts, and highlight areas of pressing need within the observing community. The AOS facilitates these conversations through a short statement and white paper process, and plenary and breakout sessions at the summit. Recommendations generated at the summit inform decisions from the project level to the Arctic Science Ministerial. Through the AOS, the Arctic observing community works together to build a more resilient, efficient, and equitable observing system. The AOS has been a hybrid meeting since 2022.
For more information, click here.

Ocean Decade 2024 Satellite Events
2024-04-08 - 2024-04-09 | Barcelona, Spain
EU4OceanObs is supporting two satellite events in the framework of the Ocean Decade Conference 2024 in Barcelona.
8 April 2024 | 3:30 – 7:00 pm
Connecting the world around Ocean prediction: A vision for the Decade and beyond
Co-organised by the Ocean Prediction Decade Collaborative Centre and GEO Blue Planet, with funding from EU4OceanObs, this satellite event is designed to be a dynamic dialogue, followed by a networking reception with posters on the applications of prediction and a social dinner. This event will promote action and foster collaborations under the “Predicted Ocean” outcome of the Decade towards a society that understands and can respond to changing ocean conditions.
For more information and to register: https://events.unoceanprediction.org/connecting-the-world-around-ocean-prediction

9 April 2024 | 9:30 – 11:30 am
DTO4ECOPS: Leveraging Ocean Data Networks with Cloud Technologies To Deliver the Ocean We Want, Today & Tomorrow
Co-organised by GEO Blue Planet in partnership with EDITO-Infra, Iliad and Invemar, the workshop will revisit existing ocean data sharing efforts across regions, including data & information management and capacity building initiatives and networks and take stock of ongoing ocean digital twinning efforts with a view to discuss how early career ocean professionals (ECOPs) can leverage these efforts and technologies to catalyse the successful delivery of Ocean Decade goals.
For more information and to register: https://events.edito-infra.eu/dto4ecops
Participate in a preparatory survey to gather ECOP perspectives on digital twins of the ocean for sustainable development: click here to access survey.

Ocean Decade Conference 2024
2024-04-10 - 2024-04-12 | Barcelona, Spain
The 2024 Ocean Decade Conference focuses on ‘delivering the science we need for the ocean we want’. Hosted by the Government of Spain in Barcelona from 10 – 12 April 2024, the gathering will bring together the global Ocean Decade community and partners to celebrate and take stock of progress, and set joint priorities for the future. An important milestone on the path to 2030, the event will cover the full range of Ocean Decade Challenges including critical issues such as climate change, food security, sustainable management of biodiversity, sustainable ocean economy, pollution, and natural hazards.
Over three days, the conference will create a new foundation to strengthen the sustainable management of the ocean and drive science-based innovation, from global to local, leaving no one behind. In the lead up to the Conference, partners will also have the opportunity to complement the official Conference programme through Satellite Events.
For more information, visit the conference website.

9th Our Ocean Conference Greece 2024
2024-04-15 - 2024-04-17 | Athens, Greece
Greece will host the 9th Our Ocean Conference in 2024. The Conference is scheduled to take place in Athens, at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, on the 16th and 17th of April. The Our Ocean Youth Leadership Summit will be held parallel to the main conference, starting the day before, on the 15th of April.
The Our Ocean Conference was first launched under the initiative of the U.S. Department of State in 2014. Since then, it has gradually become a forum for dialogue that brings together governments, international organizations,academia, the private sector, and NGOs that share a common vision for the protection of the oceans and take action to support this vision.
For more information, click here.

European Maritime Day 2024
2024-05-30 - 2024-05-31 | Svendborg, Denmark
The 2024 edition of the European Maritime Day will take place in Svendborg, Denmark, on 30-31 May as a physical event, at the SIMAC Academy- Svendborg International Maritime Academy (Address: Nordre Kajgade 9A, 5700 Svendborg)
The European Maritime Day (EMD) is the annual two-day event during which Europe’s maritime community meet to network, discuss and outline joint action on maritime affairs and sustainable blue economy.
The EMD is the place where ‘Ocean Leaders Meet’. It provides an engaging and completely interactive experience to catch up on the current state of play on a broad range of issues concerning the blue economy and the marine environment and to discuss ways of moving forward.
It features a large number of inspirational speakers, thematic sessions, stakeholder workshops and pitch sessions organised by stakeholders and the European Commission. The EMD targets professionals from businesses, governments, public institutions, NGOs and academia as well as EU citizens interested in the Sea.
The EMD 2024 is being organised by the European Commission, the Municipality of Svendborg and the Danish Maritime Authority.
For more information, visit https://maritime-day.ec.europa.eu/index_en

Digital Ocean Forum 2024
2024-06-12 - 2024-06-13 | Brussels, Belgium
The 3rd edition of the Digital Ocean Forum will take place from 12 to 13 June 2024 in Brussels. This annual event brings together experts, stakeholders, policymakers and interested citizens in the co-design and co-creation of the European Digital Twin of the Ocean. The first day is dedicated to a closed scientific and technical workshop, followed by a high level event on day 2. The event is hosted by the European Commission with support from Mercator Ocean International and the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) – two main partners leading the development of the core infrastructure of the European Digital Twin of the Ocean (EDITO project).
More information coming soon.
Also see

DOF 2023 – https://research-innovation-community.ec.europa.eu/events/7Akod3Zv5fHhhQ6lRKEfgI/overview
DOF 2022 – https://www.mercator-ocean.eu/en/news/digital-ocean-forum-2022-highlights/
European Digital Twin of the Ocean – https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe/eu-missions-horizon-europe/restore-our-ocean-and-waters/european-digital-twin-ocean-european-dto_en

G7 Science and Technology Ministerial 2024 and related events
2024-07-09 - 2024-07-12 | Bologna, Italy
9 – 11 July | G7 Science and Technology Ministerial 2024
The Science and Technology Ministers of the Group of Seven, including the European Union, will convene from 9 to 11 July 2024 in Bolognia and Forlì, Italy, to discuss the pivotal role of science and research in ensuring a more equitable and sustainable future, and to explore possible shared initiatives to achieve this goal.
The agenda includes sessions, each focusing on one of the priority themes identified by the Italian Presidency: research security and integrity, open science and science communication; large research infrastructures; research and innovation cooperation with Africa; research on new and emerging technologies, nuclear energy and space; seas, ocean, and their biodiversity.
For more information, visit: https://www.g7italy.it/en/
11 July | Conference on Mediterranean and Atlantic Ocean Health and Coastal Resilience
On 11 July 2024, a high-level event, jointly organized by the Italian Ministry of Universities and Research and the European Commission will take place under the framework of the G7 Science and Technology 2024. The event will address the Mediterranean macro-region and Atlantic Ocean’s health and coastal resilience towards climate related extreme events.The conference will showcase the progress made in monitoring, restoring and regenerating the ocean, seas and coastal areas, transitioning from research and innovation to local deployment, also through the development of the Digital Twin of the Ocean.
The event will feature strategic mobilization initiatives involving G7 countries, with particular focus on the EU Mission ‘Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030’, the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership (SBEP), the All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance, and the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA). It will also link to international organizations and research and innovation initiatives, such as the Union for the Mediterranean and UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.
For more information, click here.
12 July | G7 FSOI Workshop on Marine Research Infrastructures integration and harmonization
Organised by the G7 FSOI working group with support from the EU coordination centre supported by EU4OceanObs, the workshop aims to bring together representatives of national agencies or ministries who finance ocean observing networks, leading experts and/or managers of national or regional marine research infrastructure/observing networks, Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) national focal points, and relevant experts from the Group of Senior Officials on Global Research Infrastructures to provide advice on how other global research infrastructures have been established and operated. The worshop aims to:

Map the G7 member ocean observation systems sustained by Marine Research Infrastructure funding or other forms of long-term infrastructure investment.
Assess current limitations for transition to sustained funding for ocean observations, drawing on lessons learnt from national approaches.
Map existing common services that are shared within and between networks. Barriers that limit global infrastructure sharing and integration opportunities to draw on best practices
Define action to progress towards a common vision and strategy for the integration and harmonization of national infrastructures into a global/international research infrastructure focusing on next steps for 2025.

For more information, click here.

2nd EU-Caribbean Global Gateway Conference on Sargassum
2024-10-01 - 2024-10-02 | St Georges, Grenada, Saint Georges, Grenada
The 2nd EU-Caribbean Global Gateway Conference on Sargassum will take place from 1 to 2 October 2024 in St. Georges, Grenada.
This high-level event is organized by the European Union (EU) in partnership with the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), under the auspices of Hon. Dickon Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada. This 2-day conference aims to shape the political discussion at the regional level amongst governments, organizations, industry, academia, and financing institutions to drive investment and build sustainable sargassum value chains.

EuroGEO Workshop 2024
2024-10-08 - 2024-10-10 | Krakow, Poland
Coordinate, Combine, Cooperate
EuroGEO is the regional coordination mechanism that aims to consolidate and coordinate activities throughout Europe that contribute to GEO (Group on Earth Observations) initiatives.
Since EuroGEO’s inception, the European landscape has significantly changed. Firstly, at EU level, with the implementation of the EU Space Programme, which provides the necessary infrastructure, data, and technological advancements, whilst EuroGEO coordinates and integrates these resources to address global and regional challenges through GEO work programme activities. And secondly, at GEO level, with the adoption of the ‘post-2025’ GEO work programme, which shifts from “Earth observation” to “Earth Intelligence” and from a focus on services to equity, in order to bridge the global information gaps.
At this critical juncture, this year’s EuroGEO workshop, which will take place in Krakow from 8 to 10 October, aims to invite and mobilise the EO community to reposition EuroGEO in the light of both the evolving European landscape and GEO strategy.
The GEO Blue Planet European Office, supported by EU4OceanObs, works closely with the EuroGEO secretariat to ensure better uptake and visibility of relevant ocean and coastal related European pgorammes and actions, contributions and priorities within GEO Blue Planet and the wider GEO community.
To register and for more information, visit https://eurogeosec.eu/egw2024/

All-Atlantic Forum 2024
2024-10-08 - 2024-10-10 | Ottawa, Canada
The 2024 All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance (AAORIA) Forum will bring together representatives from the Atlantic community, including AAORIA Partners (i.e. Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Cabo Verde, the European Union, Iceland, Morocco, Norway, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States). The 2024 Forum will highlight opportunities for collaborative science including a focus on coordinating efforts on ocean observation and increasing our understanding of the relationship between ocean and climate to support coastal resilience.
The 2024 Forum will showcase the scientific coordination taking place in the context of AAORIA to help address ocean challenges. AAORIA aims to be an open community and will continue to bring in new partners to advance the goals of the All-Atlantic Declaration.
For more information, click here.

Marine User Days
2024-11-05 - 2024-11-06 | Lisbon, Portugal
The EUMETSAT Marine User Days will bring together existing and prospective users from across the diverse marine user community. Focusing on the data provided by the European organisations involved in the Copernicus programme and their role in oceanography and marine applications, the event will act as a showcase for use cases. It is also a networking opportunity for users across the value chain, and will feature a workshop to engage with user needs and feedback.
For more information, visit https://www.eumetsat.int/marine-user-days

OceanPredict Symposium (OP’24)
2024-11-18 08:00 - 2024-11-22 17:00 UTC | Paris
The OceanPredict Symposium (OP’24) will take place from 18 – 22 November 2024, with the last day reserved to the OceanPredict Science Team meeting. The overarching theme of OceanPredict ’24 will be “Advancing ocean prediction science for societal benefits” to highlight the central role played by ocean prediction in the UN Ocean Decade goals. It will invite ocean and atmospheric scientists, observation specialists, industry representatives, service providers, governments, and users of ocean data & products from across the international operational oceanography community to engage in science sessions, exhibitions and discussions to explore and define the direction of operational oceanography.
The symposium will seek to

accelerate the evolution of operational oceanography as a key component of Earth System Modeling;
identify the growing and changing needs of users and how to enhance service delivery;
align the objectives with the goals of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development

A plenary session on user applications and societal observations is planned in collaboration with GEO Blue Planet.
To register, submit an abstract and more information, visit: https://www.oceanpredict24.org/

GEO Blue Planet workshops on Eutrophication and Marine Litter
2025-01-08 - 2025-01-09 | Paris
The GEO Blue Planet EU Office, supported by EU4OceanObs and hosted at Mercator Ocean International is organising two workshops in early January in Paris on:

Nutrient Monitoring Across the GEO Work Programme Workshop, click here for more info: https://geoblueplanet.org/events/nutrient-monitoring-across-the-geo-work-programme-workshop/
IMDOS 1st Steering Committee Meeting. Click here for more info: https://geoblueplanet.org/events/imdos-1st-steering-committee-meeting/
