European Commission logo
Energy, Climate change, Environment

EMODnet and European Atlas of the Seas at the UN Ocean Conference 2022

News article |
Marine Data Interoperability Side Event - Group picture of the speakers (© Louis Demargne. All rights reserved)

From 27 June – 1 July 2022, ocean stakeholders gathered in Lisbon, Portugal for the second UN Ocean Conference. Experts from across the EMOD-network co-organised and participated in a number of activities, including a side event on Marine Data Interoperability co-organised by EMODnet, IOC-UNESCO, Fugro, IODE/IOC, VLIZ, Copernicus Marine Service and the Intertidal Agency, in collaboration with the EC and the UN Ocean Decade Data Coordination Group, for which EMODnet is a co-Chair, and a side event on “Digital Ocean Systems” co-organised by Mercator Ocean International, amongst others.

Ocean Literacy also featured highly on the agenda with a side event on Ocean Literacy Dialogues co-organised by the EC DG MARE, the European Ocean Literacy Coalition EU4Ocean and IOC-UNESCO.

In addition, EMODnet was highlighted as a key marine data service and infrastructure for the EU Green Deal, Digital Twin Ocean, UN 2030 Agenda and the UN Ocean Decade. The European Atlas of the Seas communication tool was also noted to be the mapping tool selected by the EC for reporting the evolution of Mission “Restore our Ocean, seas and inland waters by 2030”. And it was celebrated as a tool for education at the event Creating Good Vibes' Generations which brought together the Escola Azul community, the Portuguese network of Blue Schools, a key component of the European Ocean Literacy EU4Ocean Coalition.

The need for high quality, open access, interoperable marine data and information featured highly on the agenda of the UN Ocean Conference 2022, which had the overarching theme "Scaling up ocean action based on science and innovation for the implementation of Goal 14: stocktaking, partnerships and solutions".

On 27 June, EMODnet was invited to the event “Digital Ocean Systems to strengthen and support the implementation of sustainable development goals” organized by Mercator Ocean International, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO), the UNEP Global Environment Monitoring Service – Oceans, and the European Commission are hosting the UN Ocean Conference side event. EMODnet and the Copernicus Marine Service were both highlighted as key marine data services and infrastructures underpinning the EU Digital Twin Ocean, in the context of the EU Destination Earth initiative and global DITTO programme.

On 29 June 2022, EMODnet co-organised a side event on global marine data interoperability, in collaboration with IOC-UNESCO, IOC-UNESCO, Fugro, IODE/IOC, VLIZ, Copernicus Marine Service and the Intertidal Agency, in collaboration with the EC and the UN Ocean Decade Data Coordination Group, for which EMODnet is a co-Chair. The meeting attracted 128 in person registrations, with interventions from regional marine and environmental services around the world including South Africa, Australia, China, U.S., and Europe, together with global initiatives including the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), UN Ocean Decade Data Coordination Group and more. The recording, presentations and key messages are made available on the EMODnet Central Portal, side event webpage.

Jan-Bart Calewaert, EMODnet Secretariat, UN Ocean Decade Data Coordination Group Co-Chair, giving the opening speech of the Marine Data Interoperability Side Event in Lisbon.
Jan-Bart Calewaert, EMODnet Secretariat, UN Ocean Decade Data Coordination Group Co-Chair, giving the opening speech of the Marine Data Interoperability Side Event in Lisbon.

 

Kate Larkin, EMODnet Secretariat, speaking with other marine data experts at the UN Ocean Conference side event on Marine Data Interoperability.
Kate Larkin, EMODnet Secretariat, speaking with other marine data experts at the UN Ocean Conference side event on Marine Data Interoperability.

 

On the same day, the side event 'Ocean Literacy Dialogues' organised by IOC-UNESCO and the EU4Ocean Coalition brought together networks and partners from across the world who shared their experience and recommendations for transformational Ocean Literacy in the future. This followed a number of ocean literacy related events at the Conference including an Escola Azul Portuguese Blue Schools event on 27 June where the European Atlas of the Seas was highlighted as a key tool used by teachers in their formal education spanning Science, Mathematics and English. Whilst most teaching resources available on the European Atlas of the Seas are in English, there are a growing number of resources available in other EU languages thanks to the contribution of professional educators.

Ocean Literacy Dialogues at the UN Ocean Conference.
Ocean Literacy Dialogues at the UN Ocean Conference.

 

Kate Larkin, EMODnet Secretariat, with Escola Azul teachers
Kate Larkin, EMODnet Secretariat, with Escola Azul teachers at the event Creating Good Vibes' Generations in Lisbon.

 

On 30 June, Director-General of European Commission DG MARE, Charlina Vitcheva, presented the Charter for the Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030” and highlighted the use of the European Atlas of the Seas to record the evolution of Mission Ocean activities.

European Atlas of the Seas Map being shown at Mission Ocean event.
European Atlas of the Seas Map being shown at Mission Ocean event.

External Links

UN Ocean Conference 2022 draft declaration, draft report and more