On 23 September 2026, President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen and Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, in partnership with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) hosted a High-Level Pledging Event for the OceanEye International Alliance: Stronger Together for Ocean Observation during the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High Level Week in New York (United States). The event convened Heads of State and Government, civil society partners and United Nations organisations to reaffirm their commitment to the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) programme co-sponsored by IOC-UNESCO and WMO. [1]
The GOOS programme brings together 64 countries, 17 global observation networks, and 8,000 platforms delivering 120,000 observations per day, providing essential data to support sustainable ocean management. The OceanEye International Alliance for the GOOS aims to broaden financial and in-kind support to GOOS, sustain existing national and international infrastructures, close critical observation gaps, promote more equitable governance and funding arrangements, and advance international commitments, including Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life below Water) and the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement). [1] A total of 31 members have joined the OceanEye International Alliance, including the European Union (EU) and 30 countries. [2]
The OceanEye International Alliance builds on the OceanEye initiative. Adopted by the European Commission in June 2026 to strengthen and broaden the EU's role in ocean observation, the OceanEye sets out a vision for a European Digital Ocean System, bringing together existing European services such as the Copernicus Marine Service, the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet), WISE Marine, and WISE Freshwater, creating a single-entry point for high-quality ocean data and marine knowledge. This system will also include the European Digital Twin Ocean, set to be fully operational by 2030, enabling real-time monitoring and predictive modelling for policy and industry. [2]
The foundation of marine knowledge is high-quality ocean observations, with observations falling into two distinct categories, those taken by satellites (remote sensing) and those sampled through in situ technology (direct measurements in the environment). Satellites offer a global view of the surface of the ocean for a number of key parameters, which are essential for providing global coverage in near real-time, including for ocean forecasting and prediction. In situ ocean observations are collected by sensors and samplers placed in seawater, on/in the seafloor, the coastal zone and surrounding air. [3]
Explore the Map of the Week to learn about some of the oceanographic instruments used to collect data about the ocean. This map is composed of three map layers which include information about Argo floats, underwater gliders and Ferrybox. Read the description of the map layers to learn about the characteristics of these oceanographic instruments. Click on the symbols on the map, indicating the position of these oceanographic instruments, to learn what parameters are being measured (e.g. water temperature, water salinity). As you can see from the description of the map layers, the data in the map has been provided by EMODnet, a core component in the European Digital Ocean System. [4]
Wish to learn more?
Get insight on ocean observation, why it is important and what it involves by consulting the websites of GOOS and EuroGOOS;
Discover the Adopt a Float educational programme;
Have a look at the State of Global Water Resources 2025 report published by WMO on 17 September 2026.
Did you know?
On 24 September, people across the world celebrated World Maritime Day. The 2026–2027 World Maritime Day theme is "From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence".
Are you a teacher?
Would you like to learn more about the European Atlas of the Seas and how you could use it in your classroom? The Network of European Blue Schools is organising a webinar on the Atlas on 21 October 2026 at 6 pm CEST. Interested? Register now!
The data in the map is provided by EMODnet.
The European Atlas of the Seas is powered by the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet). Don’t miss the latest news, register for the monthly EMODnet News Digest.
[2] The 30 countries include Angola, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cabo Verde, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Madagascar, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Norway, Namibia, Palau, Portugal, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, the Netherlands, the Faroe Islands and the United Kingdom.
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_26_1954