What does the EU do to expand ocean knowledge?
The EU is committed to the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030.
The EU is a model of good practice in sharing marine data and ocean observations. The obligation for EU countries to share marine data and cooperate at EU and regional level to improve their data collection and monitoring is well established in the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive.
Information and data on the state of Europe’s seas is made available in the WISE Marine Information System for Europe and on EMODnet.
The Copernicus Marine Service provides free and open marine data and real-time ocean monitoring, forecasting and – together with the Copernicus Climate Change Service – ocean climate monitoring and prediction services. This covers both EU sea basins and the global ocean.
The EU is a strong partner in the G7 Future of the Seas and Ocean Initiative and the GEO Blue Planet initiative, helping provide public information on ocean and coasts.
The EU promotes public awareness of maritime issues (ocean literacy) and supports action to promote changes in attitudes and personal behaviour that can lead to sustainable practices as regards the ocean. It has also embarked on a collaboration with UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission to improve work on ocean literacy.
Science diplomacy improves mutual understanding and shared visions and action. The EU reaches out to non-EU countries and organisations with its research partnerships, projects and funding under Horizon Europe and the Global Europe instrument.
