31 members pledge nearly €220 million to maintain observation systems, close data gaps and improve forecasting of weather, climate and ocean conditions.
By Heapnews
The European Union and Canada have launched an international alliance aimed at strengthening global ocean observation, with partner countries so far pledging nearly €220 million in funding and in-kind support.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney launched the OceanEye International Alliance for the Global Ocean Observing System at a high-level event in New York during the 81st United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week.
The alliance has 31 members, including the EU and 30 countries, with commitments ranging from financial contributions to research vessels, sensors, drones and data-processing facilities.
The EU pledged an additional €92 million through its Horizon Europe programme, while Canada committed C$82 million over five years to expand its ocean-observation capacity.
The funding will support the maintenance of existing observation platforms, help close critical gaps in ocean data and strengthen coordination and data-reporting systems under the Global Ocean Observing System.
The system, jointly sponsored by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO and the World Meteorological Organization, generates about 120,000 observations a day from 8,000 platforms operated by 64 countries and 17 global observation networks.
The data are used for weather and climate forecasting, maritime safety, coastal protection, marine biodiversity monitoring and sustainable ocean-based economic activities.
But the system remains vulnerable to funding shortfalls and geopolitical disruptions, according to the alliance’s organisers, who say a broader and more stable funding base is needed to prevent gaps in ocean observations.
Von der Leyen said changing ocean conditions made reliable observation increasingly important.
“Ocean observation gives us eyes and ears beneath the waves,” she said, adding that the alliance would create a global network to improve understanding and protection of the ocean.
Carney said no country could independently gather all the information needed to understand and protect the world’s oceans.
“Every observation shared multiplies impact,” he said.
Under the EU’s €92 million contribution, €50 million will support global ocean-observing networks, including the deployment of additional equipment on the high seas. Another €30 million will fund new ocean-observation technologies, while €12 million will support international marine data flows.
The EU and Canada said they would work with partners to expand the alliance and improve coordination of global ocean observation, with further pledges expected at international meetings including COP31, the Our Ocean Conference in Halifax and the fourth UN Ocean Conference in Busan.
The alliance also envisages a European Digital Ocean System that would bring together existing European marine data services and eventually incorporate a fully operational European Digital Twin Ocean by 2030.