FROM SPACE TO GENOMICS : THE NEW FRONTIERS OF OCEAN SCIENCE
Technological progress regarding spatial and in situ observation, combined with improved data processing, provide real-time access to the state of the ocean. Scientific collaboration and knowledge-sharing open new perspectives for a better understanding of the interactions between ocean, climate and biodiversity.
On March 27, 2018, The Ocean and Climate Platform organised its first “Ocean and Climate Seminar”, in partnership with the Institut océanographique Paul Ricard and the Maison des Océans, focusing on the new boundaries of oceanographic observation: from the Copernicus programme of the European Commission (whose marine component is coordinated by Mercator Ocean) or the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) of IOC-UNESCO to the ecosystem’s unveiling by Tara Expeditions Foundation.
The development of new observation models and the combination of complementary data on the ocean (sea level, temperature, salinity, acidity, sea ice extent…) help us better understand our planet and predict future ocean and climate interactions. Three-dimensional and real-time ocean monitoring, the creation of new indicators such as the Ocean Monitoring Indicators developed by Mercator Ocean, and global scale ecosystem studies using genomics conducted by the Tara Expeditions Foundation, constitute important progress in the understanding of the links between ocean, climate and biodiversity.
Although improvement of measuring tools and technological advances boost the state of knowledge, many models still struggle to integrate the complexity of marine life. The comprehension of marine ecosystems and biodiversity is yet crucial for the implementation of effective adaptation and mitigation solutions to climate change. The launch of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) will be an opportunity to mobilise ocean stakeholders worldwide under a common dynamic to ensure that ocean science supports countries in the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG14) on ocean.
As UN Special Envoy for the Ocean Peter Thomson pointed out during the discussion, despite the fact that the surface of Mars is better known than the ocean floor, research and our understanding of the ocean-climate system are progressing.
Moderator:
- Patricia Ricard, President, Institut océanographique Paul Ricard and Vice-President of the Ocean and Climate Platform.
Speakers:
- Fabrice Messal, Multimedia and Outreach Project Manager, Mercator Océan
- Salvatore Aricò, Head of the Ocean Science Section, IOC-UNESCO
- Romain Troublé, Executive Director, Tara Expéditions Foundation and President of the Ocean and Climate Platform.
