The digital revolution is an opportunity to build an integrated model of the ocean, covering physics, chemistry, marine life and human activities. This digital twin will make it possible to model possible futures for the ocean, thus informing political decisions and monitoring their effects. It will also enable the marine economy to develop in a way that respects ecosystems, and feed dialogue with stakeholders and the public. In this way, it will bring together knowledge and test scenarios for action, in the service of European blue growth and global governance.
This digital twin was conceived by the European Commission as part of its "Restore our ocean and waters by 2030" mission. Mercator Ocean International, then a not-for-profit company based in Toulouse, is involved in coordinating the project in collaboration with the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) through the EDITO-Infra project.
At the One Ocean Summit, six European states (France, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain and the UK) committed themselves via the "Brest Declaration" to developing European oceanographic excellence by transforming the MOI into an intergovernmental body. Its objective is to provide oceanography-based services of general interest, focused on the conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas and marine resources.
At the Digital Ocean Forum in June 2023, the European Commission reasserted its commitment to invest in the development of a digital twin conceived as a public good with the aim of transforming the collected data into knowledge made available to all. This data will include the physical, chemical, biological, socio-ecological and economic dimensions of the ocean over forecasting periods of several decades.