The overarching objective of AtlantOS is to achieve a transition from a loosely-coordinated set of existing ocean observing activities to a sustainable, efficient, and fit-for-purpose Integrated Atlantic Ocean Observing System (IAOOS), by defining requirements and systems design, improving the readiness of observing networks and data systems, and engaging stakeholders around the Atlantic; and leaving a legacy and strengthened contribution to the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) and the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). AtlantOS will fill existing in-situ observing system gaps and will ensure that data are readily accessible and useable. AtlantOS will demonstrate the utility of integrating in-situ and Earth observing satellite based observations towards informing a wide range of sectors using the Copernicus Marine Monitoring Services and the European Marine Observation and Data Network and connect them with similar activities around the Atlantic. AtlantOS will support activities to share,

The EFFECTIVE main objective is to develop a comprehensive scientific knowledge base and practical guidance, combining science, technological nature-based solution, digitalization, and social implication for the application of the Ecosystem-Based management to the protection and restoration management of the EU’s Mediterranean Blue Natural Capital. To ensure the success of this main objective, the EFFECTIVE project counts on partners with broad expertise in relevant areas covering all the three pillars of the EBMS (from applying research stages until companies) as follows: managerial pillar, information pillar, and participation pillar and also a nature-based solution. In addition, this project provides the implementation of the EBMS in four pilot areas (Mar de l’Empordà, Ebro Delta, Sardinia Septentrional, Cavo Greco) towards protection and restoration solutions, besides taking into account the connectivity between three of them through the existing Cetacean Migration Corridor. To achieve the EFFECTIVE main objective, the following 5 specific objectives (SO) are identified: SO 1. Apply EBMS to identify, analyze and extend an ecological corridor in the Mediterranean Sea, connecting habitats and biodiversity. SO 2. Apply EBMS to analyse and extend the status of [4] MPA in the Mediterranean Sea. SO 3. Demonstrate [4] nature-based seabed protection and restoration solutions, including preserving seabed carbon sequestration capacity, in a real environment. SO 4. To identify limiting factors, gaps and recommendations of existing MPA legislation regarding environmental and anthropogenic pressures, setting up links with previous projects. SO 5. To implement an innovative digital data visualization and aggregation tool in the form of a Digital Twin for enabling data exploration, research, participation and citizen science.

AquaBioSens aims to drive the decentralisation of tools for the measurement of aquatic hazards and pollution. We will produce and demonstrate new handheld devices to measure contaminants of emerging concern, microbial biohazards and heavy metals. The aim is to make monitoring more efficient and widely accessible, supporting the EU Mission to “Restore our ocean and waters by 2030” Mission, and specifically the Destination “Clean Environment and Zero Pollution”, as well the Water Framework Directive and Marine Strategy Framework Directive. We will achieve this by developing novel analytics based on cutting-edge techniques: i) immunoassays to measure organic contaminants, ii) isothermal environmental RNA quantification for harmful microalgae and fecal coliform bacteria, and iii) two novel whole cell biosensors based on genetically modified diatom microalgae and fish gill epithelia for multiplexed heavy metals quantification and toxicity assessment. These will be coupled with state-of-the art sensors such as acoustic biosensors, multichannel fluorimetry and organ-on-chip microfluidic devices. Low-cost fabrication strategies will ensure that the developed technologies are accessible to end-users, such as industry operators and government inspection agencies responsible for environmental monitoring. New digital real-time data feeds will enable seamless data flows from sensors to the web, including a dedicated live dashboard. The prototype devices will be demonstrated and validated in potentially polluted coastal and freshwater environments in the UK, Ireland and Greece, with the support of local government inspection agencies. Together with measures to disseminate results widely to the international community, stakeholders and citizen science groups, we will maximize exploitation with a view to commercialize the new technologies in future.

The coastal area is the most productive and dynamic environment of the world ocean with significant resources and services for mankind. JERICO-NEXT (33 organizations from 15 countries) emphasizes that the complexity of the coastal ocean cannot be well understood if interconnection between physics, biogeochemistry and biology is not guaranteed. Such an integration requires new technological developments allowing continuous monitoring of a larger set of parameters. In the continuity of JERICO(FP7), the objective of JERICO-NEXT consists in strengthening and enlarging a solid and transparent European network in providing operational services for the timely, continuous and sustainable delivery of high quality environmental data and information products related to marine environment in European coastal seas Other objectives are: Support European coastal research communities, enable free and open access to data, enhance the readiness of new observing platform networks by increasing the performance of sensors, showcase of the adequacy of the so-developed observing technologies and strategies, propose a medium-term roadmap for coastal observatories through a permanent dialogue with stakeholders. Innovation JERICO-NEXT is based of a set of technological and methodological innovations. One main innovation potential is to provide a simple access to a large set of validated crucial information to understand the global change in coastal areas. Although JERICO-NEXT already includes industrial partners, it will be open to other research institutes, laboratories and private companies which could become associated partners to the project. Added values of JERICO NEXT JERICO-RI shall send data and information in an operational mode to European data systems, with dedicated service access. One of the strengths of JERICO-NEXT lies in the fact that technological and methodological developments shall be deployed in natural environment.

The Southern Ocean regulates the global climate by controlling heat and carbon exchanges between the atmosphere and the ocean. It is responsible for about 60-90% of the excess heat (i.e. associated with anthropogenic climate change) absorbed by the World Oceans each year, and is also recognised to largely control decadal scale variability of Earth carbon budget, with key implications for decision makers and regular global stocktake agreed as part of the Paris agreement. Despite such pivotal climate importance, its representation in global climate model represents one of the main weaknesses of climate simulation and projection because too little is known about the underlying processes. Limitations come both from the lack of observations in this extreme environment and its inherent sensitivity to intermittent small-scale processes that are not captured in current Earth system models. The overall objective of SO-CHIC is to understand and quantify variability of heat and carbon budgets in the Southern Ocean through an investigation of the key processes controlling exchanges between the atmosphere, ocean and sea ice using a combination of observational and modelling approaches. SO-CHIC considers the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean as a natural laboratory both because of its worldwide importance in water-mass formation and because of the strong European presence in this sector already established at national levels, which allow to best leverage existing expertise, infrastructure, and observation network, around one single coordinated overall objective. SO-CHIC also takes the opportunity of the recent re-appearance of the Atlantic Sector Weddell Polynya to unveil its dynamics and global impact on heat and carbon cycles. A combination of dedicated observation, existing decades-long time-series, and state-of-the-art modelling will be used to address specific objectives on key processes, as well as their impact and feedback on the large-scale atmosphere-ocean system.