Ocean Literacy at EuroGOOS

Ocean Observing and Ocean Literacy – a Win-Win Deal

The success of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030 will rely on sustained and fit-for-purpose ocean observing and derived oceanographic information and services. Ocean Literacy tools and approaches are needed to increase societal and policy awareness of the needs, challenges, and opportunities of the ocean observing enterprise. Furthermore, Ocean Literacy is important for achieving sustained operations and funding of the ocean observing systems, maintained predominantly by public funding.

The EuroGOOS Ocean Literacy network was established in 2019 to upscale the national efforts of the EuroGOOS members and contribute to broader Ocean Literacy efforts globally. Download our OceanObs’19 poster here. Since 2021, the network operates as EuroGOOS Working Group on Ocean Literacy.

Key Objectives

The EuroGOOS Ocean Literacy Working Group works to:

Upscale the national efforts in Europe and contribute to broader Ocean Literacy efforts globally, providing visibility and recognition of the Ocean Literacy activities by the EuroGOOS members and community, at national, European, and global levels;
Raise awareness about the ocean observing and forecasting needs, challenges, and opportunities through public and policy engagement;
Contribute to international Ocean Literacy in link with the UN Ocean Decade and its Ocean Literacy Framework and realise the EuroGOOS Ocean Decade project “Scientists for Ocean Literacy“;
Join efforts in collaborative projects or initiatives and help foster international partnerships;
Deliver an improved Ocean Literacy resources platform, expanding the existing EuroGOOS Ocean Literacy resource library.

The EuroGOOS Ocean Literacy Working Group brings together experts from 25 organizations in 11 countries and 4 organizations with a pan-European or global remit.

List of Members

Co-chairs

Yolanda Koulouri, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), Greece
Angela Pomaro, National Research Council (CNR), Italy
Dina Eparkhina, EuroGOOS Office – ex officio co-chair as coordinator of EuroGOOS UN Ocean Decade Action ‘Scientists for Ocean Literacy’

Members

Pan-European/International

EuroGOOS UN Ocean Decade Action ‘Scientists for Ocean Literacy’ – Dina Eparkhina – Action Coordinator
Joint Centre for Oceanography and Marine Meteorology in situ Observations Programmes Support (OceanOPS) / Ocean Observers Working Group – Emanuela Rusciano
Euro-Argo ERIC / Ocean Observers Working Group – Claire Gourcuff
Mercator Ocean International – Gratianne Quade

Belgium

Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS), Belgium – Kelle Moreau

Croatia

Institute of Oceanography & Fisheries (IZOR), Croatia – Daria Ezgeta Balic

Greece

Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), Greece – Panayota (Yolanda) Koulouri – Working Group Co-Chair

France

French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea (Ifremer) – Lucie Cocquempot
Sailing Hirondelle – Louise Ras

Ireland

Irish Ocean Literacy Network, Ireland – Noirin Burke
Marine Institute, Ireland – Rachael Brown
Camden Education Trust, on behalf of Marine Institute, Ireland (Explorers Education programme) – Cushla Dromgool-Regan

Italy

National Research Council (CNR), Italy – Angela Pomaro – Working Group Co-Chair
Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change (CMCC), Italy – Paola Agostini
Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Italy – Elena Giusta and Marta Mancazeichen
National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics (OGS), Italy – Donata Canu and Elisa Banchi
National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), Italy – Marina Locritani

Norway

Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Norway – Louise Valestrand, Kai Sørensen, and Andrew King

Portugal

+ATLANTIC CoLAB, Portugal – Tiago Garcia

Spain

AZTI tecnalia, Spain – Carolina Alonso and Maria Calvo Uyarra
Institute of Oceanography (IEO), Spain – Mari Carmen García, Pablo Lozano
Balearic Islands Coastal Ocean Observing and Forecasting System (SOCIB), Spain – Veronica Ortiz, Llúcia Ribot, and Rosa Rodríguez

Sweden