1st Newsletter of OCEANIDS

1 1st Newsletter Celebrating the First Year of Progress Project Overview The OCEANIDS project is a European Union initiative aimed at making coastal regions more resilient and inclusive by using innovative digital tools to support sustainable growth in the Blue Economy. But what does that mean in practical terms? Simply put, OCEANIDS is helping local communities, businesses, and authorities better understand and manage the impacts of climate change on coastal areas. Imagine a tool that helps port managers predict extreme weather events or a mobile app that lets local citizens contribute their ideas and feedback on coastal protection measures in real-time. That’s what OCEANIDS is building a set of user-friendly applications that connect people with the data and insights they need to take meaningful action. The project is all about empowering communities to create positive change, using modern technology to make coastal living safer, more sustainable, and more inclusive. Let’s take a closer look at what OCEANIDS has achieved in its first year. 2 Project Facts: • Duration: 32 months (December 2023 to July 2026) • Budget: ~3.1 € million funded by the European Commission under Horizon Europe • Partners: 27 Greek Islands and Crete Island • Focus: Addressing challenges related to coastal erosion, biodiversity preservation, and sustainable tourism development. • Activities: Monitoring air quality, assessing water quality, coastline tracking and forecasting, and detecting land movement, including subsidence and landslides. Pilot Sites OCEANIDS is conducting pilot activities in several key locations and in diverse Climatic Zones across Europe to develop and test the project’s tools and solutions in real-world environments: Málaga, Spain • Focus: Addressing coastal erosion, flood risks, and improving the resilience of local infrastructure. • Activities: Risk assessments for sea-level rise and implementing measures to enhance coastal protection. 3 Crete, Greece • Focus: Sustainable tourism practices and the mitigation of coastal risks. • Activities: Monitoring air and water quality, tracking coastline changes, and assessing land movement. Azores, Portugal • Focus: Post-earthquake assessments and climate-related hazard monitoring. • Activities: Monitoring volcanic and seismic risks, tracking ocean acidification, and assessing marine dead zones (hypoxia). Coastal Finland • Focus: Investigating the impacts of sea-level rise and developing local adaptation strategies for coastal communities. • Activities: Forecasting and mapping ocean winds, monitoring ship movements, and assessing the effects of sea-level rise on coastal areas. Brittany, France • Focus: Marine biodiversity preservation and addressing the impacts of climate change on local communities. • Activities: Monitoring ocean levels and surface conditions, mapping flood risks, and assessing biodiversity loss. Bremen, Germany • Focus: Improving port operations and integrating climate adaptation measures into infrastructure planning. • Activities: Monitoring ocean levels and mapping flood risks to strengthen local resilience. 4 Key Achievements and Developments • Carried out extreme value statistics Wind speed plays a critical role in coastal infrastructure design, port operations, and maritime project planning. By analyzing wind speed distribution tails (quantiles) from all ensemble members and applying extreme value analysis, we can better estimate the probability of high-impact events. We have already performed this analysis for historical and mid-/end-century projections (RCP 4.5), and plan to expand coverage to additional locations and the RCP 8.5 scenario. 4. Wave Analysis • Calculated quantiles • Performed extreme value statistics Similar to wind, wave behavior significantly affects coastal regions and offshore structures. Quantile analysis and extreme value statistics provide a deeper understanding of rare but consequential wave events. This supports resilient coastal development and effective maritime strategies. For both historical and future conditions, we conducted 2D quantile analysis across areas of interest and calculated return values for RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 scenarios at selected locations. 1. Climate Data Acquisition and Analysis We successfully downloaded and integrated seven different datasets from Euro-CORDEX, spanning both the historical climate period and future scenarios (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5). By tapping into multiple datasets, we aim to reduce uncertainties inherent in climate modelling. These datasets will be vital for assessing the impacts of climate change on marine environments and coastal areas, supporting risk assessment and decision-making within the OCEANIDS platform. 2. Wave Data Integration An additional dataset covering both historical and future wave conditions has been obtained. This wave data focuses on significant wave height, crucial for understanding coastal erosion, navigation safety, and offshore operations. Incorporating these insights into the OCEANIDS platform will enhance the reliability of forecasts and inform smarter maritime planning. 3. Wind Speed Analysis • Computed quantiles for all ensemble members • Derived ensemble mean values 4 5. Ephemeral Social Networks for Citizen Engagement In alignment with OCEANIDS’s focus on social innovation, our partner, IN2 Digital Innovations, has developed a mobile-first application that implements the concept of ephemeral social networks. These networks are: • Location-based: Targeted to specific geographical areas. • Task-focused and short-lived: Aligned with specific local climate or environmental actions. • Customizable: Administrators can adapt look and feel, topics, and duration to local needs. The application encourages citizen participation on the go, using features like polls, comments, and pinned posts. By leveraging smartphones’ location and notification capabilities, we hope to boost engagement and gather timely feedback from communities. Once the local action or campaign concludes, the network can be disassembled, with results and data exported for further analysis and policy-making. A first mock-up minimum viable product was presented at the recent 2nd project plenary meeting in Brussels. It features an end-user app (for citizens) and an administrative app (for network managers). Feedback collected from partners will shape the next iteration, an alpha version scheduled for early spring 2025. These advances, from advanced climate modelling to novel social engagement tools, underscore OCEANIDS’s commitment to leveraging science, technology, and community-driven approaches to foster more resilient and inclusive coastal and marine environments. Stay tuned for further updates! 6 OCEANIDS has been actively promoting its mission and sharing insights at various events: 1. CDP Awards - February 28, 2024 - Event link 2. UN Ocean Decade Conference - March 20-22, 2024 - Event link 3. European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly 2024 - April 7-12, 2024 - Event link 4. 9th Our Ocean Conference in Greece - April 15-16, 2024 - Event link 5. NextOcean Showcase Event - May 9, 2024 - Event link 6. EXPANDEO - June 5-6, 2024 - Event link 7. 43rd EARSeL Symposium - June 16-20, 2024 - Event link Participation in Key Events 8. PETRA Conference - June 25-28, 2024 - Event link 9. 35th International Geographical Congress - August 18-22, 2024 - Event link 10. 18th Plinius Conference on Mediterranean Risks - September 12-15, 2024 - Event link 11. EUSPA – EU Agency for the Space Programme User Consultation Platform Event - October 8-10, 2024 - Event link 12. Marine User Days - November 5-6, 2024 - Event link 13. Smart City Expo World Congress November 5-7, 2024 Event link 7 1st OCEANIDS Webinar on the AIR Centre’s Networking Fridays Networking Friday with OCEANIDS On November 22, 2024, OCEANIDS was featured on the AIR Centre’s Networking Fridays, introducing the project to a broad international audience and highlighting the role of ocean literacy in harnessing the Blue Economy while protecting marine ecosystems. Programme Highlights: Welcome Remarks and Introduction by Eirini Marinou, GeoSystems Hellas OCEANIDS in a Nutshell by Vasiliki (Betty) Charalampopoulou, GeoSystems Hellas Introducing Core Technology Modules for Data & Services Federation and Curation by Platon Patlakas, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) User-Driven Tools & Applications Development by Daphne Pantousa, Resilience Guard Q&A Session moderated by Eirini Marinou The webinar showcased OCEANIDS’ strategic objectives, including developing citizen-driven tools and harmonizing climate data services to support local adaptation strategies. It concluded with a discussion on how ocean literacy initiatives can foster sustainable coastal communities. EO4Port Workshop: Enhancing Port Sustainability through Earth Observation The EO4Port Workshop, organized as part of the OCEANIDS project in collaboration with the ESA-backed “EO4The Port of the Future” project, gathered key maritime stakeholders to explore the use of Earth Observation (EO) technologies in port operations. The session aimed to connect innovative EO solutions with the practical needs of port authorities, logistics companies, and coastal communities. The workshop emphasized real-world EO applications, showcasing how these technologies can optimize port efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and improve climate resilience. By adopting EO insights, ports can enhance their sustainability efforts and better prepare for future challenges. Workshop Highlights: Presentations on EO-based solutions for port efficiency: Experts shared how EO data can streamline operations, improve cargo handling, and optimize logistics. Mock-up demonstrations of EO products: Practical EO tools tailored for port use, including mapping services and predictive analytics, were demonstrated. Roundtable discussions with stakeholders: Participants discussed challenges faced by ports and how EO technologies can address them, fostering collaborative solutions. Interactive polling to gather feedback: Real-time feedback from stakeholders ensured the proposed solutions aligned with port sector needs. 8 Our project has been officially accepted as an action under the “Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters” European Charter • This endorsement recognizes the key role OCEANIDS plays in supporting the EU’s Mission Ocean and Waters goals, which include: • Protecting and restoring marine and freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity • Tackling pollution in oceans, seas, and waters • Advancing a carbon-neutral, circular blue economy Through OCEANIDS, we are committed to promoting a sustainable and resilient future by: • Strengthening the EU Ocean knowledge system and respecting data-sharing standards EU Mission Protect a minimum of 30% of the EU’s sea area and integrate ecological corridors, as part of atrue Trans-European Nature Network. Strictly protect at least 10% of the EU’s sea area. Restore at least 25,000 km of free-fl owing rivers. Contribute to the marine nature restoration targets, including degraded seabed habitats and coastal ecosystems. Reduce by at least 50% plastic litter at sea. Reduce by at least 30% microplastics released into the environment. Reduce by at least 50% nutrient losses, the use and risk of chemical pesticides. Eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from maritime economic activities in the EU and sequester those emissions that cannot be avoided (net zero maritime emissions). Develop zero-carbon and low-impact aquaculture, and promote circular, low-carbon multi-purpose use of marine and water space. MISSION CHARTER RESTORE OUR OCEAN AND WATERS The organisation/entity I represent is committed to contribute to Mission Ocean and Waters. Our action will contribute to the Mission “Restore our Ocean and waters by 2030” and create the conditions to achieve the Mission objectives and targets: In carrying out the action proposed, theorganisation/entity I represent, will: EU MISSIONS © European Union, 2023. Image sources: © Richard Carey, # 209819526, 2021. Source: Stock.Adobe.com. RESTORE OUR OCEAN AND WATERS Prevent and eliminate pollution of our ocean, seas and waters, in line with theEUActionPlan Towards Zero Pollution for Air, Water and Soil Protect and restore marine and freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity, in line with theEUBiodiversity Strategy2030 Make the sustainable blue economy carbon-neutral and circular, in line with the proposed European Climate Law and the holistic vision enshrined in the Sustainable Blue Economy Strategy I. III. II. Support the EU Ocean knowledge system and respect FAIR principles in relation to knowledge and data; Involve citizens in the decision-making process; Stimulate investments from public and private sources; Share knowledge and experience and collaborate with other Mission actors; Take stock of the collective progress of achieving the Mission objectives and contribute to adjusting its course and steer its actions. Ocean_mission_charter_A3_poster_080223.indd 1Ocean_mission_charter_A3_poster_080223.indd 1 08-02-2023 09:27:5508-02-2023 09:27:55 Upcoming Workshop: Shaping the Future of Resilient and Inclusive Coastal Societies We are excited to announce the upcoming OCEANIDS Workshop: Shaping the Future of Resilient and Inclusive Coastal Societies, which will be held on March 11, 2025, at the Port of Antwerp, Belgium (Zaha Hadidplein 1, 2030 Antwerpen). Workshop Objectives • This workshop aims to promote and present the first OCEANIDS deliverables to potential users from both the public and private sectors, while raising awareness among key EU policy stakeholders and relevant associations. Key objectives include: • Raising awareness about OCEANIDS tools and results to regional and local authorities, ports, and industry • Discussing how Copernicus data and integrated applications can benefit local and regional authorities and EU citizens • Demonstrating the tangible impacts of OCEANIDS on stakeholders’ everyday lives Looking Ahead • Involving citizens in decision-making • Stimulating public and private investment • Sharing insights and collaborating with Mission partners Register Here ▶ View Agenda ▶ 9 As OCEANIDS moves into its second year, the project will continue to develop its tools and applications, focusing on practical solutions that address real-world challenges in coastal regions. Upcoming activities include more workshops, pilot testing of the ephemeral social networks, and further development of data cubes and Earth Observation services. Thank you to all our partners and stakeholders for their invaluable contributions so far. Together, we’re building a more resilient and sustainable future for our coastal communities. Stay connected with OCEANIDS by visiting our website and following our LinkedIn page for the latest updates!