President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney launched the OceanEye International Alliance for the Global Ocean Observing System at a high-level pledging event in New York.
Held during the 81st UN General Assembly High-Level Week, the event brought together heads of state and governments, ministers and stakeholders, to strengthen support for global ocean observation. Reliable ocean observation is essential for safe navigation, weather forecasting, climate predictions, coastal protection and a thriving blue economy. In total, 30 countries have joined the alliance so far.
As seed funding, the EU increased the funding for ocean observation activities with an additional €92 million. The Co-Chair of the OceanEye International Alliance, Canada, pledged C$82 million CDN over five years to expand Canada’s ability to observe the ocean. Altogether, the pledges from all partner countries so far amount to almost €220 million, with a mix of financial contributions, in-kind support and the provision of assets such as research vessels, sensors, drones and data-processing facilities.
The pledges will support:
the maintenance of existing observation platforms;
the closure of critical data gaps;
the strengthening of the Global Ocean Observing System Secretariat;
the Global Ocean Observing System coordination hubs;
and the reinforcement of the OceanOPS data-reporting centre.
Ursula von der Leyen said: “As the underwater world rapidly changes, ocean observation gives us eyes and ears beneath the waves. With OceanEye, we can gather the data we need to understand and protect our ocean. And with our OceanEye Alliance, we will have a vital network across the world. For a better life with and on our blue planet.”
