The Marine Research Infrastructures in the European Marine Observation landscape

Abstract

The ocean takes up approximately 25% of the carbon dioxide that humans emit to the atmosphere, it absorbs most of the excess heat trapped in the Earth system by greenhouse gas emissions, thus regulating climate and life on Earth, and also provides a remarkable number of resources for humanity. Most geo-hazards occur in oceanic areas. High-quality systematic ocean observations are necessary to improvour knowledge and understanding of the complex environmental processes and to serve as early warning systems of great socio-economic impact. Research Infrastructures (RIs) are large-scale facilities that provide resources and services for scientific communities to conduct high-level research and foster innovation. RIs promote knowledge, outreach and education to public, private, and policy stakeholders, as well as providing crucial information to operational services such as Copernicus. In Europe several marine RIs have been established, which are maintained by national and European Union (EU) resources. This paper describes the significance of the marine RIs in the European Marine Observation Landscape, their status in terms of cooperation, coordination and integration. It highlights the socio-economic benefits for this integration process, being a significant pillar of the European Ocean Observing System (EOOS)