OBSERVER: Space-Based Solutions for the Blue Economy

Oceans cover 71% of the Earth's surface and provide many social, environmental and economic benefits. They regulate the Earth's climate, are a vital source of food, and are an essential part of national economies. According to the latest Blue Economy report, traditional sectors of the blue economy provide 4.5 million direct jobs and generate over €650 billion in turnover. Additionally, healthy oceans have a wide range of positive effects on the environment, such as generating oxygen and absorbing greenhouse gases (GHG).

However, human activity has threatened the ability of oceans to continue providing these benefits. Marine environments are endangered by activities such as oil drilling, deep-sea mining, offshore wind energy, bridges, shipping, overfishing and climate change. Air inputs of nutrients and persistent substances also contribute to ocean acidification.

The European Commission is aware of these challenges and has listed the protection of oceans as a key priority in the Green Deal, a policy package aimed at transforming the block's economy into one that is modern, resource-efficient, competitive and carbon-neutral. Copernicus' space- and in situ-based data and services play a crucial role in monitoring marine ecosystems, informing policy makers and supporting the development of a sustainable EU blue economy.

The role of the blue economy in the green transition

From 1901 to 2020, global temperatures have risen by approximately 1.1°C. The effects of this temperature increase are already being felt and are a clear indication of an accelerating climate change. In an effort to mitigate these effects, the international community gathered in Paris in 2015 and drafted a treaty to keep the rise in global mean temperature below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels. As a follow-up, the European Union later adopted the Green Deal.

In this context, the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean is seen as essential for achieving the objectives of the Green Deal as it is a major resource that can simultaneously contribute to the economy and combat climate change. The EU has therefore developed a strategy for a sustainable blue economy within the EU. This strategy focuses on climate action and sustainable use of ocean resources on one hand, and blue growth and the circular economy on the other. It demonstrates that sustainability and growth can be compatible.

As Frans Timmermans, Vice President of the European Commission, stated: “Healthy oceans are a precondition for a thriving blue economy. Pollution, overfishing, and habitat destruction, coupled with the effects of the climate crisis, all threaten the rich marine biodiversity that the blue economy depends on. We must change tack and develop a sustainable blue economy where environmental protection and economic activities go hand in hand.” Such statements call for an integrated approach, taking into account the complex nature of the ocean, its resources and uses, as well as the economic, social, and environmental aspects of the blue economy.

How can Copernicus help the blue economy become greener?

Transitioning to a sustainable blue economy requires investing in innovative technologies. While advanced tools will be necessary to support the "hands-on" approach to managing and mitigating the impact of climate change on the world's oceans, existing remote and in situ sensing technologies can be used to monitor the state of the ocean, the sustainable use of its resources, and address the effects of climate change. In particular, satellite data and imagery provided by Copernicus are already leveraged to actively monitor key parameters defined in the strategy for a sustainable blue economy.

Copernicus' Sentinel satellites are equipped with various sensors that can measure different aspects of the ocean, such as sea surface temperature, sea level, ocean colour and sea ice. The data from these sensors is then processed and analysed by the Copernicus Marine Service (CMEMS) to create a variety of ocean-related products, such as sea surface temperature or current maps and forecasts, sea level anomaly maps and ocean colour products. In addition to satellite data, Copernicus Marine also assimilates in situ data, such as data from ARGO floats, buoys, ships and other observing systems, which are ingested into numerical models, in combination with satellite data, to produce forecasts and re-analyses, to provide a more complete understanding of the ocean.

Copernicus monitors essential drivers of the Blue Economy

Circular economy and waste prevention

Every year, around 27,000 tonnes of macro-plastics (mostly single-use plastics, lost or discarded fishing gear and waste discharged by ships) are dumped into European seas. Pollution from discarded plastic not only poses a risk to human health and marine ecosystems, but also causes adverse economic impacts on coastal communities. A sustainable Blue Economy is underpinned by a pledge to fight pollution and promote recycling solutions. Such efforts to reduce waste and conserve resources contribute to the circular economy, which in turn can reduce the EU's environmental footprint.

The Copernicus Marine Service helps to monitor plastic waste by providing a wide range of data and information on the distribution and movement of marine litter – particularly plastic waste – in the ocean. As an example, Copernicus and Contributing Missions’ satellite data is fused with in situ observations to predict and track marine litter such as plastic debris. The service also uses this information to create maps and forecasting products that can be used to identify areas where marine litter are concentrated. The Mediterranean Sea physics analysis and forecast tool, which is a hydrodynamic-wave model using sea surface kinematics provided by the Copernicus Marine Service model in the Mediterranean Sea over 2013-2017, was able to determine that the coastlines with the highest plastic fluxes include the Cilician sub-basin (Türkiye), the Catalan Sea (Spain), Israel and the Po River Delta area (Italy).

Moreover, this information can be used to identify the sources of marine debris, understand the impacts of marine debris on the ocean and its inhabitants, and support the development of marine debris management plans. These plans can include strategies to reduce the amount of marine debris entering the ocean, such as reducing the use of single-use plastics and increasing the collection and recycling of marine debris.

Biodiversity and investing in nature

Biodiversity conservation and protection is of utmost importance for marine economic activity, as it is vital for fisheries and tourism. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, 33% of reef-forming corals and more than a third of all marine mammals are threatened by extinction. In an effort to counter this trend, the EU published its Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, which expands protection to 30% of the EU's sea area with the aim of reversing biodiversity loss, contributing to climate mitigation (carbon sequestration) and resilience, and at the same time generating significant economic and social benefits.

One way the CMEMS helps with biodiversity conservation is by providing information on marine protected areas (MPAs). The service's data and information can be used to support the management of MPAs by providing information on the distribution, health and abundance of marine species and habitats, as well as the impacts of human activities on these areas. The product EUSeaMap broad-scale predictive model provides a single access point to European seabed habitat data to actors assessing the environmental state of ecosystems and sea basins in the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, Baltic Sea and areas of the Northeastern Atlantic extending from the Canary Islands in the south to Norway in the north.

Additionally, the service can provide information on ocean currents, tides, water temperature and bio-geophysical parameters (plankton, chlorophyll, algal blooms etc.) to support the conservation of marine species, such as sea turtles and marine mammals, by understanding their migration patterns and habitat needs. This information can then be used to identify key habitats for these species and develop conservation strategies. Such products can be leveraged by Member States that are required to develop strategies for their marine waters focused on the protection, preservation and restoration of the marine environment under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.

Coastal resilience

Over 200 million citizens live in coastal regions or on one of Europe's many islands. These communities are already witnessing the consequences from rising sea levels brought on by a warming climate. EU public spending on protecting coastlines from the risk of erosion and flooding has been estimated at over €5 billion a year for 1990-2020. Monitoring coastal regions will help mitigate the effects of climate change and stimulate the blue economy.

The Copernicus Marine Service can support the tourism sector by providing a wide range of data and information on the ocean and coastal areas. The service's data and information products can be used to measure various parameters relevant for the ocean and coastal areas, such as currents, sea level, ocean colour and surface temperature. In particular, it is working on a comprehensive coastal zone monitoring solution that addresses the complex and dynamic situations found in coastal marine environments.

In 2019, the Copernicus Land Monitoring Service (CLMS) launched the new thematic hotspot product to monitor landscape dynamics in coastal zones. The environmental challenges and issues that are mapped out include elements such as coastal cliffs, inland marshes and coastal waters. As with the other thematic hotspot products, the Coastal Zones product is providing change and status information every six years.

Responsible food systems--Supporting the fishing and aquaculture sector

A more efficient use of marine resources will contribute to fighting climate change and to alleviate pressure on natural resources for food production. One of the main sectors responsible for carbon emissions, pollution and biodiversity loss is the fishing industry. Well aware of the current problems, the EU published its Farm to Fork Strategy, whose approach ripples through many aspects of the blue economy.

The Copernicus Marine Service's data and information can be used to assess the status of fish stocks, which is crucial for their responsible management. By providing information on the distribution and abundance of fish populations, the service can help ensure that fishing is sustainable and that fish stocks are not over-exploited. As an example, it is possible to monitor fish distribution systems and assists fishermen in locating the nearest legal fishing grounds by leveraging oceanographic data, including Copernicus satellite and Copernicus Marine Service ocean models. Furthermore, combining Copernicus satellite data and multi-mission CMEMS data products with vessel positioning data, regulatory data, and actual fishing data, the identification of illegal and unregulated fishing activities can be greatly improved.

In addition, the service's data and information can be used to map the distribution and characteristics of marine habitats, which are important for fish populations and other marine species. This information can then be leveraged to identify areas that are particularly important for biodiversity conservation and to develop strategies to protect them. Lastly, the suitability of aquaculture sites may be assessed, using data the service provides on water temperature and quality, as well as ocean currents.

Working with nature to protect our planet, health, and livelihoods

Europe's seas, oceans and environment are a source of natural and economic wealth for Europe and must therefore be preserved and protected to ensure that they continue to sustain us in the future. Thanks to its high-quality, free and open data, Copernicus can monitor the status of and changes in the marine environment. From preventing waste to protecting biodiversity, ensuring coastal resilience and helping implement responsible food systems, Copernicus supports the transition towards a circular economy in the maritime and marine sectors and boosts the blue economy, in line with the EU's Green Deal ambitions.