A unified approach to observing our ocean
We are keen that the data we generate isn’t just useful for scientists, but also for policymakers.
Nicolas Pade, MARCO-BOLO project coordinator
Despite various efforts directed towards evaluating coastal health and the effects of human activity on marine ecosystems, a lack of cohesive approaches has hindered progress. The EU-funded MARCO-BOLO project aims to transform how we monitor and manage marine biodiversity. It will implement standardised research methods and develop technologies to map and monitor biodiversity, including remote sensing, robotics, and environmental DNA sampling and analysis. Nicolas Pade, executive director of the European Marine Biological Resource Centre in France and project coordinator of MARCO-BOLO, explains: “We need good data to effectively protect and restore biodiversity. At the simplest level, MARCO-BOLO is about creating our ability to systematically study ocean life. Measuring the same thing, in the exact same way, every single time.” With 21 partners across EU countries, including universities, research institutes and infrastructures and authorities, MARCO-BOLO is structured around key work packages focused on enhancing understanding of biodiversity decline, facilitating the development of affordable, efficient and precise observation technologies, and improving the dissemination of observations to stakeholders. The initiative is examining the relationship between land and sea ecosystems in coastal areas. Pollution and land-use activities can have profound impacts on marine life, so a key focus of the project is to explore this delicate balance and develop strategies for mitigating human-induced impacts. Combining scientific expertise, technological innovation and stakeholder engagement, MARCO-BOLO’s collaborative approach aims to bridge the gap between science and policy, translating research into tangible actions, supporting evidence-based policy through improved data sharing. “We are keen that the data we generate isn’t just useful for scientists, but also for policymakers,” says Pade. By closely collaborating with policymakers, MARCO-BOLO hopes to ensure that the project’s outputs will create lasting, positive changes in European seas – aligning them with global efforts to rehabilitate ocean health.
Keywords
blue carbon, ocean-climate-biodiversity nexus, climate mitigation and adaptation, natural carbon sequestration, ecosystem services, marine biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, functional ecology, maritime spatial planning, ecosystem-based approach