The European Digital Twin Ocean is a revolutionary initiative launched by the European Commission. As EDITO – its public, underpinning infrastructure and platform – moves into its next phase, let’s dive into why EDITO is needed and what it offers.

The European Digital Twin Ocean is a virtual replica of the ocean that makes ocean knowledge readily available to everyone. It integrates data from many different sources, including satellites, sensors, computer models and even personal devices like smartphone apps. These different data sources constantly “feed” the Digital Twin to provide continuous and up-to-date information about the ocean: from the behaviour of marine species to weather patterns, chemical processes, economic activities and much more.

The European Digital Twin Ocean provides both historical and near real-time information about the ocean’s real-world conditions and processes. This information can then be used to simulate real-world scenarios and predict the outcomes of different scenarios.

To take just one example, scientists can use applications that are currently running on the European Digital Twin Ocean to simulate how seagrass meadows can protect against coastal hazards like flooding and erosion. By comparing these scenarios, users such as data scientists, decision-makers, local policy implementers and the wider public can understand the impact of seagrass on coastal ecosystems with an unparalleled level of detail and accuracy.

The European Digital Twin Ocean can help us answer questions around what’s happened, what’s happening now, and what might happen next with an unparalleled level of detail and accuracy. It fuels knowledge, decision-making and action for a sustainable Ocean.

You can watch the following video for more details:

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