The UK is set to become a participant in OceanEye, a major ocean observation initiative launched by the European Union in June with a budget of €92m (£78m). Environment Secretary Angela Eagle will announce the decision at a meeting at UN headquarters in New York, attended by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney.
The programme aims to create a digital real-time model of the ocean by 2030 using data collected from satellites, sensors and other monitoring systems. This initiative represents part of broader efforts to strengthen international cooperation on ocean monitoring, with Canada having joined as part of an international alliance to address gaps in regions that currently lack adequate monitoring infrastructure.
Britain’s participation will involve increased data-sharing from the Met Office and other relevant agencies with EU and Canada partners. The UK’s involvement underscores the nation’s commitment to maintaining global observation networks that span coastal waters, shelf seas and open ocean systems, including some of the longest-running monitoring stations worldwide.
Ocean observation data serves multiple critical functions beyond weather prediction, including informing national security decisions, facilitating global trade and supporting marine conservation efforts. Scientists have raised concerns about strain on the global marine monitoring system, particularly following threats by the US administration this year to reduce its contributions. The US currently provides over half of all ocean observing platforms and much of the underlying technology. While the US reversed a proposal to eliminate funding for its Ocean Observatories Initiative following scientific opposition, ongoing budget pressures on American ocean agencies continue to create uncertainty in the system’s long-term stability.
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