The G7 FSOI working group brings together government representatives and scientists from G7 nations and the European Union to address Ocean issues where coordinated joint actions are needed to advance global ambitions.
Digital Infrastructure and Prediction Systems
Information for decision making
The working group meets annually to review common priorities and emerging issues, and to identify how the combined national actions of the G7 can advance global ambitions. The G7 FSOI does not carry out its own programmes and it does not provide funding for programmes. The G7 FSOI implements intersessional activities to identify opportunities for better cooperation and ‘think-tank’ activities to provide expert advice to G7 members on priority topics. The activities of the working group are often carried out in partnership with global programmes, such as the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) or programmes of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.
The G7 FSOI work plan responds to priorities of the G7 Members highlighted in the G7 Science and Technology Ministers Communiques and the G7 Climate, Energy and Environment Communiques, as well as the G7 Ocean Decade Navigation Plan and the G7 Ocean Deal, with the goal of enabling the G7 to connect science to policy and to drive innovative solutions to ocean challenges and a sustainable ocean economy.
The 2026 priorities of the G7 FSOI Working Group are:
Augmented Observing and Forecasting for Marine Life
Objective: Identify priority actions for coordinated G7 support to advance the development of a global observing and forecasting system for marine life by 2030.
Activities: Carry out a scoping exercise with experts to determine how the G7 FSOI can advance capabilities to observe and forecast for marine life, aligned with efforts of existing global marine life efforts, including POGO, the GOOS BioEco Panel, and UN Ocean Decade Programmes, (i.g., MarineLife 2030), while also considering related topics such as low-cost / low-tech monitoring approaches and open data sharing for biological data. Explore possibilities to co-sponsor a workshop to address topics highlighted by the scoping exercise.
Leading: Germany
Arctic Ocean Observing
Objective: Increase G7 activities and collaborations to enhance in-situ observation and data sharing in the Arctic, particularly through the use of research vessels to complement the OneArgo program, and to develop human resources to meet current and future needs for polar observing.
Activities: Encourage the continued engagement of G7 experts in the Arctic Ocean Regional Alliance (ArORA) Task Team in the development of a strategy, implementation plan, governance structure, and project office needs to implement ArORA as a sub-panel of SAON and in collaboration with GOOS, share information, if available and appropriate, on ocean plans that contribute to the 5th International Polar Year (2032-2033).
Leading: Japan, EU
Digital Twins of the Ocean Capacity
Objective: Advance the establishment and support for a DTO governance framework that would enable interoperability, data ontologies, modalities for data sharing, including socio-economic data, the establishment of common standards, efficient DTO architectures, standards regarding the development and connectivity of models, science-policy-society interfaces and ethical standards and guidelines regarding the use of DTOs in decision-making.
Activities: Co-sponsor the 3rd DITTO Summit hosted by Japan in 2026 and encourage participation. Maintain a overview of existing DTO programmes around the world, coordinated by the EU. Encourage the DITTO Decade Programme to develop a work plan with clear deliverables and DTOs for the Decade and beyond.
Leads: EU, Japan, Germany, Italy, France
Global Ocean Monitoring Indicators
Objective: Support efforts to develop a global ocean monitoring indicator framework under GOOS and contributing to GCOS to ensure that Ocean indicators are robust and appropriately applied, targeted and interpreted to communicate confidently with the public and policymakers about the Ocean state, its evolution, and extreme events, and in support of sustainability futures. These activities under GOOS should include the development of internationally-agreed guidelines and criteria for Ocean indicators and analyses of needs to improve the scalability and traceability required to provide quality-assured information at the regional scale.
Activities: Encourage G7 experts to participate in the work of the GOOS Indicators Task Team and support the Task Team’s efforts, including raising the topic’s visibility and importance in GOOS governing bodies and communications; this could include developing and promoting an information brief to explain their definition, purpose, value, challenges, evolving solutions and ways forward.
Lead: France
Governance, Coordination, and Sustained Funding for the Observing System
Objective: Explore how to strengthen the overall governance of the global ocean observing system through increased and formalized interactions between the global governance mechanism of GOOS and the national coordination structures that fund and implement the observing system.
Activities: Organize a 2-day high level workshop in France (September 17&18, Paris) with the IOC and GOOS to review risks and resilience measures for the global observing networks and continue consultations with GOOS on the status of G7 FSOI recommendations for GOOS reform.
Leads: France, USA, EU, Italy
Ocean Carbon
Objective: Increase global capacity to monitor, understand, and predict the ocean’s role in the global carbon cycle by supporting international efforts to address knowledge and data gaps, with a particular emphasis on strengthening the Ocean carbon data synthesis actions that deliver regular data products used in global research, assessments, and operational forecasting.
Activities: Continue the iterative exchange between the global Surface Ocean CO2 Atlas (SOCAT) community and the G7 FSOI to develop a strategy and governance structure that would be actionable by governments and internationally accepted (e.g., GOOS, WMO Global Greenhouse Gas Watch); to continue work to re-establish the EU hub of SOCAT within the aforementioned global structure and strategy; and explore opportunities and benefits to co-sponsor a workshop on these topics. Request the expert group to collaborate with GOOS to establish best practices for pCO2 measurements from research ships and other infrastructure to support alignment and integration of new vessels into existing systems.
Leads: EU, Germany
OneArgo
Objective: Strengthen support to implement and maintain the OneArgo array by 2030, working with the International Argo Steering Team to identify scientific, technical, logistical challenges and identify priorities for coordinated G7 investment or joint activities, including opportunities to raise awareness at the highest levels about the use and benefits of Argo data.
Activities: Continue efforts to raise awareness of OneArgo and the need for increased and sustained funding, leveraging the information brief prepared in previous years where appropriate, and continue to share information about implementation priorities and actions to support OneArgo from G7 members. Hold an online 2 h workshop (May 6) to review plans, risks, and strategies to build resilience in the Argo array, and align outcomes to inform plans for the related Governance topic high level workshop. Explore ways to highlight the role of the OneArgo array to address gaps in baseline understanding of the deep ocean in response to the 2024 G7 Science and Technology Ministerial.
Leads: Japan, France, USA, Canada, Italy, EU
Marine Research Infrastructures Integration and Harmonization
Objective: Strengthen coordination, harmonization, and sharing of national and regional marine research infrastructures to support Ocean research and data delivery as a public service for the global commons, contributing to the global ocean observing system.
Activities: Finalize the work initiated in previous years that support activities towards long-term operation and coordination of MRIs in collaboration with GOOS. Facilitate closer collaboration between this group and the OneArgo and Governance Topic groups, including exploring opportunities to establish the Argo array as a Global Research Infrastructure.
Lead: Italy
Support for the World Ocean Assessment
Objective: Strengthen support for the World Ocean Assessment and promote the uptake and use of its reports.
Activities: Continue discussions with the WOA Secretariat to obtain updates on activities, and progress, and to explore opportunities for G7 members to engage and support the work of the WOA.
Lead: Germany
Previous G7 FSOI intersessional activities
2025
- SOCAT global strategy and EU hub: In January 2025, as part of the EU Horizon Europe Project TRICUSO, a global strategy for the sustained Surface Ocean CO2 Atlas (SOCAT) was initiated. After discussions with potential European funders and implementers throughout the year, it was announced that Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) has made two years of funding available for a full-time staff member to manage an EU SOCAT hub as part of a global governance structure.
- One Ocean Science Congress and UN Ocean Conference: The G7 FSOI co-sponsored two activities at these related events in Nice, France, in June 2025:
- Digital Twins of the Ocean Townhall: In collaboration with the DITTO Decade Programme and the European Commission, the G7 FSOI convened a townhall titled “Marine Knowledge at the Fingertips of Our Communities: Designing Digital Twins of the Ocean,” which brought together global experts and over 200 attendees to explore the potential of DTOs to better understand and manage marine and coastal environments.
- Planktoscope demonstrations: Live demonstrations of the Planktoscope, a portable, low-cost imaging device paired with a standardized data processing pipeline, were held at multiple venues throughout the UN Ocean Conference as part of the Marine Life topic of the G7 FSOI. (Lead: Germany)
- Read more about these events here.
- AI Workshop: Under the G7 FSOI Canadian Presidency, and in partnership with Canada’s Marine Environmental Observation Prediction and Response network (MEOPAR), a global AI expert workshop was held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, from November 4-5. The workshop convened AI specialists and ocean-science researchers from Canada, the G7, and beyond. The focus of the workshop was how to responsibly and effectively integrate AI into ocean science and operations, including leveraging AI to improve how we understand and forecast ocean changes, learning from international case studies to explore best practices, and building a network of researchers focused on AI-based ocean science. More about the workshop can be found here.
- Information briefing on deep-sea research and observation technology: In response to the 2024 G7 Science and Technology Ministers’ Meeting Communiqué, which calls for “international cooperation in the field of deep-sea research and observation technology…” the FSOI requested the Deep Ocean Observing Strategy (DOOS), an activity of GOOS and the UN Ocean Decade, to brief FSOI members on deep sea observing and prediction capabilities for physical, chemical, biological, and ecosystem variables. Find out more about the work of DOOS here.
- Global overview of Digital Twins of the Ocean: The European Commission published an Independent Expert Review that maps DTO programmes across five continents. Read more and access the report here.
2024
- Marine Research Infrastructure Integration and Harmonization workshop, hybrid, Bologna, Italy, 12 July 2024. The workshop gathered representatives from national agencies or ministries who finance ocean observing networks, leading experts and/or managers of national or regional marine research infrastructure/observing networks, Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), national focal points, and relevant experts from the Group of Senior Officials on Global Research Infrastructures. Dedicated to leveraging the potential of marine research infrastructures for sustained ocean observing, participants provided advice on how other global research infrastructures have been established and operated. Lead organizer: Italy with support from the UK
- Workshop on the Governance, Coordination, and Sustained Funding for the Observing System topic (Lead organizers: France, USA)
2023
- G7 FSOI co-sponsorship of the Integrated Ocean Carbon Research (IOC-R) workshop (3-5 May, European Commission, Brussels) to synthesize information on new and existing ocean carbon projects, programmes and initiatives both within and outside of the Ocean Decade, to discuss knowledge gaps and emerging ocean carbon issues, to revise the Integrated Ocean Carbon Research (IOC-R) Review and Vision document, and to establish an Ocean Decade Community of Practice focusing on ocean carbon. The IOC-R working group is co-sponsored by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR)/-IOC International Ocean Carbon Coordination Project (also serves as the GOOS biogeochemistry panel), the Global Carbon Project, World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), Climate and Ocean Variability, Predictability and Change (CLIVAR), the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), and Integrated Marine Biosphere Research (IMBeR). (Lead organizer from the G7 FSOI: EU).
- G7 FSOI co-organization of an international workshop on Marine Life Observing and Forecasting in collaboration with the GOOS Bio/Eco panel, titled: “Towards a global marine plankton observing network: development of a strategy and implementation plan.” The workshop will focus on identifying ways to better connect large-scale ocean surface observation with the under-surface fast-developing observation capacities to advance knowledge on ecological processes and confidence in forecasting, as well as actions to advance FAIR data and the interoperability of plankton dataspaces. (Lead organizer from the G7 FSOI: EU). Summary report: https://www.g7fsoi.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Plankton-workshop-report-11102023_final.pdf)
2021-2022
G7 FSOI activities were carried out through two types of engagement:
- Resource Strategy Groups, which bring together G7 government representatives responsible for funding ocean observations to agree on common investment priorities and implementation strategies, or to carry out reviews and foster dialogues on G7 ocean observing governance, coordination, and funding mechanisms.
- Scientific and Technical Support to GOOS Expert Groups, where the G7 FSOI Coordination Centre provides support to the GOOS Expert Groups to address G7 priority issues, particularly to enhance observation capacity in under-sampled areas for under-sampled variables.
Click here for the full list of activities during this period.