G7 Future of Seas and Ocean Initiative

G7 FSOI working group meeting 2024
2024-10-29 - 2024-10-31 | Rome, Italy
The G7 FSOI working group will hold its annual meeting in Rome, Italy from 29 to 31 October 2024, hosted by the Italian National Research Council (CNR).
The meeting will review the 2024 topics below in line with the revised action areas adopted at the G7 Scientific and Technological Ministerial in Bologna.
2024 Topics to be reviewed:

Arctic ocean observations,
One Argo,
Ocean Carbon,
Governance, coordination, and sustained funding for the observing system
Digital Twin of the Ocean Capacity
Augmented Observing and Forecasting for Marine Life
Global Ocean Monitoring Indicators
The World Ocean Assessment

Townhall - Marine Knowledge at the Fingertips of our Communities: Designing Digital Twins of the Ocean
2025-06-04 - 2025-06-06 | Nice, France
Digital Twins of the Ocean (DTO) presents transformative opportunities for advancing sustainable ocean management.
The townhall, through panel discussions and interaction with diverse stakeholders, including scientists, policymakers, and community representatives, will focus on key themes such as:

Sustainable Ocean Management: Participants will examine practical applications of DTOs. A case study will illustrate how DTOs can enhance decision-making by providing visual but science-based, what-if scenarios, enabling stakeholders to better manage fisheries, prevent pollution, or address climate impacts.
Observations, Data Ecosystems and Interoperability: Effective DTOs rely on adequate ocean observations and robust, interconnected data ecosystems. The townhall will discuss the importance of integrating diverse data sources, from satellite observations to citizen science. Addressing the challenge of data interoperability, participants will explore ways to ensure that data from different sources can be harmonized and used across platforms, enabling seamless collaboration between ocean researchers, policymakers, and industries.
DTO Architecture: Technical discussions will cover the core architecture of DTOs, including the development of scalable, modular frameworks that can be adapted to various regions and environmental conditions. Experts will delve into the computational requirements, highlighting innovations in cloud computing and AI that support the development of realistic and accurate DTOs.
Governance, Equity, and Capacity Building: The success of DTOs hinges on effective governance and equitable access to resources. The townhall will examine the frameworks needed to ensure transparent, inclusive governance of ocean data and models. Special attention will be given to equity in the distribution of DTO benefits, emphasizing capacity-building initiatives for developing countries and marginalized communities. Ensuring that all stakeholders—especially those most affected by ocean changes—can access and contribute to DTOs will be critical in promoting global ocean sustainability.

Through this townhall, participants will collaborate on strategies to harness the power of digital twin technology, advancing collective efforts toward healthier, more resilient oceans for future generations.
The townhall is proposed jointly by the European Commission, the DITTO Decade programme and the G7 Future of the Seas and Ocean Initiative working group.

Marine Knowledge at the Fingertips of our Communities: Designing Digital Twins of the Ocean Townhall at the One Ocean Science Congress
2025-06-04 | Nice, France
Digital Twins of the Ocean (DTO) presents transformative opportunities for advancing sustainable ocean management.
The townhall, through panel discussions and interaction with diverse stakeholders, including scientists, policymakers, and community representatives, will focus on key themes such as:

Sustainable Ocean Management: Participants will examine practical applications of DTOs. A case study will illustrate how DTOs can enhance decision-making by providing visual but science-based, what-if scenarios, enabling stakeholders to better manage fisheries, prevent pollution, or address climate impacts.
Observations, Data Ecosystems and Interoperability: Effective DTOs rely on adequate ocean observations and robust, interconnected data ecosystems. The townhall will discuss the importance of integrating diverse data sources, from satellite observations to citizen science. Addressing the challenge of data interoperability, participants will explore ways to ensure that data from different sources can be harmonized and used across platforms, enabling seamless collaboration between ocean researchers, policymakers, and industries.
DTO Architecture: Technical discussions will cover the core architecture of DTOs, including the development of scalable, modular frameworks that can be adapted to various regions and environmental conditions. Experts will delve into the computational requirements, highlighting innovations in cloud computing and AI that support the development of realistic and accurate DTOs.
Governance, Equity, and Capacity Building: The success of DTOs hinges on effective governance and equitable access to resources. The townhall will examine the frameworks needed to ensure transparent, inclusive governance of ocean data and models. Special attention will be given to equity in the distribution of DTO benefits, emphasizing capacity-building initiatives for developing countries and marginalized communities. Ensuring that all stakeholders—especially those most affected by ocean changes—can access and contribute to DTOs will be critical in promoting global ocean sustainability.

Through this townhall, participants will collaborate on strategies to harness the power of digital twin technology, advancing collective efforts toward healthier, more resilient oceans for future generations.
The townhall is proposed jointly by the European Commission, the DITTO Decade programme and the G7 Future of the Seas and Ocean working group

G7 FSOI Annual Working Group Meeting
2025-11-19 - 2025-11-20 | Ottawa, Canada
Annual meeting for the G7 Future of the Seas and Ocean Initiative to discuss progress against agreed-upon actions in 2025, and to agree on priority topics and actions for 2026.
