Research
The ICTS SOCIB promotes marine research and operational oceanography to address global challenges such as climate change and ocean sustainability. Furthermore, it encourages international collaboration and scientific leadership.
Scientific and Technical Production
Ocean Observation and Research: A Global Priority
The ocean is an integral component of the planet's climate system. It covers 71% of the Earth's surface and acts as a natural reservoir of heat and carbon. The ocean absorbs more than 90% of the excess heat and approximately 30% of the carbon dioxide associated with human activities.
The ocean is also one of the world's major reservoirs of biodiversity, as it constitutes more than 96% of the planet's habitable space and is home to over 200,000 known species. In addition to its role in regulating the weather and climate of our planet, the ocean provides oxygen, energy, and food, and significantly contributes to the economic wealth of countries. The blue economy industries, such as tourism, aquaculture, fishing, and maritime transport, provide employment for more than three billion people, and the value of marine and coastal resources and industries is estimated at 2.5 trillion euros per year, accounting for 5% of the global GDP.
In recent decades, the ocean has been affected by the pressure of human activities (overfishing, pollution, urban development, or resource extraction), as well as by the effects of climate change. This leads to changes in climate patterns, marine heatwaves, melting ice, rising sea levels, acidification, and a decrease in dissolved oxygen. All these changes could irreversibly endanger the health of the ocean, as well as compromise the economy, quality of life, and social welfare of current and future generations.
In this context, ocean observation and research have become a global priority. That is why the UN proclaims the period 2021–2030 as the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, with a clear goal: "(...) to mobilize the scientific community, but also governments, public policy managers, businesses, and civil society around a common program of research and innovation (...)". This initiative aims to strengthen and diversify funding sources in order to achieve Goal 14 of the 2030 Agenda: "Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development."
