1. What is a digital twin?

A digital twin is a virtual replica designed to represent a physical object, a system or a process, serving as its digital counterpart for practical purposes, including simulation, testing, monitoring, or maintenance.  It can offer valuable insights, which can then be applied back to improve and/or interact with the “original.”

2. What is a digital twin of the ocean?

In simple terms, a digital twin of the ocean is a digital “replica” or “copy” of the ocean that we can use to better understand the marine realm. In more technical terms, a digital twin of the ocean is a coherent, high-resolution, multi-dimensional, and near real-time representation of the ocean. It integrates a wide range of existing data sources stemming from ocean observations and combines them with next generation ocean models, leveraging artificial intelligence and high-performance computers to simulate and respond to “what-if” scenarios.

3. How are digital twins of the ocean useful?

The knowledge generated by digital twins of the ocean has the potential to provide citizens with better information on ocean related matters and to make decisions based on this information. For example, a digital twin can make it possible to “test” the effects of climate change and man-made pressures on marine life and ecosystems, as well as the effectiveness of different possible policy responses. As such, it helps society better monitor ocean events and democratises access to policy choices, collectively sharing the responsibility of preserving and restoring the marine and coastal habitats that support the livelihoods of millions of people across the planet.

4. Why are we building a European Digital Twin Ocean?

The EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030” seeks to restore the health of Europe’s seas and coastal and inland waters by 2030. To do so, it has set targets with regard to increasing ocean knowledge and citizen engagement: protecting marine and water ecosystems, achieving zero pollution, advancing the decarbonization of the blue economy, and enhancing ocean governance.

Increasing ocean knowledge and intelligence is a key challenge and a priority of this EU Mission. Without ocean observations, measurements, and predictions, ensuring a fit-for-purpose management of marine resources and a sound ocean governance is simply not possible. That is why a key action of the mission refers to developing a European Digital Twin Ocean and all waters, harnessing existing EU assets, such as the European Marine Ocean Data network (EMODnet) and Copernicus Marine Service.

The European Digital Twin Ocean was announced by President von der Leyen in February 2022. Its ambition is to make ocean knowledge readily available to citizens, entrepreneurs, scientists and policymakers. This knowledge will help design the most effective ways to restore marine and coastal habitats, support a sustainable blue economy and mitigate and adapt to climate change. 

In 2022-2025, EDITO delivered the core public infrastructure of the European Digital Twin Ocean, by upgrading, combining, and integrating key service components of existing EU ocean observing, monitoring and data programs, namely Copernicus Marine Service and the European Marine Observation & Data Network (EMODnet), into a single digital framework. 

Currently, EDITO is working to  scale up the infrastructure capabilities, expand its platform’s reach, enhance its services for researchers and institutional contributors, and grow the community of projects and initiatives harnessing EDITO to co-create the European Digital Twin Ocean. EDITO will continue to align with cross-sectoral initiatives and global collaborations. For instance, through its interoperability with programs like Destination Earth and international efforts such as the UN DITTO Programs.