In a bid to make ocean science accessible to all, Mercator Ocean has unveiled new digital features on the Copernicus Marine Service web platform. New elements include an upgrade of the Copernicus Marine’s Ocean Explainers, originally released in 2021, and the launch of the brand-new Ocean Climate Portal. These two initiatives aim to improve the scope and accessibility of science-based communication on the Ocean and raise awareness about its key role in the functioning of our planet and humanity’s well-being.
The Copernicus Marine Service is one of the six components of the Earth Observation EU Space Programme Copernicus. The European Commission entrusted Mercator Ocean to implement the service.
The Ocean Explainers: improving knowledge through interaction
The Ocean Explainers summarise the fundamentals of oceanography in an easily accessible and user-friendly format, combining text segments with explanatory and illustrative infographics. The dedicated page, accessible through the Copernicus Marine website, gives access to a wealth of information on several aspects of oceanography, from the main phenomena affecting the Ocean to related EU, national and international policies. A “Glossary” section provides useful definitions of the terms which may be unfamiliar to the users new to oceanography.
The Ocean Explainers platform has recently undergone a major revamp, which introduced new content and changed the look and feel of the interface. The inclusion of the “Why is the Ocean Important” section represents a significant update; in this new section, users can familiarise themselves with Ocean data and their relevance in a myriad of societal and economic issues.
The Ocean Climate Portal: your virtual door to Ocean information
At its core, the Copernicus Marine Service is a source of Ocean data and information. While it serves a large variety of users, the service plays a crucial role in supporting both research efforts and informing decision-making. The launch of the Ocean Climate Portal brings the availability of Ocean information to a whole new level by consolidating knowledge on the state of the Ocean including the last three decades and making it easily accessible to everyone.
Building on the successful experience of the Ocean Explainers, the Ocean Climate Portal features interactive segments and infographics that allow a smooth and simple navigation throughout the platform. Information available on the portal includes essential variables of the blue (physical), green (biogeochemical), and white (sea ice) Oceans, such as Sea Level, Ocean Acidification and Arctic Sea Ice Extent. The Portal is built on and complements the Ocean Monitoring Indicators (OMIs), which allow users to understand the present state of the Ocean and forecast trends and possible threats. Each indicator featured in the portal is further explored with contextual information such as facts and figures, and how these impact the environment and society.
The Ocean Climate Portal goes way beyond representing just a repository of information for policy-making purposes, bringing Ocean knowledge closer to everyone through an intuitive interface, comprehensive explanations, and a truly educational approach.
