Objectives
1
Generate and analyse customised regional observational datasets to deliver empirical understanding of the state, variability and trends of ocean and coastal service pressures.
This objective will deliver new data on oceans and climate using observations and Earth system models.
2
Deliver downscaled simulations of oceanic response to climate change at basin to regional/coastal scales.
By synthesizing European expertise on statistical and dynamical downscaling, we will develop state-of-the-art protocols and simulations to assess oceanic responses to climate change on basin to regional/coastal scales, and we will use these simulations to assess climatic trends in mean state and statistical variability. This objective will be achieved using observations and Earth system models and it will directly contribute to ‘Improving estimates of climate change induced modifications of ocean physics and ocean chemistry, associated with biogeochemical cycles, including ocean acidification and carbon sequestration’. Our models will also strengthen climate knowledge on several other ocean pressures such as warming and deoxygenation.
3
Investigate the added value of improved downscaled projections for determining future pressure (stressor) changes relevant for key ocean services.
Our novel approach focussed on strengthening climate knowledge relevant to ocean services aims to deliver the information required for stronger and immediate trans-national co-operation and societal transformation to mitigate and adapt to climate change, while also safeguarding and developing a sustainable marine bioeconomy. We will thus provide ‘Climate Services innovation’ in the form of a new way of exploiting observations and modelling tools to deliver climate information that gives maximal support to decision-making.
4
Co-produce research strategies with stakeholders and communicate new project knowledge to relevant management, regulatory, industrial and societal organisations.
While the technical tasks of CE2COAST have a strong focus on the participating countries/regions, ocean-climate interaction is relevant for the entire ocean scale. It is therefore vital to bring the findings into an enhanced geographic context and involve stakeholders as early as possible on a broad geographic basis. The ongoing activities focussed on the “Decade of the Oceans” through IOC and the ATLANTIC INTERACTIONS Initiative through AIR Centre provide highly relevant platforms to achieve a powerful stakeholder involvement all across the Atlantic Ocean and beyond. This objective therefore contributes to the aim of helping to inform adaptation policy by bringing key knowledge to increase resilience and adaptation measures for vulnerable areas, especially in coastal and low island areas. The CE2COAST co-production approach is also a form of ‘Climate Services innovation’.
5
To enhance the European Marine Research dimension.
By pooling expertise from 7 European countries in one project we aim to provide added value from trans-national co-operation. CE2COAST is also strongly interdisciplinary, and aims to integrate knowledge from physical, chemical, and biological oceanography with climate science, statistics, and socioeconomics, and also to include societal aspects via a co-production approach involving stakeholders and end users.