Forschungsschiff auf dem Ozean aus der Vogelperspektive

Ocean online

THE INFORMATION WEB PORTAL OF THE GERMAN MARINE RESEARCH

Ocean Online is a web-based portal with evidence-based information on societally relevant marine topics to build Ocean Literacy. The web portal combines the expertise of German marine research by organising and providing information for the general public that can be bundled and compiled as required.  The focus is on the sustainable use of our coasts, seas and oceans. The portal targets anyone who wants to have a say and make decisions on ocean and climate, ecosystem services, their uses and sustainability goals.

The sustainable use of our natural resources, which include the coasts, seas and oceans as the largest habitat on earth, is a social challenge and a question that will define the future of humanity. The climate and biodiversity crises affect everyone. Wondering which paths lead to greater sustainability is a question for science and politics but also for society as a whole. The “Meere Online / Ocean Online” web portal provides needs-oriented information from marine research for stakeholders from politics, administration, business, civil society and all interested parties.

Mitgliederkarte der Deutschen Allianz Meeresforschung (DAM)
Members of the DAM | ©Carolin Rankin

The web portal is being developed with German Marine Research Alliance members. Furthermore, in cooperation with the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), an AI-supported semantic search function is being developed to enable the rapid and targeted retrieval of relevant, science-based information. In cooperation with the Informationsdienst Wissenschaft (idw), ocean and climate related research press releases will also be available in a searchable format.

THE TOPICS

The Ocean online web portal forms an overarching thematic bracket that encompasses the focus points of German marine research – from the coastal regions to the open ocean and the deep sea, from the tropics to the polar regions. The interconnectedness of land and sea and the variety of interactions between humans and the ocean are addressed with a particular focus on the sustainable use of our ocean. The range of topics is diverse:

The coasts, seas and oceans are home to millions of marine creatures – the key “providers” for the ecosystem services of these habitats. They generate oxygen for breathing and produce that food that more than a third of humanity depends on. If species are severely depleted or become extinct and thus cannot perform their ecological functions, this can have serious consequences.

The ocean regulates our climate and slows down global warming by absorbing a large proportion of the heat generated by human-made greenhouse gas emissions. However, this causes sea levels and water temperatures to rise and ocean acidification – all of which have consequences for marine life and humans alike.

Fish and other marine life are an essential food resource for humans. However, the ocean is also used to extract various raw materials for energy production and as shipping lanes. In addition, more and more people are seeking relaxation on cruises and going to the seaside for holidays. Many of these activities and often conflicting uses put pressure on marine ecosystems.

Increasing pollution from waste and other harmful substances greatly strains the ocean. Floods of plastic waste on the beaches or oily seabirds after a tanker accident are prevalent images of marine pollution. Most environmental problems are not as visible; instead they occur far from the coast and are hidden beneath the sea surface.

Borders and delineations also exist in the ocean, where different zones are managed according to who claims ownership here. This, in turn, affects how resources are regulated in a specific zone. However, ocean currents don’t care about those boundaries and transport water masses, living creatures, pollutants and waste across them and into remote areas. Successful marine management, therefore, requires collaborative solutions to protect and sustainably use coasts, seas and ocean.

Marine technology is crucial for ocean science and marine research and an essential link to maritime industry and business. Technology transfer and cooperation promote innovation and drive the development of technologies necessary for the sustainable use of the ocean.

Marine technology is crucial for ocean science and marine research and an essential link to maritime industry and business. Technology transfer and cooperation promote innovation and drive the development of technologies necessary for the sustainable use of the ocean.

The digital information portal is an official contribution to the EU mission Restore our Ocean and Waters. The objective of the mission are healthy oceans, seas, coastal and inland waters. Achieving this requires a new perspective: We as a society must understand that our oceans and waters have vital value for us, which we must actively preserve instead of destroying.

The project is also being prepared for registration as a project of the UN Decade of Marine Research for Sustainable Development, 2021-2030.

The project is funded by the northern German states of Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein.

Project team

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The federal government and the governments of the five northern German states support the current development and sponsor the DAM.