Ocean data is the fundamental building block to drive critically important research and inform sustainable ocean governance and policies, yet the ocean is under-observed, especially in developing regions, data from observations and forecasts are often fragmented and hard to access, and any communities lack knowledge and capacity to discover and use ocean data effectively.
A well-connected digital data ecosystem can enable Sustainable Development Goal 14 on ‘Life Below Water’ by providing real-time, interoperable ocean information that supports evidence-based policies, sustainable marine resource management, and effective conservation efforts.
To address this, the Ocean Decade is advancing the concept of a global Digital Ecosystem that transforms ocean observations into actionable services for decision-makers. This system is powered by three fore pillars: ocean observing, ocean data sharing, and ocean forecasting. Together, these components form a robust ocean data value chain — a foundation for sustainable ocean management, climate resilience, and economic development.