The kick-off meeting of EMSO EVOLVE takes place in Rome: European deep-sea observatories come together to shape the next decade of activities

The kick-off meeting of EMSO EVOLVE, a four-year project funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe programme, takes place in Rome. Coordinated by EMSO ERIC, the legal entity established as a European Research Infrastructure Consortium and headquartered in Rome, which manages the European Multidisciplinary Seafloor and water column Observatory, the project brings together 19 partner organisations from 10 countries with the aim of strengthening EMSO’s role as Europe’s leading infrastructure for long-term ocean observation by 2035.

The ocean plays a fundamental role in regulating the Earth’s climate by absorbing the heat and CO₂ generated by human activities. However, it is also a source of significant natural hazards, such as submarine earthquakes, tsunamis and landslides. Despite its importance, the deep ocean is poorly monitored. While satellites observe the ocean surface, it is only possible to monitor processes occurring from the seabed to the surface over time using in situ observatories.

EMSO EVOLVE aims to address this significant gap by focusing on four key areas where long-term time series are particularly important: climate and ocean variability, geological hazards, biodiversity loss, and the deep-ocean carbon cycle, as well as warming and acidification.

The project is based on the infrastructure that has been managed by EMSO ERIC since 2016. Fourteen Regional Facilities are located across twenty-one sites, spanning the Nordic Seas, the Black Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. These facilities provide data on around 125 variables measured in situ, from the seabed to the ocean surface. EMSO data are freely available online, and researchers can apply for physical access to the observatories.

OGS, INGV and CNR represent Italy in EMSO EVOLVE. Over the next four years, the project will strengthen governance and the ocean observation system, modernise digital services and data management, and promote integration with European research infrastructures. The project will also establish the EMSO Academy, which is dedicated to training and skills development. The project's goal is to promote integration, international collaboration, and the coordination of ocean observations across Europe.

More info:

• Website: emso.eu
• Project information: EMSO EVOLVE
• LinkedIn: EMSO ERIC su LinkedIn
• Facebook: EMSO ERIC su Facebook
• YouTube: EMSO ERIC su YouTube

General information:
info@emso-eu.org