ITalian Integrated Ocean Observing system – IT-IOOS
Italian Ministry of Universities and Research
(
Government
)
#OceanAction58780
Description
The world’s oceans are a critical component of the Earth system. Sound knowledge and understanding of the ocean is essential. Effective ocean management depends on marine observations, which are generated by existing national or regional ocean observing systems and networks. Such data are also increasingly relevant to a broad array of policymakers and stakeholders. The Italian Integrated Ocean Observing System (IT-IOOS), developed withing the Next Generation EU ITINERS Project - Integrated environmental research infrastructures system, seeks to coordinate national observations for three critical themes: climate, operational services, and marine ecosystem health. IT-IOOS is addressing the immediate needs regarding quality and interoperability of ocean data. Provision of open oceanographic data will help meet the societal needs for access to ocean information, benefit the country by assisting in the development of ground-breaking research, contribute to the global ocean observation efforts.
The Italian Integrated Ocean Observing System (IT-IOOS), initiated by the PNRR project ITINERIS, is a national initiative aiming to coordinate and harmonize national marine observations and provide a single access point to all Italian marine data. IT-IOOS integrates and harmonize data collected by various Research Infrastructures (RIs) with the aim of guaranteeing access to Italian facilities, services, and marine data and ensuring long-term monitoring of Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs), Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs), and Essential Climate Variables (ECVs). Data collected from a wide range of platforms and technologies, including moorings, floats, drifters, gliders, and research vessels, models, are harmonized and made accessible from the IT-IOOS portal. IT-IOOS adopted the FAIR principles—Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable. All data are structured in a way that promotes seamless integration with other datasets. This accessibility empowers marine stakeholders to leverage the data effectively, fostering collaboration across different disciplines and enhancing the potential for innovative solutions to emerge. IT-IOOS builds upon Italy’s active involvement in Research Infrastructures (RIs), which have been established to share facilities, resources, and services to monitor the environment and ensure their long-term sustainability. RIs contributing to IT-IOOS includes the Italy's nodes and facilities of EMSO ERIC, EURO-ARGO ERIC, DANUBIUS, ICOS, JERICO, eLTER, EUROFLEETS and SIOS as well as three significant Italian infrastructures: Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, N/R Laura Bassi, and GeoSciences-MER The IT-IOOS has been designed as a distributed system to enhance the collection and sharing of oceanographic data. This design adheres to the guidelines established by the Italian Oceanographic Commission (COI), a national body of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, which has emphasized the necessity of a unique portal where all Italian marine monitoring systems, modeling results, and marine data are displayed and easily accessible. By aligning with these national and international standards, IT-IOOS strengthens Italy's capacity to contribute to global ocean observation efforts, fostering innovation and sustainability in marine science.
The IT-IOOS will allow the Italian marine community to contribute to GOOS and to address the challenges of UN Ocean Decade of Science for Sustainable Development and to contribute to the implementation of the Agenda 2030 and in particular to the SDG14.
SDGS & Targets
Goal 14
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
14.1
By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution
14.1.1
(a) Index of coastal eutrophication; and (b) plastic debris density
14.2
By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans
14.2.1
Number of countries using ecosystem-based approaches to managing marine areas
14.3
Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels
14.3.1
14.4
By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics
14.4.1
14.5
By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information
14.5.1
14.6
By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation
14.6.1
Degree of implementation of international instruments aiming to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
14.7
By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism
14.7.1
Sustainable fisheries as a proportion of GDP in small island developing States, least developed countries and all countries
14.a
Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries
14.a.1
14.b
Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets
14.b.1
Degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small‐scale fisheries
14.c
Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of "The future we want"
14.c.1
Number of countries making progress in ratifying, accepting and implementing through legal, policy and institutional frameworks, ocean-related instruments that implement international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans and their resources
SDG 14 targets covered
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| 14.1 | By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution |
| 14.a | Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries |
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Margherita, Ms