Impact

Advancing Ocean Biodiversity Conservation

NECCTON will advance ocean biodiversity conservation, support food-security and inform European policies through our next-generation marine ecosystem analysis and prediction systems.

To ensure we achieve the greatest impact from our products and to maximise their usage and benefits, NECCTON utilises a co-design approach to their development. 

Schematic of the NECCTON strategy and plan to maximise impact.
Schematic of the NECCTON strategy and plan to maximise impact.

The schematic figure shows how we will incorporate the latest data and emerging data streams into our research and development. We will develop state-of-the-art numerical models that incorporate the latest data assimilation and machine learning techniques. NECCTON will co-design our products with research users to ensure that they meet our users’ needs. We will encourage the use of our products through targeted training, demonstrations, and dissemination activities. Through our roadmap to integration NECCTON will ensure the products are incorporated successfully into the Copernicus Marine Service, attracting new users to the service.

Contributions towards wider impacts

The enhanced range of Copernicus Marine Service products provided by NECCTON will have wide-ranging and long-lasting impacts on a variety of sectors.

Accurate simulations of the marine ecosystem under a changing climate are essential to underpin policy and management decisions for sustainable management of marine resources, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable blue growth.

Plymouth Sound with PML's buoy floating

Below are just a few of the areas where we expect to see significant benefits from the NECCTON project:

  • Improved protection and management of endangered marine species and fish stocks using NECCTON ecosystem and climate projections.
  • More effective Marine Protected Areas due to NECCTON data on climate change hotspots and bright sites, identifying areas at risk from climate change and where there is potential for sustainable blue growth.

  • Enhanced food security by informing the sustainable management of fisheries.

  • Improved opportunities for sustainable blue growth due to identification of climate change bright sites, where there is potential for range expansion of species.
  • Expansion of worldwide operational centres and an increased number of Copernicus users will support the development of the blue economy and ecosystem-based policies.

  • International targets such as the “predictive ocean” challenge of the UN Decade of the Ocean will be addressed through worldwide operational centres adopting our integrated modelling approach.

  • More effective scientific collaboration will be facilitated by an increase in use of the NECCTON inter-linked modelling platform.

  • Increased public support for monitoring and preserving marine biodiversity will be generated by awareness and dissemination campaigns.

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NEWS AND PROJECT UPDATES

01 March 2024|News

NECCTON Project Endorsed by UN Ocean Decade Programme

NECCTON Project Endorsed by UN Ocean Decade Programme: Advancing Marine Biodiversity Conservation
The NECCTON is proud to announce its endorsement by the UN Ocean Decade Programme, as a project of the Marine Life 2030 programme, reconfirming its commitment to safeguarding the marine ecosystems. This endorsement signifies a significant milestone in NECCTON's mission to improve the monitoring and management of our...

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06 February 2024|News

NECCTON Releases Best Practices Guide for Model Development

NECCTON is dedicated to enhancing the Copernicus Marine Service, and this week announces the release of its concise guide for biogeochemical/ecological model development. This document outlines practical strategies for model implementation, fostering interoperability across CMEMS Monitoring and Forecasting Centres (MFCs). 

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17 January 2024|News

NECCTON new video

We are pleased to share with you our first project video. This short video introduces the wide range of activities and research developments that will be undertaken by the team, highlighting how they will be useful in support of Copernicus Marine Service and wider user community. 

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24 November 2023|News

Better models for ocean conservation: Horizon Europe guarantee

Through a Horizon Europe guarantee grant, the UK is continuing to provide improved monitoring of the marine ecosystem. 

Around the globe, there’s a growing awareness of the importance of the seas for all life on our planet. And if we are to protect the marine environment accurate monitoring and prediction of its behaviour is crucial, we cannot manage what we do not observe.

In Europe, the Copernicus Marine Service...

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30 October 2023|News

NECCTON's Latest: Reports on Advancements in Key Products

We're pleased to announce the release of a comprehensive series of reports that unveil the innovative products our project aims to develop across various key areas. At NECCTON, we're dedicated to pushing the boundaries of innovation, and these reports underscore our commitment to delivering advanced solutions.

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12 July 2023|News

NECCTON's first Virtual Science Meeting

NECCTON's first virtual science meeting was a great success. Providing an opportunity for the whole team to gather and share details of scientific advancements in the first six months of the project. 

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03 July 2023|News

NECCTON Co-Design Stakeholder Workshop

Last week, the NECCTON Stakeholder Workshop: Co-design of Future Products was held virtually. This two-day workshop took place on June 28th and 29th with the aim of presenting NECCTON's future products and gathering stakeholder needs. The first public event of NECCTON attracted over 100 participants, including key stakeholders, project scientists, and potential users of NECCTON products.

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28 June 2023|News

Advancing the Conservation of Ocean Biodiversity through Copernicus Marine Service Evolution

The New Copernicus Capability for Tropic Ocean Networks project (NECCTON) aims to expand the Copernicus Marine Service product catalogue by delivering new and improved biogeochemical products, by means of new models of higher trophic levels, the benthic habitat, and of marine pollution. Launched in January 2023, the project received funding under a Horizon Europe Call for the evolution of the Copernicus Marine Service and will run...

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