Science – Industry workshop on Ocean Biodiversity Data

This online workshop on ocean biodiversity data convenes scientists, ocean policy specialists, and representatives from finance and industry to discuss data generation, management, gaps, needs and availability across different segments and disciplines. 

The workshop is co-organised and led by the non-profit foundation and Blue-Cloud 2026 partner HUB Ocean and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC/UNESCO) in its role as coordinator of the Ocean Decade.  

Ocean biodiversity data is critical not only to increase our understanding of marine ecosystems, but also to help us develop sustainable solutions and to support the transition of economies to a nature-positive state. From the impact of climate change to new regulations and non-financial disclosure requirements, as well as the growing interest in impact investing, all these factors drive the need for ocean biodiversity data to be generated, shared and analysed across sectors and geographic boundaries. However, we have yet to fully understand what specific types of biodiversity data are required, what the standardized biodiversity data collection metrics could be, and what are the resulting information products will meet these emerging needs and enable an efficient transition to a sustainable economy.  

The workshop consists of online presentations and interactive working sessions. The desired outcomes are to 1) establish a framework to facilitate open industrial data sharing, including guidance on the benefits of such an exercise; and 2) determine data gaps to be addressed in priority for the mutual benefit of science and private industry, as well as potential information products that would add value to this shared data. 

The workshop contributes to the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), in addressing data and information aspects of the programme’s Challenge #2, which aims to “Protect and restore ecosystems and biodiversity, understand the effects of multiple stressors on ocean ecosystems, and develop solutions to monitor, protect, manage and restore ecosystems and their biodiversity under changing environmental, social and climate conditions.” 

Blue-Cloud at the event

Blue-Cloud 2026 Virtual Lab leader Patricia Cabrera (VLIZ) took part in the event on 8 June, World Ocean Day, with the presentation "Biodiversity data: From innovative observations to cloud-based products", closing the session on Biodiversity data and information landscape.