The Cerulean Information is honoured to have been endorsed by the United Nationa as project No. 65.7 forming part of the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030.
Transforming ocean data into information to support the green transition for:
The Cerulean Information Factory (CIF) is named after the blue-green colour, reflecting the need to combine the Blue and Green Economies in order to have a successful Green Transition.
The intial focus will be on the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans between Canada and Europe.
CIF capabilities will be co-created with stakeholders.
The work is being sponsored by the European Space Agency.
The Challenge
2023 shattered global temperature records and saw unprecedented environmental disasters across the planet. Climate change poses an existential crisis for humanity and the environment. Survival will depend on both decreasing anthropogenic impacts and adapting to change. These measures are being planned and implemented around the world in a Green Transition towards economically sustainable growth and an economy that is not based on fossil fuels and overconsumption of natural resources. Such a sustainable economy will rely on low-carbon solutions that promote the circular economy and biodiversity.
Example Capabilities
CIF capabilities will be co-created in consultation with stakeholders. The following are initial examples of the type of capabilities being considered in each domain:
Shipping
Integration of the IMO Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) regulation into a route optimization tool for vessels in ice that minimizes fuel consumption, ship emissions, and travel time, while maintaining ship safety in sea ice and icebergs.
The capability will provide a tool to support both ship operators with voyage planning and policymakers in evaluating the impact of the CII regulation and future changes in the accessibility of Arctic regions.
Offshore Renewable Energy
Integration of many information sources to provide user-definable metrics for solar, tidal, wave and wind energy. Metrics will include:
- The energy densities,
- Accessibility of the site, such as ocean depth, distance to shore and distance to energy markets, and
- The vulnerability of the site to adverse environmental conditions such as sea ice, icebergs, extreme wind, and extreme waves.
Aquaculture
Assessment of aquaculture site suitability based on historical water quality and microorganisms, and early warning systems for aquaculture (e.g harmful algae blooms, pollution, eutrophication) using information such as:
- Sea Surface Temperature
- Turbidity
- Ocean Colour
- Currents
- Layer mixing
The European Space Agency GTIF Programme
The CIF is funded under the ESA GTIF Program.
Green Transition Information Factories
Decision makers will require information to help them guide the transition to a greener future. The European Space Agency (ESA) is responding by creating a series of “Green Transition Information Factories” (GTIF) that will use Earth Observation (EO) data, geospatial and digital platform technologies, and advanced analytics to generate actionable knowledge and decision support for climate change impact reduction and adaptation.
Implementation
Capabilities in the three domains will be implemented in parallel. An initial demonstration will occur in October 2024. The full capabilities will be available by December 2025.
Contact
For more information about the Cerulean Information Factory or to get involved, please contact:
David Arthurs
Managing Director
Polar View
Email: david.arthurs@polarview.org
Project Team
The project team is a collaboration between Canada and Denmark, composed of the following organizations:
