The Marine Institute’s Dr Niall McDonough outlines why Europe needs to strengthen its ocean knowledge systems to help the region ‘adapt, compete and lead’.
As Europe seeks to strengthen its competitiveness, security and resilience in an increasingly uncertain world, the EU Ocean Pact provides a framework for addressing some of its most pressing challenges.
Its success will depend on whether Europe is prepared to invest in the knowledge systems needed to transform ambition into action.
Every Ocean Pact priority depends on ocean knowledge
The marine knowledge system comprises ocean observations (in situ and remote), data systems, data products and services, research, expertise, infrastructures, networks, partnerships and programmes. All of these components are interdependent, and to deliver real societal and economic impact, must work in an integrated way.
Without strong marine knowledge systems, Europe cannot, for example, evaluate the effectiveness of marine protected areas, monitor ecosystem recovery, understand climate impacts or measure progress towards environmental targets.
These systems provide the evidence, know-how, and operational capabilities that transform policy objectives into measurable outcomes. They enable policymakers, regulators, industries and communities to make informed decisions, assess progress, manage risk, and course-correct in response to evolving conditions.
At the same time, they help ocean businesses to reduce operational risk, improve planning, and make informed investment decisions, strengthening Europe’s ability to compete in emerging ocean industries.
The same marine observation networks that support environmental protection can also underpin maritime security and defence.
Marine observation and monitoring platforms, including satellites, research vessels, autonomous systems, seabed sensors and coastal monitoring networks, provide safe navigation as well as the situational awareness needed to detect, monitor and respond to emerging threats.
There remains, however, a substantial degree of fragmentation across Europe’s observation and data systems, which have been developed by a wide range of actors with different interests and purposes.
The OceanEye initiative launched in June 2025 is an important commitment by the European Commission to reduce this fragmentation and close critical data gaps.
While the specific modalities will be set out in the forthcoming Ocean Act (due in early 2027), the opportunity to improve coordination and alignment across all relevant ocean observing and data systems (metocean, environmental, maritime, safety and security, socio-economic etc) should not be lost.
Investing in public knowledge is a competitive advantage
This especially matters at a time when Europe seeks to enhance its competitiveness, as the ability to generate, manage and effectively apply knowledge and insight is becoming a source of economic strength, resilience and geopolitical influence.
Here, Europe possesses a distinctive advantage, with a long tradition of investing in public goods that create value across society, including research infrastructures, Earth observation systems, environmental monitoring networks and open scientific collaboration.
Horizon Europe, moreover, is the only truly global research programme with many countries around the world able to participate either as equal partners through accession agreements or as Third Countries eligible to receive funding.
The Draghi report pointed out that while Europe is a leader in many fields of research (notably including ocean science), it has traditionally been less effective at translating research excellence to competitive gain.
The next Multi-Annual Financial Framework will seek to address this through an enlarged European Competitiveness Fund and an increased emphasis on competitiveness in the next Horizon Europe Programme.
This is not wrong, but we must ensure that this evolution does not compromise the necessary support for public-good, policy-oriented research. Our competitive advantage resides here just as much as in higher TRL research and commercialisation supports.
Atlantic Summit Galway 2026
The priorities for future ocean research will be at the heart of discussions during the Atlantic Summit Galway on 8-9 October 2026.
Policymakers, researchers, innovators, industry leaders and coastal communities from across Europe and the wider Atlantic region, will come together to define the critical challenges and opportunities related to the ocean and to raise the ambition for the next chapter of EU and Atlantic Ocean R&I.
As an event with formal association to Ireland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the conference will explore how ocean knowledge can support the implementation of the Ocean Pact and strengthen Europe’s future.
At a time when ocean challenges increasingly transcend national boundaries, the summit will provide a vital platform for collaboration across disciplines, sectors and countries, enabling shared solutions to shared challenges.
Europe is entering an era of intensifying competition for technology, resources, resilience and talent. Oceans will play a central role in all four. To succeed, the next Multiannual Financial Framework and Horizon Europe programme must recognise ocean research, knowledge and innovation as strategic investments that will help Europe adapt, compete and lead.
Dr Niall McDonough is director of policy, innovation and research support services at the Marine Institute, the state agency responsible for marine research, technology development and innovation in Ireland. McDonough has a PhD in marine biology and has worked at the Marine Institute since 2007, holding various leadership positions.
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