Strategic Planning for Operational Oceanography
Il
ordinate the collaboration between these bodies. It is the objective of EuroGOOS
to promote this co-ordination.
Europe is dependent upon and influenced by marine conditions more than any
other developed continental region. Changes in mean sea level, changes in storm
conditions and coastal erosion, have a greater impact on shelf-seas and oceanic
fisheries, tourism, land use, shipping and ports, and offshore oii than in other continents. Concern about possible global sea level rise and its combination with
regional earth movements is of high priority, as evidenced by the activity of the
European component of the Global Sea Level Observing System (GLOSS). The
Mediterranean is an almost closed basin with unique circulation which requires a
relatively high resolution observation and modelling scheme (Golnaraghi et al.,
1996; Jeftic et al., 1993; Jeftic et al., 1996). The Mediterranean Forecasting System
proposed by EuroGOOS in collaboration with the Mediterranean GOOS organisation (MedGOOS) emphasises regional nested modelling and forecasting (Pinardi
and Flemming, 1998). This modelling is important both for the Mediterranean
coastal states, and to provide accurate assessment of the Mediterranean outflow of
dense water into the Atlantic. The Baltic region has a highly developed set of collaborational structures, with a sophisticated programme of linked hydrodynamic
models, interfacing with biological productivity models (Buch and Dahlin 2000).
The ability to monitor and predict North Atlantic changes on the multi-year
timescale would provide the boundary conditions for models of the shelf seas, and
hence permit prediction of conditions in the coastal areas. In addition to the Atlantic variability it is important to understand the variability of Arctic sea ice, and the
variability of the ocean waters under the ice. European countries will benefit
greatly from a programme of remote sens ing of the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans,
combined with in situ instrumentation. The ocean scale models should be run so as
to provide seasonal, inter-annual and multi-year predictions. Most EuroGOOS
activities to date, and the forecasts and models run by Member agencies, are
intended to provide short to medium term forecasts of coastal and marine processes. The fuIl value of incorporating seasonal and inter-annual ocean models
into climate variability forecasting has not yet been tested. This is likely to occur
soon, as basin scale models such as FOAM (Forecast Ocean Atmospheric Model) and
MERCATOR are implemented at higher resolution, and integrated with climate
models. Forecasts on this scale will influence the planning of fresh water utilisation, management of dams and reservoirs, river management, agriculture, and
energy planning. In 1997 EuroGOOS held a joint workshop with participants from
the USA to analyse requirements for operational modelling of the Atlantic (Le Provost and Flemming, 1998). EuroGOOS Member Agencies are prominent in the
planning ofthe Atlantic ARGO Pilot Experiment,jointly with the USA.
European countries have policies on aid and assistance to developing countries,
and agreements for joint programmes and collaboration or partnership on projects.
GOOS is a natural vehicle for collaboration in capacity building. As a general
structure for EuroGOOS is set up, the common or collective view on the involvement of developing countries is an important element. EuroGOOS actively collab-
Il
ordinate the collaboration between these bodies. It is the objective of EuroGOOS
to promote this co-ordination.
Europe is dependent upon and influenced by marine conditions more than any
other developed continental region. Changes in mean sea level, changes in storm
conditions and coastal erosion, have a greater impact on shelf-seas and oceanic
fisheries, tourism, land use, shipping and ports, and offshore oii than in other continents. Concern about possible global sea level rise and its combination with
regional earth movements is of high priority, as evidenced by the activity of the
European component of the Global Sea Level Observing System (GLOSS). The
Mediterranean is an almost closed basin with unique circulation which requires a
relatively high resolution observation and modelling scheme (Golnaraghi et al.,
1996; Jeftic et al., 1993; Jeftic et al., 1996). The Mediterranean Forecasting System
proposed by EuroGOOS in collaboration with the Mediterranean GOOS organisation (MedGOOS) emphasises regional nested modelling and forecasting (Pinardi
and Flemming, 1998). This modelling is important both for the Mediterranean
coastal states, and to provide accurate assessment of the Mediterranean outflow of
dense water into the Atlantic. The Baltic region has a highly developed set of collaborational structures, with a sophisticated programme of linked hydrodynamic
models, interfacing with biological productivity models (Buch and Dahlin 2000).
The ability to monitor and predict North Atlantic changes on the multi-year
timescale would provide the boundary conditions for models of the shelf seas, and
hence permit prediction of conditions in the coastal areas. In addition to the Atlantic variability it is important to understand the variability of Arctic sea ice, and the
variability of the ocean waters under the ice. European countries will benefit
greatly from a programme of remote sens ing of the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans,
combined with in situ instrumentation. The ocean scale models should be run so as
to provide seasonal, inter-annual and multi-year predictions. Most EuroGOOS
activities to date, and the forecasts and models run by Member agencies, are
intended to provide short to medium term forecasts of coastal and marine processes. The fuIl value of incorporating seasonal and inter-annual ocean models
into climate variability forecasting has not yet been tested. This is likely to occur
soon, as basin scale models such as FOAM (Forecast Ocean Atmospheric Model) and
MERCATOR are implemented at higher resolution, and integrated with climate
models. Forecasts on this scale will influence the planning of fresh water utilisation, management of dams and reservoirs, river management, agriculture, and
energy planning. In 1997 EuroGOOS held a joint workshop with participants from
the USA to analyse requirements for operational modelling of the Atlantic (Le Provost and Flemming, 1998). EuroGOOS Member Agencies are prominent in the
planning ofthe Atlantic ARGO Pilot Experiment,jointly with the USA.
European countries have policies on aid and assistance to developing countries,
and agreements for joint programmes and collaboration or partnership on projects.
GOOS is a natural vehicle for collaboration in capacity building. As a general
structure for EuroGOOS is set up, the common or collective view on the involvement of developing countries is an important element. EuroGOOS actively collab-