MARINE AND COASTAL POLLUTION - EXPRO+

In the framework of the Earth Observation Applications projects, the Marine and Coastal Pollution project aims to develop innovative high-quality EO-based information products, indicators and methods to improve the monitoring and attribution of marine and coastalpollution. This activity is linked to a number of key policies at international (e.g. UNFCCC, UN SDGs, 2022 Kunming-Montreal GlobalBiodiversity Framework (GBF), Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement, the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL).) and European (e.g., the European Ocean Pact, the ZeroPollution Action Plan, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the Water Framework Directive (WFD)) levels.The activity targets bothland-based pollution (e.g. urban runoff, agricultural fertilizers, industrial waste) of the coastal environment and marine-basedpollution (e.g. shipping, offshore infrastructure, aquaculture, dredging) in the coastal and open ocean. A detection-attribution modelling framework shall be developed integrating EO data with relevant ancillary information (e.g. with vessel/AIS data, offshore infrastructure and activity information, metocean conditions, ocean circulation models and other relevant datasets) to identify and analyse the sources, drivers and transport pathways of pollution and their contribution to observed patterns of water quality and environmental variability in coastal and open-ocean waters.Such framework shall enable:-the monitoring and modelling of key indicators of marine and coastal environmental quality and pollution, including eutrophication, surface water temperature anomalies, changesin turbidity, harmful algal blooms, oil and hydrocarbon pollution, floating marine litter and other pollution indicators affecting the marine and coastal ocean health;-the establishment of linkages between observed environmental and water quality patterns and pollution sources, including terrestrial and marine-based activities, as well as the identification of associated transport pathways,likely sources and areas of recurrent pollution.The project shall have a multi-sensor approach, leverage on state-of-the-art existing datasets and integrate as necessary open non-EO data, in-situ measurements and model outputs. This activity is considered in the series of the PEOPLE (Pioneering EO apPLications for the Environment) projects and it shall be implemented in close collaboration with early adopters: government agencies, environmental organisations and private companies from the Blue Economy sector. The EA shall beinvolved in the requirements consolidation and the validation process of the new methods and relative derived information products.This activity requires an open-science approach, sharing knowledge and information across the stakeholders and end-users.