Project Summary

Project objectives

GRAND targets several goals that are of importance to the GRAs. The overarching aims are:

• To apply science and technology derived from the research community to operational oceanography;

• To empower the GOOS Regions, and in particular to create a coherent structure to achieve capacity building appropriate to the needs of each region;

• To link the coast to GOOS.

The ultimate goal of GRAND is the preparation of a GOOS Regional Strategy to improve the performance of local marine environmental services exploiting the global products of GOOS. The strategy is intended to address the related technical and management challenges, and identify the new technologies that can link the global observations to applications required by customers operating at coastal scale such as in the tourism and leisure industries, in shipping and marine transportation, in marine safety and rescue, in fisheries and other areas.

Project WorkPackage Outline

The GRAND activities are articulated into three workpackages:

WP1 GRAND Information – Targeting to obtain information and evaluate on a regional basis: (i) the nature and extent of key marine environmental issues in the various GOOS regions, and (ii) the capabilities and assets currently deployed in terms of ongoing initiatives, methodologies and practices, technological infrastructures and equipment, resources and funding to address these issues.

WP2 GRAND Empowerment – Contributing to empower the GRAs to participate with local expertise, and benefit from GOOS, building a strong inter-regional network of local experts, and set the basis for a long term training scheme. The high-level training workshops addressed issues of common interest, tackle specific needs, provide 21st century technology in ocean observations and modelling, and provide European know-how and experience. A demonstrator based on the “What-if? Prediction” concept including an individual-based ecosystem model is developed to provide scientific advice to decision-makers for sound planning and remedial actions in coastal and marine areas.

WP3 GRAND Strategy – Aiming to prepare a coherent regional strategy for GOOS and initiate a series of GRAND publications to serve as a common reference for the GOOS regions. The main scope of the strategy is that of guiding the GRAs towards maximising the benefit from global scale ocean observations to local coastal needs and operations. The strategy will be constructed on five main inputs:

• Benefits to coastal communities from investment in the Global Ocean Observing System

• Analysis of technical problems and solutions for bridging the gap in scale between global observations and local needs

• Need for a regional approach

• Trials in the regions

• Implementation driven by GRAs working together

The GOOS Regional Prospectus to be published by GRAND is the legacy of the project for the EC and the global GOOS. It will contribute to the international aspects of GMES and to support the Member States of I-GOOS to harmonise the development of an effective network of GOOS Regional Alliances through the GOOS Regional Forum and the GOOS Regional Council.

Main project milestones

	The Kick-Off meeting was held in Nadi , Fiji on 7 th – 9 th February 2004 in conjunction with the 2 nd GOOS Regional Forum. Hosted by the GRA PI-GOOS. The Kick-off meeting provided an opportunity to plan the work for GRAND and for discussions on the benefits for each GOOS Regional Alliances from the GRAND project.
	The GRAND website was launched in May 2004. It gives visibility to the project, serves as a reference point for regional GOOS activities, and as provides a tool for project management, to harmonise activities, enhance exchanges between GRAs and strengthen the network between the GOOS Regional Alliances participating in GRAND.
	The first phase of the GRAND survey was initiated in June 2004. The survey is targeted to obtain information on the nature and extent of key marine environmental issues in the various GOOS regions, identify the existing regional arrangements and the related activities of institutes/agencies to address such issues. GRAs consult their member organisations to compile the information requested in the survey.
	The first GRAND Workshop was held in London from 6 th to 10 th September, 2004. The workshops brought together managers from the GOOS Regional Alliances to: • define the GOOS Regional Strategy outline and contents; • initiate technology transfer; • discuss progress on capacity building
	The second phase of the GRAND survey was launched in December 2004. The survey is targeted to obtain information on the assets and capabilities currently deployed in terms of ongoing initiatives, methodologies and practices, technological infrastructures and equipment, resources and funding to address the key issues in the GOOS regions.
	The 2 nd GRAND Workshop was held in Genoa , Italy from 29 th March to 2 nd April 2005. This workshop discussed the main activities and deliverables achieved so far in the GRAND Project. The focus of the workshop was the feedback of partners on the draft of the regional strategy prepared by WP3.
	The Virtual Ecology Workbench (VEW) demonstrator was presented at the Conference on Advances in Marine Ecosystem Modelling Research, Plymouth , 27-29 June 2005. The demonstrator was subsequently opened for β -testing.
	A web interface was developed to present summary charts compiled from metadata collected by the WP1 survey. A first draft is online for reviewing by partners and the GRAND Advisory Board before going public. rand