Project Implementation
Introduction
The GRAND project is providing seed funds for the GRAs to work together for the first time. The aim is to assess the present needs and assets, define a joint plan to empower the region, and a strategy for regional implementation of GOOS.
WP1 – GRAND Information
A survey has been conducted in each region to collect information on the present capabilities for ocean observations, on the methodology used to address the major marine environmental issues, and on the state of implementation of ocean observations and prediction of the state of the marine environment. The survey is providing information to define the GOOS regional strategy
and for planning the empowerment of the regions.
This collection of metadata has been carried out in two phases by means of targeted surveys. Special entry forms have been designed to obtain the necessary information in the most specific and concise form without demanding excessive effort from the respondents. GRA partners have contributed to the survey after consulting and obtaining the information from member organisations.
Phase 1) Survey of the nature and extent of key marine environmental issues in the various GOOS regions, on the existing regional organisation to address such issues.
Phase 2) Survey of 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 regions.
The analysis of the collected metadata was carried out by IOI-MOC. The first preliminary results were presented at the 2nd GRAND Workshop. The analysis is being refined as the partners furnish further metadata for their respective regions.
These results are summarised in an online presentation by means of graphs and tables of the metadata collected by each GRA. Click here to access the web page where the Summary charts are presented.
Documents:
WP1 Questionnaire on Key marine-related environmental issues in the GOOS Regions – Phase 1 ‘Main Entry Form'
WP1 Questionnaire on Key marine-related environmental issues in the GOOS Regions – Phase 1 ‘Single-Entity Entry Form'
WP1 Questionnaire on Ocean observations and forecasting activities
in the GOOS Regions
– Phase 2 ‘Main Entry Form'
WP1 Questionnaire on Ocean observations and forecasting activities
in the GOOS Regions
– Phase 2 ‘Single-Entity Entry Form'
WP2 – GRAND Empowerment
The activities in this WP are contributing to empower GRAs to participate with local expertise, and gain benefits, from GOOS and GMES.
Two specialised training and strategy workshops were organised in 2004 and 2005 on the following topics:
- Advanced and cost-effective methods for ocean observations and forecasting
- GOOS training schemes (short course, distance learning, on-the-job training)
- Pilot initiative for the application of new technologies to GOOS regions (Such as the What if? Prediction approach) to be participated by the regions
- Series of GRAND publications
- GOOS Regional strategy
Training and Stratagy Workshops The target was to enhance the performance of the GRAs by providing the GRA managers with guidance on GOOS , and on 21st century technologies in ocean observations and modelling. A specific tool for What-if? Predictions, the Virtual Ecology Workbench (VEW) demonstrator was presented with training sessions on its use. The medium term objective of this WP is to provide a scheme for the permanent training for the GRAs.
Two workshops were organised aiming to provide participants with insights on the 21st century technologies for GOOS in transition from the research to the operational mode and on the possible funding schemes for underpinning research and pilot initiatives.
The first GRAND Workshop was held at the Imperial College in London from 6th to 10th September 2004. The workshop identified the major issues of the GOOS regional strategy and initiated an analysis of possible empowerment schemes for the GRAs. The Workshop presented the global perspectives of GMES and GEO, the rationale for the GRAND empowerment, the rationale for the GOOS Regional Strategy and the initial results of the WP1 survey.
The transfer of advanced technologies to improve the performance of GRAs is central to GRAND. The participants were introduced to new modelling technologies that could enable to bridge the gap in scale between local needs and global observations, as well as address the lack of biological variables in the global observations. Presentations and demonstrations of new technologies for ocean circulation (ICOM - fully unstructured adaptive mesh) and the workbench for Lagrangian Ensemble-based ecosystem modelling (Virtual Ecology Workbench) were prepared to present the concept of What-if? Prediction for the management of the marine environment.
The Workshop provided a forum for discussion on the current state of the regional strategy to give the participants the opportunity to provide input.
The Workshop also presentated possible schemes for capacity building: from the IOC planned strategy on capacity building, to the distance learning services of the Open University, to the well established scheme of an operational agency (UK Met-Office) for continuous training of professionals.
Programme of the 1 st GRAND Workshop
Presentations and Proceedings of the 1st GRAND Workshop
The second GRAND Workshop was held at the CRN Institute in Genoa from 29th March to the 2nd April 2005. This workshop reviewed the main activities and deliverables achieved so far in the GRAND Project. The focus of the workshop was the draft of the GOOS Regional Prospectus, including the regional strategy to link the coast to GOOS, prepared by WP3. The GRAND partners provided important feedbacks for the refinement of the strategy.
Documents:
Programme of the 2nd GRAND Workshop
Presentations and Proceedings of the 2nd GRAND Workshop
VEW Handbook
The first draft of the VEW Handbook has been completed. A short version in the form of a flyer (see link below) has been published and distributed at the international conference on Advancements in Marine Ecological Modelling Research in Plymouth (27-30 June 2005). At the same conference negotiations were opened with potential beta testers. A training workshop for VEW beta testers is sheduled in July 2006 and will be co-sponsored by the EC network of excellance EUR-OCEANS ( European Network of Excellance for Ocean Ecosystems Analysis).
Documents:
VEW Flyer
VEW Handbook
WP3 – GRAND Strategy
This workpackage targets to prepare the GOOS Regional Prospectus (a regional strategy for GOOS), and to initiate a series of GRAND publications to serve as a common reference for the GOOS regions.
The GOOS Regional Prospectus will introduce into GOOS and GMES planning a structure for integrating the global and regional dimensions, taking account of the need for capacity building and the application of science and technology derived from the research community.
The Prospectus will be constructed from four main inputs:
(i) Existing plans and documents for GMES and GOOS, including ABE-LOS/IOC (UNCLOS), and other international bodies such as GESAMP;
(ii) Information collected in WP1 from the GOOS Regions, including their marine environmental problems as well as their assets and capacities to address them;
(iii) Scientific and technical advice from the GOOS Scientific Committee and the GRAND Advisory Board;
(iv) Feedback from members of the GRAND Alliance on drafts of the Strategy report.
The drafting team includes the members of the GRAND Advisory Board, assisted by an external expert.
This WP will take advantage of the cross-cutting studies of the EC/ESA initiatives for Global Monitoring of the Environment and Security on: (i) scientific issues linked to gaps in knowledge, models and technology; (ii) technical issues concerning the adequacy of monitoring networks and the quality of resulting data; (iii) issues of data policy, including ownership, confidentiality, accessibility, security and cost; (iv) organisational, institutional, funding and socio-economic issues.
The requirements of GMES, the GOOS principles and the indications of the Coastal and Climate Panels of GOOS (COOP and OOPC) will be taken into account.
The GRAND GRAs have already contributed to the background document leading to the regional strategy. The principal components and sections of the Strategy were discussed during the two GRAND workshops, and served to get direct inputs / suggestions from partners. Inputs for the strategy were also sought from the Advisory Board members.
A special workshop is planned in Capetown (Nov 2006) during the 3rd GOOS Regional Forum to present the GOOS Regional Prospectus to a broader audience.
The activities in this WP also envisage the initiation of a GRAND publication series for the benefit of the users, thus addressing the users’ perspectives. Each publication will deal with issues of particular relevance for GOOS such as: Coastal radars; Environmental monitoring with aircrafts; Satellites for ocean observations; AUVs, GIS; Rapid Assessment of Environmental Pollution; Adaptive grid modelling.
The final GOOS regional strategy document will be completed by the end of the project and it will be the first publication of the GRAND series. A second publication will be the VEW Handbook. This publication will deal with methodologies for the prediction of the marine ecosystem. This publication was presented and discussed at the second GRAND Training and Strategy workshop.
The GRAND Publication Series (GPS) serves also as a reference for the GOOS regional managers as well as a support for the training schemes.
Documents:
GOOS REGIONAL PROSPECTUS 2006 (DRAFT DOCUMENT)
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