Space4Ocean: an international pact signed at the Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur

On Monday June 9, as part of the United Nations Ocean Summit (UNOC), the Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur welcomed all the members of the Space4Ocean alliance. This international initiative, supported by CNES and the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs, aims to bring the space and maritime worlds closer together to better protect seas and coasts.

Space4Ocean is based on a simple idea: combine the strengths of space and marine sciences to better understand and preserve the oceans. The Alliance relies on science, combining satellite data, field measurements and advanced digital models, to meet the major challenges facing the oceans and coastal zones.

This international partnership is fully in line with the global sustainable development goals, in particular SDG 14 dedicated to aquatic life, and will be officially launched at the 3rd United Nations Conference on the Oceans (UNOC3).

The Observatory's Grande Coupole was the scene of exchanges between political leaders, scientists and committed personalities. The ceremony was attended by the French Minister for Higher Education and Research, Philippe Baptiste, the Monegasque Minister for Foreign Affairs, Isabelle Berro-Amadeï, Aarti Holla-Maini, Director of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs, and the Mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi.

At the “Seeing the ocean from above and below” conference, Thomas Pesquet, European Space Agency astronaut, and Gaëlle Giesen, physicist and world record-holding deep-sea diver, shared their complementary visions, embodying the spirit of Space4Ocean. Selma Cherchali, head of the Earth Observation program at CNES, then spoke about the coalition's concrete ambitions.

To seal this alliance, the Space4Ocean declaration was signed by the founding members - space agencies, international organizations and scientific institutions - reaffirming their commitment to enhanced international cooperation.

The day ended with closing speeches from Marianne Sivertsen Naess, Norway's Minister of Fisheries, and Lionel Suchet, Deputy Director General of CNES, before cocktails and a convivial moment on the Observatory's panoramic terrace, where everyone admired the sunset, symbolizing a new horizon for ocean protection.