From Insight to Impact: Integrating Marine Biodiversity into Digital Twins of the Ocean

10 November 2026 14:00–16:00

Online
Learn more about the International Event
DTO-BioFlow l Workshop cover

The DTO-BioFlow project, co-hosted with the Decade Coordination Office for Ocean Data Sharing (DCO-ODS), invites the international ocean community to a webinar examining how marine biodiversity data can be integrated into the European Digital Twin of the Ocean. Endorsed as an official UN Ocean Decade Activity, the event forms part of the Pre-Summit Training programme of the DITTO Summit 2026.

Bringing together technical solutions, governance frameworks and Demonstrator Use Cases, the webinar illustrates how biodiversity data progress from observation to operational application, flowing into EMODnet and the European Digital Twin Ocean (EDITO). Participants will explore FAIR and sustainable data practices and engage in a dialogue with international initiatives, including the UN Ocean Decade, on shaping a coherent, interoperable and enduring biodiversity data ecosystem.

This event is addressed to stakeholders working on:

  • Digital twins of the ocean
  • Marine biodiversity
  • Ocean data
  • Ocean observing
  • Data infrastructures
  • Biodiversity monitoring
  • Policy and governance

It is particularly relevant to representatives of international Digital Twin of the Ocean initiatives, UN Ocean Decade endorsed activities, ocean observing initiatives, marine data networks and biodiversity monitoring programmes.

 

Programme

The two-hour programme is organised in three complementary parts, followed by closing remarks.

14:00–14:10 | Opening and Welcomes

Welcome addresses by Klaas Deneudt (VLIZ), Adam Leadbetter (UNESCO-IOC) and Marina Tonani (Mercator Ocean International).

14:10–14:30 | Part I: Setting the Scene

The opening session introduces the project and the wider policy and data-management context:

Introduction to DTO-BioFlow – Klaas Deneudt (VLIZ)
Dismantling biodiversity data bottlenecks: a playbook to address barriers – Neil Holdsworth (ICES)
Data management in the UN Ocean Decade – Margarita Lopez-Velosa (UNESCO-IOC)

14:30–15:20 | Part II: Diving Deeper

This session presents the scientific foundations and the Demonstrator Use Cases through which DTO-BioFlow translates biodiversity data into actionable knowledge:

Digital twins: an introduction – Matthias Obst (University of Gothenburg)
Marine non-indigenous species management – Justine Pagnier (University of Gothenburg)
Assessing pelagic biodiversity – Willem Boone (VLIZ)
Sustainable mariculture spatial planning – Rutendo Musimwa (Ghent University)

15:20–15:50 | Part III: Looking Ahead

A panel discussion with representatives of EU policy, DITTO and DCO-ODS, complemented by an interactive Q&A with the audience, will reflect on the pathways towards sustainable, interoperable and policy-relevant biodiversity data flows.

15:50–16:00 | Closing Remarks and Next Steps
 

Trust-IT Services' Role

Trust-IT Services is a core partner of the DTO-BioFlow project, leading communication, dissemination and stakeholder engagement  activities. Through its work, Trust-IT bridges the gap between the project and the wider community, ensuring that the project's results, tools and Demonstrator Use Cases reach the marine biodiversity, ocean observation and digital twin communities, and that these communities contribute actively to their development.

 

Registration

Registration is required to attend. Please register through the DTO-BioFlow registration page.