SEAtwins
A collaboration under the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030)
The SEAtwins cluster is a collaboration under the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), aimed at uniting ocean science and human society in the virtual realm of Digital Twins of the Ocean (DTOs).
Officially endorsed by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, SEAtwins is recognised as the Ocean Decade project “Integration of Socio-Ecological Aspects into DTOs” within the Ocean Decade’s DITTO programme:
By integrating human and ecological data, SEAtwins helps communities and policymakers explore sustainable ocean futures.
SEAtwins brings together multiple international initiatives to ensure that digital representations of the ocean include not just environmental data, but also the social and economic dimensions that affect ocean health and governance. By doing so, this cluster supports more holistic and inclusive approaches to sustainable ocean management, aligning closely with global efforts such as the UN Ocean Decade and the European Union’s Mission “Restore Our Ocean and Waters”.
Four Projects United under SEAtwins
SEADOTs
Socio-Ecological Advances in Digital Ocean Twins. This project develops next-generation socio-ecological models for inclusive marine governance, with living-lab demonstrations in the Norwegian North Sea, the Southern North Sea, and the Baltic Sea.
SEADITO
Socio-Ecological Analytics for the Digital Twin Ocean. SEADITO supports the EU Mission “Restore Our Ocean and Waters” by integrating socio-ecological analyses into the European Digital Twin Ocean. Its Scenario Toolkit helps multiple stakeholders explore and compare management options.
SURIMI
Focused on the socio-ecological dimensions of fisheries management, SURIMI combines models such as Ecopath with Ecosim and POSEIDON with new AI-based interfaces. It translates model results into clear summaries that stakeholders can understand.
EcoTwin
Concentrating on coastal regions such as the Southern North Sea, Celtic Sea, Thracian Sea, and Waterford Estuary, EcoTwin applies graph theory and AI to connect ecological, physical, and social data. Its participatory approach invites communities to co-design models for local policy support.
Together, these projects bridge the gap between ocean data and decision-making, making SEAtwins greater than the sum of its parts.