The second H2020 Blue-Cloud Technical Working Group and General Assembly meetings were held online between 29 June-1 July 2020 due to the ongoing COVID-19 related travel restrictions.
At this year’s General Assembly meeting, results from the first year were presented, including technical discussions between EMODnet and other key data infrastructures and e-infrastructures of the developing Blue Cloud Data Discovery and Access and the Virtual Research Environment. EMODnet’s Technical Coordinator, Conor Delaney, represents EMODnet on the Technical Working Group, together with other representatives from the wider EMODnet network, including Lennert Tyberghein and Lennert Schepers (VLIZ), and Chaired by Dick Schaap (MARIS). The Blue-Cloud Demonstrators also presented their progress towards ß versions by January 2021, and the added value they will deliver using marine data from multiple data services, including EMODnet thematic portals – in particular, Biology and Chemistry.
An interactive session was organised with Blue-Cloud partners and an external stakeholder expert board (ESEB) Consultation on the Blue-Cloud Roadmap to 2030. Seascape Belgium coordinates the Roadmap development, which will be a key output from the pilot project producing key recommendations for longer-term implementation, exploitation and sustainability of the Blue-Cloud. At the GA, Seascape Belgium presented a mature draft Concept Note outlining the vision, added value and main building blocks for the Blue-Cloud Roadmap, in preparation for extensive stakeholder consultation and co-design from Autumn 2020-Spring 2022. This has been updated based on the exchange and dialogue with partners and ESEB, as a common starting point to base the wider, community consensus building and co-creation. Seascape Belgium also plays an active role in the promotion, communication and dissemination of the project.
