As the EU sets out its new Arctic Strategy, Mercator Ocean International is joining Beyond Arctic PASSION, a Horizon Europe project funded by the European Union, bringing together more than 40 organisations from 15 countries to build a trusted, inclusive and lasting source of Arctic knowledge. The project held its kick-off meeting in Cambridge, UK, on 27–29 October 2026.
Image courtesy: British Antarctic Survey – Hershel Island and Ny-Ålesund: Alfred-Wegener-Institut / Esther Horvath
The Arctic is warming nearly four times faster than the global average, and the need for reliable observations has never been greater. Yet Arctic observations remain scattered across national borders, research infrastructures, data platforms and knowledge systems, making it difficult to find, access and combine the information required to understand change.
Beyond Arctic PASSION aims to address this challenge. Launched on September 1, 2026, this 4-year €8.5 million project, supported by the EU’s Horizon Europe programme, brings together more than 40 organisations from 15 countries across Europe, North America and Asia. Its partners include universities and research institutes, Indigenous Peoples’ organisations, local and regional authorities, and operational service providers such as Mercator Ocean International.
Connecting observations and knowledge systems
The project connects satellite data, observations from research vessels and automated sensors, and Indigenous-led and community-based monitoring. By improving coordination, data sharing and the co-production of knowledge, it seeks to make Arctic information easier to discover, access and use for communities, scientists and decision-makers.
Beyond Arctic PASSION builds on previous major Arctic observing initiatives, notably Arctic PASSION and INTAROS, as part of a longer-term effort towards a sustained and operational Arctic Observing System of Systems.
Image courtesy: Beyond Arctic PASSION, British Antarctic Survey
Mercator Ocean’s role
Mercator Ocean brings to the partnership its research and development capabilities and expertise in operational ocean and sea-ice monitoring and forecasting for the Arctic and Southern Ocean, developed through the Copernicus Marine Service. Its role is to help connect observations with information that supports decisions. Mercator Ocean will:
- help sustain Arctic observing networks and make their data easier to access;
- show how these observations can support Arctic Ocean monitoring;
- develop an interactive dashboard on ship navigation safety, co-designed with key stakeholders and integrated into EDITO, the public infrastructure underpinning the the European Digital Twin Ocean . This demonstrator will highlight innovative and operational products with potential for inclusion in the Copernicus Marine Service. EDITO brings ocean data and computing tools together in one environment, providing a platform for developing and sharing applications such as this dashboard.
- This work feeds into the Arctic Ocean Regional Alliance (ArORA), recognised by GOOS and SAON as the international coordination mechanism for Arctic ocean observations. Mercator Ocean is an ArORA partner, alongside many Beyond Arctic PASSION participants.
Mercator Ocean also operates the Copernicus Arctic Hub, which helps users discover, visualise and access Copernicus information about the region. This experience complements the project’s ambition to make Arctic knowledge easier to find and use. Beyond Arctic PASSION will enable Mercator Ocean to better understand Indigenous knowledge and better address the needs of Arctic communities in North America and Europe, so that the ocean information it produces responds to them.
“Protecting Arctic habitats also means protecting the livelihoods and cultures connected to them. We need to listen to Indigenous Peoples and understand what they need from the knowledge we help produce.” – Gilles Garric, polar oceanographer at Mercator Ocean International and member of the project team.
Supporting the EU’s new Arctic Strategy
This work speaks directly to key ambitions of the EU’s new Arctic Strategy, presented by the European Commission on 20 October 2026: responding to accelerating climate change, strengthening Arctic knowledge, and creating opportunities for people and communities in the region.
“The EU’s new Arctic Strategy sets an ambition for stronger observation and support for Arctic communities. That requires sustained cooperation and observations we can rely on. Beyond Arctic PASSION can help build that foundation.” – Maria Hood, Senior Advisor, International Relations, Mercator Ocean International, and member of the Beyond Arctic PASSION Advisory Board
Project coordination
Beyond Arctic PASSION is coordinated by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), which hosted the project’s kick-off meeting in Cambridge, UK.
The project is jointly led by:
- Dr Michael Karcher, Alfred Wegener Institute (Germany)
- Dr Jeremy Wilkinson, British Antarctic Survey (United Kingdom)