A major step forward in Mediterranean Sea research was taken last week, on April 7th, with the inauguration of the advanced Mediterranean open science Data Analysis Lab (MeDAL) at ESA’s ESRIN Science Hub. The launch of the new initiative was formalised through the signature of a Memorandum of Intent by Simonetta Cheli, Director of ESA Earth Observation Programmes, and Mario Sprovieri, Director of the Institute of Marine Science of the Italian National Research Council (CNR-ISMAR).
The MeDAL initiative marks a new chapter in the long-standing collaboration between ESA and CNR-ISMAR, aiming to enhance scientific understanding of the Mediterranean Sea, a region critical to the lives and livelihoods of millions but increasingly under pressure from climate change, pollution, and coastal over-development.
“This is a fantastic opportunity to reinforce our Science Hub as a centre of excellence for Earth system science and a catalyst for strategic collaborations with national institutions” said Cheli during the signing ceremony. “The Mediterranean is one of our key thematic priorities due to its vulnerability to hydroclimatic extremes, increasing human pressure in coastal areas, and its importance for a sustainable development in the region.”
At the heart of the MeDAL initiative lies a commitment to open science and knowledge exchange.
In recent years, CNR-ISMAR has been a leading partner in numerous ESA-funded projects (e.g. CAREHeat, 4DMED, MiTHO). Some visiting scientists from the CNR-ISMAR have also been hosted at ESA, and several are involved in Mission Advisory Groups (e.g. Harmony, CHIME, CIMR).
The reinforced collaboration will increase the exchange of researchers, visiting scientists, and research fellows, and include the organisation of workshops, training, and educational activities. These efforts will support joint scientific studies on the region’s evolving physical, biological, and chemical processes.
A key output of the lab will be the development of a 4D, high-resolution, multi-variate, data-driven dataset describing the state of the Mediterranean Sea. This open-access dataset will become a scientific reference and benchmark for future Mediterranean studies, enabling a more holistic approach to understanding this complex marine environment.
CNR-ISMAR, a fundamental actor in ocean science with deep expertise in both in-situ and satellite observations, is seen as a “natural partner” for ESA in this effort.
“With this joint lab, we’re not only expanding our partnership with CNR-ISMAR, but also deepening ESA’s contribution to the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, particularly through the initiative ‘The Science We Need for the Mediterranean Sea We Want’, led by CNR-ISMAR” added Cheli.
The launch of MeDAL underscores ESA’s broader ambition to foster a dynamic, collaborative science ecosystem through its ESRIN Science Hub, positioning it as a driving force in addressing pressing environmental challenges through open science.