Recently, the project "Satellite Observations of Coastal Ocean (SOCO)", initiated and led by Researcher He Xianqiang of our laboratory, has been approved for inclusion in the UN "Ocean Decade" (the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, 2021–2030).
Figure 1 Schematic Diagram of the SOCO Project
The SOCO project is anchored under the United Nations "Ocean Decade" flagship program CoastPredict, which aims to advance understanding and predictive capacity of coastal marine ecosystems, services, and biodiversity through coordinated global coastal observation and forecasting. Initiated and led by Researcher He Xianqiang of our laboratory, the SOCO project is jointly implemented with researchers from France, Australia, India, Bangladesh, Côte d’Ivoire, and other countries. With a global coverage of major coastal seas, SOCO’s core objective is to enhance satellite monitoring capabilities for water pollution, carbon sinks, and ecosystem health in coastal regions worldwide. Leveraging the global observational advantages and retrospective capacity of remote sensing technology, the project will monitor the evolution of coastal water environments and ecosystem health under the dual impacts of human activities and climate change, providing scientific support for coastal ecological protection, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development decision-making. SOCO plans to first carry out satellite observation demonstrations in coastal regions including China, France, Australia, India, Bangladesh, and Côte d’Ivoire (Figure 1), realizing the global promotion and application of high-resolution satellite remote sensing monitoring technologies for coastal water pollution and carbon sinks developed by our laboratory.
