The GlobalCoast Initiative of CoastPredict: from operational oceanography to management solutions

CoastPredict, a UN Ocean Decade Programme, is co-designing and implementing an integrated coastal ocean observing and predicting system that adheres to best practices and international standards, conceived as a global framework and implemented locally through sustained partnerships.

Many coastal services remain fragmented: observing assets, models, and downstream applications are often developed in isolation, and operational solutions do not consistently connect real-time data streams, multi-scale predictions, and decision workflows. This limits the capacity to (i) evaluate compound impacts from extreme events to long-term climate trends, (ii) compare performance across regions, and (iii) translate prediction skill into actionable management solutions. GlobalCoast is CoastPredict’s framework for implementation to address these gaps by linking observations, modelling, and stakeholder needs into fit-for-purpose, locally-led coastal resilience services that can be compared, transferred, and improved across diverse environments.

A major step forward has been the consolidation of the GlobalCoast Network of Pilot Sites. The first GlobalCoast survey (2023) identified 138 Pilot Sites in over 74 countries, establishing a global foundation for implementation and benchmarking; the Pilot Site submission process has since been reopened to expand geographic coverage and fill thematic gaps. A new GlobalCoast Network Memorandum of Understanting has been set up and signed by more than 50 parnters.

Over the last year, CoastPredict/GlobalCoast has strengthened the enabling backbone for scalable, interoperable services. This includes ProtoCoast, the prototype GlobalCoast cloud infrastructure co-designed by CMCC, SOCIB and EGI (with EOSC/Pangeo-aligned approaches and federated providers), supporting shared code, interactive analysis, and reproducible workflows across Pilot Sites. In parallel, the CoastPredict Secretariat, funded by CMCC, has enhanced coordination across projects and technical support for programme development and integration.

GlobalCoast is now advancing from operational oceanography toward operational management solutions through a “menu of solutions” approach: multi-hazard early warning services; coastal climate and risk indicators; pollution and marine litter applications; and decision-support tools for planning and adaptation. By deploying comparable building blocks across sites—while accounting for local dynamics, exposure, governance, and capacity—GlobalCoast enables systematic evaluation of what is transferable, what must be tailored, and what standards and best practices accelerate impact.