Mapping actors and discourses in the use of digital ocean twins for environmental governance

Digital twin technology, originally developed for industrial applications, is gaining increased attention in ocean governance and multilateral negotiations. While existing research gives insights into the scope of digital ocean twin applications for environmental governance and associated technical challenges, they do not sufficiently explore how their development and use takes place across politically contentious spaces in which various public and private actors operate. To address this gap, our paper pursues two research questions: ‘Who develops and uses digital twins of the oceans and for which purposes?’  and ‘Which promises and risks are associated with digital ocean twins in the context of multilateral negotiations?’. The paper is based on empirical bibliometric research into academic literature, patents, and policy documents to identify political, scientific, and corporate actors involved in developing and applying digital ocean twins and to map their discourses. By offering a holistic view of how digital twins are, or could be, applied in ocean governance, this paper aims to contribute to the development of effective, technology-driven, but also politically sensible approaches environmental governance.