The Atlantic BluePrint document will propose a strategy for building an Integrated Ocean Observing in the Atlantic. It will help policymakers and oceanographic community to move towards a more sustainable, coordinated and comprehensive ocean observing system delivering relevant information. Such system will serve a wide range of societal benefit areas spanning ocean change, near-real-time ocean state estimation, ocean prediction and base-line information to support sustainable ocean use. The BluePrint for an Integrated Atlantic Ocean Observing System should go beyond the state-of–the-art and provide a vision for the Atlantic Ocean observing in the next decade.  It should integrate existing ocean observing activities into a sustainable, efficient, and fit-for-purpose system.

Two key international cooperative agreements reflect the growing recognition of the key role that oceans play in developing national and regional economies, achieving the Sustainable Development goals and addressing climate change.  The Galway Accord signed by the European Union, Canada and the United States on 24 May 2013 recognizes “the value of our ongoing cooperation on ocean science and observation in the Atlantic Ocean”. The Belem Accord, signed between the European Union, South Africa and Brazil on 13 July 2017 recognizes “the mutual benefit that would accrue from linking research activities in the South Atlantic and Southern Ocean with those in the North Atlantic.