Artificial intelligence-crafted virtual replica of the Black Sea to protect its marine environment is being developed.
The first-ever AI-powered digital twin of the Black Sea is a virtual model that simulates the Black Sea's marine ecosystem and environment using artificial intelligence technology. This digital twin integrates real-time data and complex environmental modeling to provide a detailed and dynamic representation of the Black Sea.
Partners from five Black Sea nations – Türkiye, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine – collaborated in the development of this pioneering tool under the coordination of the Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ) Institute of Marine Sciences. The European Union also supports this initiative.
Professor Barış Salihoğlu, director of the ODTÜ's Institute of Marine Sciences, stated that the digital twin transforms all available scientific data into a functional structure that reflects the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the Black Sea. He emphasised that this digital twin is the first marine digital twin of its scale in Europe.
The AI-powered digital twin aids in forecasting the impacts of climate change by simulating how changing climatic conditions affect the sea’s ecosystems, biodiversity, and physical properties over time. It allows scientists and policymakers to predict future scenarios under various climate change models. This helps in understanding vulnerabilities, such as how temperature changes or pollution levels might shift marine life or affect water quality.
Moreover, the digital twin supports the sustainable blue economy by guiding decision-making on activities like fisheries, marine transport, and offshore energy by providing insights that balance economic use with ecosystem protection. It enables continuous biodiversity monitoring, ecosystem modeling, and the identification of sensitive areas for conservation, helping to promote sustainable exploitation of marine resources with minimal environmental impact.
The digital twin is designed to forecast the impacts of climate change, pollution, fishing, and energy projects. A public launch of the digital twin is planned for October through a user-friendly portal, where governments, academics, and industry representatives will be able to run their own scenarios and visualize potential outcomes.
By testing different scenarios, the digital twin can assess the potential impacts of climate change, fishing, pollution, and energy investments in advance. This approach aligns with broader European initiatives to develop intelligent marine digital twins for better marine protection and restoration.
In summary, the Black Sea AI-powered digital twin is a pioneering tool that integrates AI and digital twin technology to enhance climate impact forecasting and guide sustainable marine economic practices by providing robust, actionable environmental insights. This initiative sets a promising precedent for future marine digital twin projects in other seas.
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