tech
Dismay as Trump officials to dismantle key ocean monitoring system
Ocean Observatories Initiative, $368m network that has provided crucial climate data, latest victim of Trump cuts
TL;DR
- The Trump administration plans to dismantle the $368m Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI), a deep-sea observation system.
- The OOI collects data on ocean health, climate variability, and marine biodiversity using over 900 instruments.
- The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced plans to 'descope' the OOI by removing all in-water infrastructure.
- Scientists have expressed dismay, calling the move shortsighted and a rollback of science initiatives.
- The dismantling is expected to take 15 months, ending over a decade of continuous ocean monitoring.
- OOI data has contributed to research on carbon sequestration, marine ecosystems, and the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC).
- The NSF stated the 'descope' aligns with a strategy for a nimbler approach to support evolving scientific priorities.