One of the Programmes submitted to the IOC by the Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IO RAS) was “The Caspian Sea Digital Twin”. The goal of the Programme is the creation of “The Caspian Sea Data Center”, which would include a constantly updated archive of satellite data (IR, optics, radar, altimetry), oceanographic data (physical, chemical, biological parameters), hydrometeorological data, hydrodynamic model data, atmospheric reanalyses data, results of regional climate change forecasts, electronic atlases, electronic library of publications (open access) on the Caspian Sea and other materials. The flow of data and information will come from all the Caspian Sea countries as well as from other interested partners. The collected data will make it possible to assess anthropogenic loads on the environment of the Caspian Sea, assess the ongoing climate changes, assess extreme weather and climate events, assess the impact of climate change on natural and socio-economic systems, develop a strategy and mechanisms for adaptation to climate change and the state of the Caspian Sea. The created infrastructure will support the Caspian countries with modern information resources in creating improved conditions for the sustainable development of the Caspian Sea region. In the future, The Caspian Sea Data Center may be transformed into “The Caspian Sea Analytical Data Center” with additional consulting functions.
On 6 October 2021, The Caspian Sea Digital Twin Programme was officially endorsed by the IOC-UNESCO as a Project (ID-92) for implementation during the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030). The Project started on 1 January 2022. Prof., Dr. Andrey G. Kostianoy from P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology is a Head of the Project.
The Caspian Sea Digital Twin Project has 24 teams from 22 organizations from Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Iran, Switzerland and France:
- P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Moscow, Russia
- Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- Geophysical Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- N.N. Zubov State Oceanographic Institute, Moscow, Russia
- Hydrometeorological Research Center of Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
- S.Yu Witte Moscow University, Moscow, Russia
- All Russian Research Institute for Hydrometeorological Information – World Data Centre Obninsk, Russia
- Subtropical Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Science, Sochi, Russia
- Southern Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Rostov-on-Don, Russia
- Saint Petersburg State University, St.-Petersburg, Russia
- Russian State Hydrometeorological University, St.-Petersburg, Russia
- Voeikov Main Geophysical Observatory, St.Petersburg, Russia
- Institute of Geography, Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, Baku, Azerbaijan
- Azercosmos, Baku, Azerbaijan
- Franco-Azerbaijani University (UFAZ), Baku, Azerbaijan
- Khazar University, Baku, Azerbaijan
- Azerbaijan Engineering University, Baku, Azerbaijan
- Yessenov University, Aktau, Kazakhstan
- “EcoRisk” LLP, Almaty, Kazakhstan
- Iranian National Institute for Oceanography and Atmospheric Science, Tehran, Iran
- Tarbiat Modares University, Noor, Iran
- Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
