Silent Disco Setting, Serious Community Engagement for SOCONET

With the occasion of the Ocean Sciences Meeting 2026 gathering thousands of ocean science experts in Glasgow, Scotland, the SOCONET (Surface Ocean CO₂ Observing Network) Steering Committee convened a Town Hall meeting for the participants interested in surface ocean carbon observations. This was the first opportunity for the newly elected Steering Committee to publicly present their vision and steps towards the Implementation Plan, while actively inviting feedback from the broader community. 

Tobias Steinhoff (GEOMAR, Germany) opened the session by presenting the motivation and long-term ambitions of SOCONET. Louise Delaigue (LOV, France) introduced the Steering Committee members and the objectives of the Task Teams responsible for writing the Implementation Plan. Kevin O’Brien (OceanOPS, France) explained SOCONET’s integration within the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS). On behalf of while Kathy Tedesco (NOAA GOMO, USA), who was unable to attend in person, Maciej Telszewski (IOPAN, Poland) presented an overview of the funding mechanisms supporting SOCONET. Throughout the presentation, the participants engaged interactively through Mentimeter real-time answer surveys to describe their relationship to surface ocean carbon observations and their expectations for SOCONET’s future.

The Town Hall took place in a novel “silent disco” format, with multiple parallel meetings occurring in the same large hall. The audience who tuned into the “red channel” on their wireless headphones was mostly formed of academics, but also included people from non-governmental organizations, instrument manufacturers and policymakers. The largest audience segment was formed of researchers using surface ocean carbon observations, and at least 37 data producers were also in attendance. One particularly revealing exercise was the difference between the participant responses to the questions of where they are currently producing observations and where they would like to have observations available. Regions such as the Arctic and Southern Oceans, the South Pacific and Indian Ocean, clearly stand out as areas where future surface ocean carbon observations would be valuable.

The participants also identified the major challenges facing ocean CO₂ measurements that should be considered in designing the Implementation Plan. In addition, they proposed numerous ways in which SOCONET could support their work, thus paving the way for a successful collaboration with the community. Overall, the event was a success and the feedback gathered will be taken seriously in the following period as SOCONET transitions from an emerging to a mature Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) network.

Text by Vlad Macovei, on behalf of the Town Hall organizers. 

SOCONET Town Hall was organised by: