JPI OCEANS COMMITMENTS - OUR OCEAN CONFERENCE MALTA
Since 2014, the Our Ocean Conference has brought about 250 concrete actions across the world, committing over 8.2 billion Euros (US$ 9.2 billion) and designating 9.9 million square kilometres as new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). In the spirit of the successful 2014, 2015 and 2016 editions, the conference aims to inspire and empower entrepreneurs, scientists and civil society to identify solutions and commit to actions. These actions are aimed to reduce marine pollution, manage aquatic resources sustainably, mitigate climate change, and set up marine sanctuaries in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
On the occasion of the conference JPI Oceans committed to four actions:
1. Understanding Deep-Sea Ecosystems
Under the framework of the Intergovernmental Joint Programming Initiative JPI Oceans; Germany, Norway, Portugal, Belgium and the Netherlands, announced to commit to a 2nd phase of research funds of approximately 7 million EUR in 2018 and to provide ship time to study the impacts of marine mineral mining. This research will advance the scientific knowledge on deep-sea ecosystems, providing a scientific basis for assessing of the environmental impacts and risks of future seabed mineral extraction and continue to inform the establishment of a framework of best environmental practices for the management of potential seabed mining operations under the auspices of the International Seabed Authority.
2. MarTERA: Developing sustainable maritime technologies
Under the framework of the Intergovernmental Joint Programming Initiative JPI Oceans; Germany, Argentina, Belarus, Belgium, France, Ireland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Turkey, South Africa in partnership with the European Commission (via its Research and Innovation Programme H2020), announced to commit research funding of up to 30 million EUR to marine and maritime technology development in a first call. In 2018 the partnership, “MarTERA”, will fund the development of environmentally friendly maritime technologies, novel materials and structures, sensors, automation, monitoring and observations, advanced manufacturing and production, safety and security.
3. Microplastics
Under the framework of the Intergovernmental Joint Programming Initiative JPI Oceans; Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden, have an ongoing commitment of over 7.5 million EUR on transnational research projects, investigating microplastics in the marine environment.The research will, by 2018, promote the validation and harmonisation of methodologies and protocols for microplastics research, a key concern raised in the respective G7 and G20 Action Plans to Combat Marine Litter.
4. Blue Bioeconomy
Under the framework of the Intergovernmental Joint Programming Initiative JPI Oceans 17 European countries announced, to have the ambition to commit at least 30 million EUR in partnership with the European Commission's Horizon 2020 programme by 2019 to fund research and innovation that will support the development of a sustainable and climate-friendly blue bioeconomy, targeting zero waste, production, harvest and exploitation of aquatic biomass for use in food and other bio-based value chains.
The Our Ocean conference in Malta was attended by Jacky Wood, Acting Executive Director and Kathrine Angell-Hansen, Strategic Director of JPI Oceans.
http://jpi-oceans.eu/news-events/news/jpi-oceans-commitments-our-oceans-conference-malta