All-Atlantic2021 Conference to launch new online pledging platform aiming to find concrete solutions for ocean health
An innovative Pledging Campaign was launched in the framework of the All-Atlantic2021 Conference, on May 27th. The initiative exemplifies how the All-Atlantic research and innovation cooperation is achieving concrete solutions for the well-being of future generations.
The All-Atlantic Pledging Platform Campaign calls for solutions to promote the sustainable use of the Atlantic Ocean to protect and preserve its health. Its motto is: TIME TO ACT: The Atlantic Ocean needs more than flowing words.
More than 80% of the ocean is unexplored, and only about 7% is protected. With threats to life in and out of the ocean growing, ocean scientists and researchers say the time for words has long passed, what is needed is urgent and ambitious action.
Jose Luis Moutinho, AIR Centre Chief Business and Networking Officer, one of the main promoters of the Pledging Campaign says “The All-Atlantic Pledging Campaign is a long-term initiative to collect voluntary, result-oriented, personal or institutional commitments to contribute to provide solutions to the many challenges that the Atlantic Ocean holds for people living on its shores and consolidate them on an Atlantic Ocean scale, always taking into account specific local, national and regional contexts.”
The All-Atlantic Pledging Campaign has two main objectives: (1) showcase the already ongoing cooperation as an example of the result of science diplomacy efforts (including being a model for the UN Decade of Ocean Science) and (2) encourage new synergies that may lead to future joint actions.
The campaign is running on an online collaborative platform that will be instrumental in advancing cooperation in the Atlantic, thus strengthening the All-Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance and contributing to the implementation of the Galway Statement (2013) and the Belém Statement (2018) as well as the bilateral Administrative Arrangements between the European Commission and Argentina (2018), Cape Verde (2018) and Morocco (2020).
The initiators of the campaign look forward to receiving pledges on topics such as data sharing and management, access to research and innovation infrastructures, sharing of knowledge through the whole innovation chain, building capacity, ocean literacy activities and many others as well as governance and oversight, focusing in Ocean health, Ocean technology, Ocean observation, forecasting and monitoring, Marine pollution, Food security, ocean resources and biodiversity and Polar research.
In the next five to 10 years, the platform could generate thousands of pledges. Jose Luis Moutinho says “through the synergies that will be created through the campaign lifetime and having as central the benefits for the Atlantic communities, we expect to have a real societal impact as a direct result of this platform”.
John Bell, Director Healthy Planet, Directorate-General of Research & Innovation of the European Commission, says “The great thing about science is that it’s a universal language that unites us all. Scientific advancement and innovation require a collective effort and that’s why we need to have an All-Atlantic ambition to build an All-Atlantic community so that our shared Atlantic and our shared knowledge of it will give us common solutions. That’s the journey we are on. We are running out of time, but we are not running out of ideas. If you want to engage in the process; if you want to do something useful and uplifting and contribute to this journey of ours, make your pledge.”
The Pledging Campaign will be one of the highlights at the All-Atlantic2021 Conference that takes place June 2-4, as a hybrid event, hosted from Ponta Delgada, in the Azores, with Ministerial and high-level participation taking place in-person and stakeholder participation taking place online, as well as the conference side events.
The conference will be one of the highlights of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union and will also be one of the flagship events for the marine research and innovation community this year.
Speaking from Portugal, Sofia Cordeiro, Coordinator of AANChOR CSA project, from FCT, says, “the All-Atlantic2021 conference it’s the perfect opportunity to connect the marine research & innovation community as a whole over three days so that we connect, act and agree to further cooperation on our All-Atlantic Ocean mission”.
The All-Atlantic2021 will also include an EU Portuguese Presidency Conference Declaration, several vibrant R&I side events, high-level discussions and much more.
To register for the All-Atlantic2021 research and innovation conference please log onto https://www.allatlantic2021.eu/registration/.
For more information see:
- All-Atlantic Pledging Campaign here: https://www.allatlantic2021.eu/pledge/
- Review the programme here: https://www.allatlantic2021.eu/programme/.
- For more information on the Portuguese Presidency of the EU visit: https://www.2021portugal.eu/pt/
- For more information on the All-Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance visit: https://allatlanticocean.org/