Atlantic Cooperation in R&I for a Sustainable Ocean: High-Level Ministerial and Stakeholder Conference

As part of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Unionthe Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education, the Ministry of the Sea and the Regional Government of the Azores, with the support of the European Commission, will organize the event Atlantic Cooperation in Research and Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean: High-Level Ministerial and Stakeholder Conference on June 3 and 4, 2021, in Ponta Delgada.

With the aim of promoting cooperation in R&I across and along the Atlantic Ocean, from "Pole to Pole", and in a step forward in the work carried out by the All-Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance, for two days, Ministers, high-level representatives, researchers, young people, entrepreneurs, academics, civil society and other stakeholders will meet in a dialogue that will contribute to strengthening the science diplomacy efforts initiated in 2011 at European level, with the launch of the Atlantic strategy and its first action plan (2013) and the signing of the declarations of Galway e Bethlehem (in 2013 and 2017 respectively).

It will be an opportunity to discuss the progress of current marine R&I cooperation across the Atlantic, to strengthen the vision of "Connect-Act-Cooperate for the Atlantic Ocean", to launch an Atlantic-wide Pledging platform as a new approach to existing cooperation and to provide solutions to accelerate the green and digital transitions towards a greener, fairer and more resilient society. The debate on new methodologies for ocean observation and ecosystem-based management linked to digitalization processes represents an important and innovative step in the integration of the Ocean-Space-Climate-Food Nexus towards ocean sustainability.

The ministerial dimension of the conference combined with the dynamic participation of stakeholders and side events will contribute to leveraging Atlantic R&I Cooperation through two important outcomes, the Conference Declaration of the Portuguese EU Presidency and the Atlantic Pledging Platform, with a view to strengthening and contributing to the European Green Deal to the Horizon Europe Starfish 2030 Mission: Restoring our Oceans and Wateras well as to the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

We look forward to seeing you on June 3-4, 2021. Stay tuned for more information at www.allatlantic2021.eu.