European Marine Board publishes document on marine geohazards in Europe

The European Marine Board, of which FCT is a member, has just released a new policy guidance document dedicated to the topic Uncovering the hidden threat of Marine Geohazards in Europe, which summarizes the main messages and policy recommendations of Position Paper No. 26 on Marine Geohazards: Safeguarding Society and the Blue Economy from a Hidden Threat, published in December 2021.

The main conclusion drawn from this document is that society increasingly depends on critical coastal and marine infrastructure, such as ports, telecommunications, and renewable energy facilities. With the increase in human activities carried out in the marine environment and the growth of the human population in coastal areas, exposure and vulnerability to the impacts of marine geohazards are also increasing.

Teresa Ferreira, from the University of the Azores, and Juana Fortes, from LNEC – National Civil Engineering Laboratory, as national experts appointed by FCT, were members of the European Marine Board Working Group on Marine Geohazards, collaborating on the drafting of this publication, which raises awareness of latent geological risks on European coasts and makes recommendations for future research and policy in this area.

The European Marine Board's mission is to develop common positions among European organizations that carry out and fund marine science research on scientific strategies and priorities for this area, thereby facilitating and promoting collaboration between the marine science sector and other socioeconomic actors.