Trilateral launch of Atlantic Ocean research alliance in Galway
Lisa Fitzpatrick
The EU, United States and Canada joined forces at the Marine Institute, Galway, on May 24 to sign the historic Galway Statement on Atlantic Ocean Cooperation at a two-day conference: The Atlantic – A Shared Resource.
The objectives are to better understand the Atlantic Ocean and to promote sustainable management of its resources. The agreement also aims to connect the ocean observation efforts of the three partners.
Simon Coveney T.D., Irish Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine; Senator David M. Wells, Parliament of Canada; Maria Damanaki, Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries; Enda Kenny, T.D., Taoiseach; Máire Geoghengan-Quinn, Commissioner for Research Innovation and Science; Dr Kerri-Anne Jones, US Department of State; Dr Peter Heffernan, CEO, Marine Institute;
Standing: Political representatives from Canada, United States and Europe:Robert Jan Smits, Mark Ferguson, Tom Barrett, Helen Joseph, Claude Detrez, Dominique Ristori, Joao Ribeiro, Juan Maria Vazquez, Andrew Brown,
The work will study the interplay of the Atlantic Ocean with the Arctic Ocean, particularly in relation to climate change. EU Member States alone invest nearly €2bn on marine and maritime research annually.
“The enormous economic potential of the Atlantic remains largely untapped. We probably know more about the surface of the Moon and Mars than we do about the deep sea floor. This alliance can make a big contribution to meeting challenges such as climate change and food security.” remarked European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn.
Underpinning a marine strategy
European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Maria Damanaki, said the agreement fully supported the Maritime Strategy for the Atlantic.
“While the initiative is of particular interest for the EU’s five Atlantic states, it is open to researchers from all over Europe and beyond. The knowledge gained will be of benefit to all.”
The agreement recognises that Atlantic research will be in many areas more effective if coordinated on a transatlantic basis. Areas for potential collaboration under the agreement include: an Atlantic Ocean observation and forecasting system; mapping critical areas of the Atlantic seafloor; identifying and recommending future research and ocean literacy and awareness initiatives.
Political awareness
“This event marks a new political and policy awareness of the ocean’s potential to create sustainable jobs and growth. Such awareness also provides broader societal benefits of understanding major environmental changes and associated risks. It was a major priority of the Irish Presidency to support the achievement of an Atlantic Ocean research alliance and I welcome [its] signing,” remarked An Taoiseach Enda Kenny
“Delivery of a Maritime Strategy for the Atlantic was also a priority of Ireland and I congratulate all those involved in the launch of the Action Plan to revitalise the marine and maritime economy in the Atlantic Ocean Area,” he added.
The Atlantic Action Plan aims to show how EU Atlantic Member States, their regions and the Commission, can help create sustainable growth in coastal regions and drive forward the ‘blue economy’, which has the potential to provide 7 million jobs in Europe by 2020.
Simon Coveney, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine said Ireland has a significant role to play in implementing the plan and will also derive many benefits from it.
“The Government’s ‘Integrated Marine Plan for Ireland – Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth’ is rooted in the role the oceans can play in our economic recovery with a goal of significantly increasing the turnover of Ireland’s ‘blue economy’ to over €6.4bn by 2020 and doubling the GDP contribution by 2030 (to 2.4%).”
Details about the event, including the report from the scientific workshop and the Galway Statement are available on www.marine.ie/AtlanticASharedResource
