The Atlantic Ocean acts as common resource for Europe, Africa, North and South America, functioning as a platform for transport, leisure, and food. In Lisbon, on 2017, representatives of the European Commission, South Africa and Brazil signed the Belém Statement, an agreement to support and encourage research between countries joined by the Atlantic Ocean. Included in its goals are the promotion of research for cross-borders and multidisciplinary research on topics as climate variability, ocean observation, food security, oceans technology, pollution and polar research to achieve:
“… common understanding and deepening scientific knowledge of marine ecosystems and the interrelations between oceans and climate change, oceans and food, and oceans and energy systems, as well as the dynamics of the Atlantic Ocean and its interconnected Circulation System from Antarctica to the Arctic.” (Belém Statement on Atlantic Research And Innovation Cooperation, 2017)
Turning the agreement into a reality
Two Horizon 2020 projects, the AORA (2015 – 2020) and ANCHOOR (2018-2022) have been instrumental in turning the agreement into reality. AORA started between Canada, the European Union and the United States following the signature of the Galway Statement on Atlantic Ocean Cooperation in May 2013. ANCHOOR widens the scope of its precedent by introducing Southern Atlantic countries. AquaVitae itself being a project with partners from Brazil, South Africa, United States and Canada, collaborates with this initiative.
AORA Summer School
Precisely, a very fruitful AORA Summer School trained 23 Atlantic Ocean Youth Ambassadors to become activists for change. The Youth Ambassadors learnt how to communicate, run campaigns and engage communities in their missions. AORA Youth Ambassadors are developing campaigns and will pitch their work at the All Atlantic Forum in 2020. Follow their hectic activity on Twitter and Instagram.
All Atlantic Ocean Research Forum : 6-7 February
Policy-makers, industry leaders, researchers and other stakeholders implementing this Atlantic collaboration will gather in Brussels in the All Atlantic Ocean Research Forum on the 6 and 7 February 2020. Save the date in your agendas!
https://www.atlanticresource.org/aora/all-atlantic-ocean-research-forum
