The “All-Atlantic R&I for a Sustainable Ocean: Ministerial High-level & Stakeholders Conference”, Ponta Delgada, 2-4 June 2021, aims at bringing to a new level the existing dialogue and cooperation undertaken under the All-Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance. This Conference is being co-organised by the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union Council and the European Commission.
Following on the very successful All-Atlantic Ocean Research fora (Brazil, 23 – 24 July 2018, Belgium, 6 – 7 February 2020, and South Africa, 3 – 4 December 2020), and on the approach of “Connecting- Acting-Cooperating”, this conference will bring together Ministerial and other high-level representatives with marine stakeholders, across the Atlantic Ocean from pole to pole, and will be a step forward in Research & Innovation cooperation for a sustainable Atlantic Ocean.
The All-Atlantic2021 Conference will therefore contribute to enhancing the science diplomacy efforts focused on the Atlantic, notably through the Atlantic Strategy and its 1st Action Plan (2013), the signing of the Galway and Belém Statements (respectively in 2013 and 2017) and the Administrative Arrangements between the European Commission and Cabo Verde (2018), Argentina (2018) and Morocco (2020).
The event will be the opportunity to discuss the progress made so far, to strengthen the vision “Connecting-Acting-Cooperating”, and to launch a Pledging Platform as a new tool to the existing cooperation. This Platform will provide a global view on the Atlantic marine R&I cooperation, enhancing stakeholder participation to co-design and invite them to participate in future actions and to monitor the progress of the cooperative efforts. Discussions on the new methodologies for ocean observation and ecosystems-based management linked to digitalization processes represent an important innovative step towards the integration of the Ocean-Space-Climate-Food Nexus to contribute to Ocean Sustainability.
The conference’s Ministerial dimension linked to the stakeholders dynamic participation and side events will contribute to leveraging the All-Atlantic R&I Cooperation through two main legacy outputs, an EU Portuguese Presidency Conference Declaration and the All-Atlantic Pledging Platform, and will provide an excellent opportunity to strengthen and contribute to the European Green Deal and to the Horizon Europe Mission on Ocean, Seas and Waters, as well as to the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.
