EU eyes oceans innovation as source of sustainable growth
9 May 2014 02:47 PM
Two thirds of our planet
is covered by oceans and seas. I f we manage them in a responsible manner, they
can provide sources of food, medicine and energy while protecting ecosystems
for generations to come. The Commission has therefore presented an Action
Plan for Innovation in the 'Blue Economy' to help use ocean resources
sustainably and drive growth and jobs in
Europe.
European Commissioner for
Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Maria Damanaki said: "Today, we put
the building blocks in place so that tomorrow's generation of Europeans
will have the knowledge and skills to better manage our oceans and draw the
full benefits they can provide us, while respecting the balance of the
ecosystem of the sea." She continued: "For example, our
initiative to create a digital map of the entire seabed of European waters will
increase the predictability for businesses to invest, lowering costs and
stimulate further innovation for sustainable blue
growth."
The Commission identifies a
number of hurdles to be overcome: our knowledge about the sea is still limited,
maritime research efforts between Member States are not linked up, whilst the
European workforce of tomorrow will need more engineers and scientists to apply
new technologies in the marine environment.
European Commissioner for
Research and Innovation, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn said: "We
probably know more about the surface of the Moon and even Mars than we do about
the deep sea floor. Maritime innovation has enormous potential for our economy,
and will help us meet challenges like climate change and food security. Blue
Growth is therefore a focus area for Horizon 2020, our new research and
innovation programme."
The Commission action plan
presented proposes to:
-
Deliver a digital map of the
entire seabed of European waters by 2020.
-
Create an online information
platform, to be operational before the end of 2015, on marine research projects
across the Horizon 2020 programme as well as nationally
funded marine research, and to share results from completed
projects.
-
Set up a Blue Economy Business
and Science Forum, which will involve the private sector, scientists and NGOs
to help shape the blue economy of the future and share ideas and results. A
first meeting will take place in the margins of the 2015 Maritime Day event in
Piraeus, Greece.
-
Encourage research, business and
education actors to map out the needs and skills for tomorrow's workforce
in the maritime sector by 2016.
-
Examine the possibility of major
players from the research, business and education community to form a Knowledge and
Innovation Community (or KIC) for the blue economy after 2020. KICs,
part of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) can stimulate
innovation in multiple ways, for example by running training and education
programmes, reinforcing the path from research to the market and setting up
innovation projects and business incubators.
Background
The EU's maritime or
"blue" economy is vast, with over 5 million employees in sectors as
diverse as fisheries, transport, marine biotech and offshore
renewables.
Between 2007 and 2013, the
European Commission contributed an average of €350 million a year towards
marine and maritime research through its seventh Framework Programme. A
substantial amount of marine research is also carried out through Member
States' programmes (around €300 million per year in France and Germany
for example). Blue growth is a "focus area" in the new Horizon 2020
programme, with a specific €145 million budget for 2014-2015 alone, and
further opportunities across the programme.
Around 30% of the seafloor
surrounding Europe has not yet been surveyed. This varies from 5% of the Bay of
Biscay and the Iberian Coast to more than 40% of the North Sea and the Ionian
and central Mediterranean. A better understanding of what is happening below
sea level will provide a better knowledge of ocean resources and a better
understanding of how these can be used sustainably.
Skill gaps are already apparent
in the wind energy sector. In 2012, this offshore sector represented 10% of the
annual wind capacity installed, and employed 58,000 people directly and
indirectly across Europe. It is projected that by 2020, the proportion of wind
power offshore will reach 30% of the annual wind installed capacity. That means
191,000 jobs by 2020, growing to 318,000 by 2030. But the sector could also see
a skill shortage growing from 7,000 now to 14,000 full-time equivalents if the
future workforce is not equipped with skills in maintenance and manufacturing
for example.
For more
information
-
Innovation in the Blue Economy:
Realising the potential of our seas and oceans for jobs and growth:http://ec.europa.eu/maritimeaffairs/policy/marine_knowledge_2020/index_en
.htm
-
MEMO/14/336 : Questions and Answers on innovation in the blue
economy
-
MEMO/14/337: Blue Economy Innovation: examples of EU marine
research
-
Brochure on EU research projects
for the 'Oceans of Tomorrow' (PDF file)http://ec.europa.eu/research/bioeconomy/pdf/ocean-of-tomorrow-2014_en.pdf
-
Horizon 2020: http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/
-
Blue growth in the EU - a set of
studies:https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/maritimeforum/en/community/msexperts/article
s/blue-growth-eu-set-studies