New European Project Looks to a 'Blue Society'.
What do we know about the sea and how can we create a 'Blue
Society' that benefits all our lives in sustainable harmony with the oceans?
These are some of the questions being asked by Sea for Society - an ambitious
three-year European project which began in October last year and involves 20
partner organisations and eight associated partners across 12 European
countries. The project brings together researchers, marine and land-based
organisations, government and non-governmental bodies, individuals and youth
for mutual learning, consultation and joint action. It considers key questions
concerning sustainable ocean management and examining cross-cutting issues with
a view to proposing practical solutions to the challenges facing the
sustainable management of our seas.
The main objectives of Sea for Society are to increase
awareness of how important the oceans are to all our lives, as well as the
importance of marine research in generating the knowledge we need to take the
actions required to bring about a shift in the way society views the sea. To
bring about this change the project also aims to break down the barriers
between stakeholders, citizens and youth to enable full collaboration and
knowledge at all levels, to promote public engagement in research and to foster
an integrated vision of a 'Blue Society', including the social, environmental,
economic and cultural pillars it would take to support it.
The Irish project partners include AquaTT as area leaders,
with NUI Galway and the Marine Institute - as well as the W5 Interactive
Discover Centre in Belfast as an associated partner. Their responsibility has
been to compile background literature reviews, create methodologies and carry
out the first public consultations amongst target groups of citizen/youth - all
of which have been achieved on target.
Meanwhile, across the rest of Europe, similar citizen/youth
consultations are being carried out into the challenges and opportunities in
six subject areas - Marine Food, Marine
Transport, Marine Energy, Human Health, Leisure and Tourism, and A Place to Live. In Ireland, these will
be followed in the autumn by focused discussions with marine stakeholders on
the two nationally allocated subjects of Marine
Food and A Place to Live.
Armed with this information on public and stakeholder
perception of the wide range of challenges facing any plan for sustainable
development of the seas - as well as options to address them - the project will
then move to consider practical strategies to develop the concept of a 'Blue
Society'.
Further information - including an Irish national blog - can be found
at www.seaforsociety.eu
