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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

Atlantic Interactions A strategic research agenda Integrating Space, Climate-Energy, Oceans and Data Sciences through North-South / South-North Cooperation

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    Description
    Description
    The 28 countries and the organizations that participated in the Azores High-level Industry-Science-Government Dialogue, acknowledged the Atlantic Interactions strategic research agenda, and recognized:

    The relevance of an integrative approach to space, climate change and energy, earth and ocean sciences in the Atlantic, together with emerging methods of data science, data visualization and science communication to better understand the emerging issues associated to climate change and the sustainable management of common resources affecting our planet and the lives, prosperity and wellbeing of our citizens.
    The need to foster and further develop a shared and international environment to support North-South/South-North cooperation in science and technology towards new climate, earth systems, space, and marine research activities benefiting a wide range of stakeholders.
    The urgent need to develop advanced data and network systems including integrated instruments for space, air, ground and ocean domains, allowing sustained data gathering to produce better and more precise models which can supply all scientific disciplines involved in accurately projecting the future sustainable pathways.
    The relevance of space science and technology in Atlantic regions to address great challenges such as climate change, natural hazards, energy dependency and sustainable ocean exploitation, considering that satellite data processing opens opportunities for new ventures with economic, environmental and social impact.
    The urgent need to foster knowledge as our common future, and to recognize the need to bring to the center of our attention all of those in the margins of knowledge driven societies and knowledge-based economic activities.
    The opportunity Azores offer for the potential development of international launch services to space, providing low-cost, frequent and regular access to space for small satellites as a way to boost the utilization of space for the benefit of all citizens.
    The critical role of Atlantic islands as ecosystems suitable for holistic research studies through experiments and observation of natural processes. They represent natural living laboratories enabling and facilitating the design of scientific studies of international relevance.

    These key issues will be addressed by the Atlantic Interactions research agenda, which will provide a new interdisciplinary research initiative, extending the capabilities of research centers and research infrastructures around the world to address synergies between Space, Climate-Energy, Oceans and Data Sciences. This intends to enhance the potential of the existing Atlantic research infrastructures since it would focus on disciplines that combine more than one scientific area, acting as catalyst for research and innovation in multiple domains ranging from renewable energies, to the interactions of the ocean with the atmosphere and global climate phenomena, the impacts of global changes on the open ocean and the deep sea, including their biodiversity, as well as blue economy.

    The Atlantic Interactions research agenda is to be governed by an international network of research, academic and business organizations worldwide, across both south and north Atlantic countries, as well as non-Atlantic countries, through an intergovernmental scientific organization: the Atlantic International Research Center (AIR Center). This center is to be established in the form of an inclusive international research network organization with headquarters in the Azores Islands.
    Partners
    The Atlantic Interactions strategic research agenda has been promoted by the Portuguese Government through the Foundation for Science and Technology, FCT, and developed by a group of international experts from leading research institutions and corporations through an open international consultation and a series of research workshops and high level events. The last High-level Industry-Science-Government Dialogue "Atlantic Interactions" that was held in April in Terceira Island, Azores, brought together representatives of Governments, business and scientific and academic institutions from 29 countries and delegations of the European Space Agency, the European Commission and Parliament, and the United Nations. The participants have noted that the results of the series of workshops on Atlantic Interactions held throughout 2016 in New York, Ponta Delgada, Lisbon, Brussels, Paris, Braslia, Cartagena, Bogot, Cambridge (Mass) a Austin (Texas), as well as other related meetings in Bangalore (India), Luanda (Angola) and Abuja (Nigeria) have mobilized researchers worldwide towards the development of a new science and technology agenda for an integrative approach to the Atlantic focused on space and ocean sciences, as well as the implications of climate change and the development of sustainable energy systems. Participants also note the progress achieved by Southern nations in discussing and establishing a scientific agenda for the Tropical and South Atlantic and the Southern Atlantic Ocean.

    Goal 13

    Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

    Goal 13

    13.1

    Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries

    13.1.1

    Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population

    13.1.2

    Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030

    13.1.3

    Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster risk reduction strategies

    13.2

    Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning

    13.2.1

    Number of countries with nationally determined contributions, long-term strategies, national adaptation plans and adaptation communications, as reported to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

    13.2.2

    Total greenhouse gas emissions per year

    13.3

    Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning

    13.3.1

    Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment

    13.a

    Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible

    13.a.1

    Amounts provided and mobilized in United States dollars per year in relation to the continued existing collective mobilization goal of the $100 billion commitment through to 2025

    13.b

    Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities


     

    13.b.1

    Number of least developed countries and small island developing States with nationally determined contributions, long-term strategies, national adaptation plans and adaptation communications, as reported to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

    Goal 14

    Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

    Goal 14

    14.1

    By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution

    14.1.1

    (a) Index of coastal eutrophication; and (b) plastic debris density

    14.2

    By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans

    14.2.1

    Number of countries using ecosystem-based approaches to managing marine areas

    14.3

    Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels

    14.3.1
    Average marine acidity (pH) measured at agreed suite of representative sampling stations

    14.4

    By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics

    14.4.1
    Proportion of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels

    14.5

    By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information

    14.5.1
    Coverage of protected areas in relation to marine areas

    14.6

    By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation

    14.6.1

    Degree of implementation of international instruments aiming to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing

    14.7

    By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism

    14.7.1

    Sustainable fisheries as a proportion of GDP in small island developing States, least developed countries and all countries

    14.a

    Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries

    14.a.1
    Proportion of total research budget allocated to research in the field of marine technology

    14.b

    Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets

    14.b.1

    Degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small‐scale fisheries

    14.c

    Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of "The future we want"

    14.c.1

    Number of countries making progress in ratifying, accepting and implementing through legal, policy and institutional frameworks, ocean-related instruments that implement international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans and their resources

    Name Description
    14.3 Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels
    14.a Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries
    Establishment of the Atlantic International Research Center (AIR Center), as an intergovernmental initiative to be established in the form of an inclusive international research network organization, with the purpose of implementing the Atlantic Interactions strategic research agenda. Ratification of the AIR Center is expected by the beginning of 2018.
    Development and setting up of a bottom up strategic research agenda Atlantic Interactions for the Atlantic region through an integrative approach to Space, Climate-Energy, Oceans and Data Sciences. A white paper formalizing the Atlantic Interactions research agenda is due November 2017.
    Other, please specify
    FCT support to develop the Atlantic Interactions: FCT is providing financial support to convene the workshops intended to promote the Atlantic Interactions strategic research agenda across different nations.
    Other, please specify
    FCT-Fulbright Annual Award: In order to promote the Atlantic Interactions initiative, the Fulbright Commission with the support of FCT, through CORE FULBRIGHT SCHOLAR PROGRAM, will ensure the annual selection of an American professor / researcher to teach
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    Timeline
    01 June 2017 (start date)
    01 December 2030 (date of completion)
    Entity
    Government of Portugal
    SDGs
    Geographical coverage
    Fundao para a Cincia e a Tecnologia (FCT), Lisboa, Portugal
    Ocean Basins
    North Atlantic, South Atlantic
    Communities of Ocean Action
    Ocean acidification, Scientific knowledge, research capacity development and transfer of marine technology
    Website/More information
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    Countries
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    Contact Information

    Paulo Ferro, Professor, President of the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT)