ENVIRONMENT

With 70% of the earth’s surface covered in water, we are looking to the seas and oceans for solutions to the most pressing development challenges. From fishery and aquaculture, to transport and energy production, the marine environment remains a major driver for economic development and growth; the blue economy encompasses a wide range of activities and is fast becoming a policy priority across the EU and around the globe. We mobilize key actors in the industry, working collaboratively to explore innovative solutions and transitions towards a sustainable future for the sector.

This initiative comprises of the following projects:

• (EIT Climate-KIC) Maritime ClimAccelerator (https://phoebekoundouri.org/eit-climate-kic-maritime-climaccelerator/)
• (Horizon 2020) IntelComp: A Competitive Intelligence Cloud/HPC Platform for AI-based STI Policy Making (https://phoebekoundouri.org/horizon-2020-intelcomp-a-competitive-intelligence-cloud-hpc-platform-for-ai-based-sti-policy-making/)
• UN SDSN Sustainable Euro-Asian Seas Initiative (https://phoebekoundouri.org/un-sdsn-blue-growth-initiative/) - The UN SDSN Networks that support the SEAs Initiative are hosted by a number of Universities and Research Centers that have a long history of research projects in the filed of Blue Growth:

1. International Centre for Research on the Environment and the Economy (ICRE8) - http://www.icre8.eu/
2. Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB)-Research Laboratory on Socio-Economic and Environmental Sustainability (ReSEES) - https://www.dept.aueb.gr/el/ReSEES
3. Sustainable Development Unit at ATHENA Research Center - https://www.athenarc.gr/en/sdu
4. AUEB-ReSEES Laboratory| SDU at ATHENA RC | Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh) - https://www.auth.gr/en/

• (Horizon 2020) BRIDGE-BS: Advancing Black Sea Research and Innovation to Co-Develop Blue Growth within Resilient Ecosystems - https://phoebekoundouri.org/horizon-2020-bridge-bs-advancing-black-sea-research-and-innovation-to-co-develop-blue-growth-within-resilient-ecosystems/
• (Horizon 2020) DOORS: Developing an Optimal and Open Research Support system to unlock the potential for blue growth in the Black Sea (BS) - https://phoebekoundouri.org/horizon-2020-doors-developing-an-optimal-and-open-research-support-system-to-unlock-the-potential-for-blue-growth-in-the-black-sea-bs/
• (Horizon 2020) SEAwise:Shaping ecosystem-based fisheries management - https://phoebekoundouri.org/horizon-2020-seawise-shaping-ecosystem-based-fisheries-management/
• (EIT Climate-KIC) MEDFreeSUP - https://phoebekoundouri.org/eit-climate-kic-medfreesup/ 
• UN SDSN 4-Seas Initiative: Mobilizing Science Driven Sustainable Blue Growth - https://phoebekoundouri.org/un-sdsn-4-seas-initiative-mobilizing-science-driven-sustainable-blue-growth/

As a response to the climate crisis and its effect on Marine Ecosystems and Coastal Populations, the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UN SDSN) proposes a Euro-Asian Initiative to accelerate science-driven blue growth and the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (Agenda 2030) in the following 4-seas: the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, the Caspian and Aral.

• Roundtable for Sustainable Shipping and Ports - https://phoebekoundouri.org/roundtable-for-sustainable-shipping-and-ports/

This initiative aims at bringing together researchers and technology developers, shipbuilders, shipowners, ports, policymakers and politicians, from around the globe, to work on technological and policy innovations seeking net-zero emissions in the maritime sector by 2050.

• (EIT Climate-KIC) Deep Demonstrations for Zero-Net Emissions in Maritime Hubs: Port of Piraeus - https://phoebekoundouri.org/eit-climate-kic-deep-demonstrations-for-zero-net-emissions-in-maritime-hubs-port-of-piraeus/
• (Horizon 2020) COASTAL: Collaborative Land-Sea Integration Platform - https://phoebekoundouri.org/horizon-2020-coastal/
• WECANet (Cost action) A pan-European Network for Marine Renewable Energy with a Focus on Wave Energy - https://phoebekoundouri.org/wecanet-cost-action/
• (H2020) BLUEMED CSA - https://phoebekoundouri.org/bluemed-csa-h2020/
• (Interreg) AMARe: Actions for Marine Protected Areas - https://phoebekoundouri.org/interreg-amare/
• (Interreg) RECONNECT: Regional cooperation for the transnational ecosystem sustainable development - https://phoebekoundouri.org/interreg-reconnect/