EU to Use Ocean Resources for Further Growth

The EU has presented an action plan to help make better, responsible use of Europe’s ocean resources.

With two thirds of the planet covered by water, the sea’s resources can help to meet food, medicine and energy needs. The “blue economy” could also contribute to sustainable growth.

The Commission identifies a number of hurdles to be overcome as their 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.

For example, offshore wind power is expected to need a further 131 000 employees by 2020.

The action plan aims to create

• a digital map of the entire European seabed by 2020. 30% of Europe’s seabed has not yet been surveyed, and datasets are held by different organisations. Knowing what is happening in and under the sea will enable them to make the most of oceans while ensuring that delicate ecosystems are not being damaged.
• an online information hub by 2016. This will share details and results of research projects, to prevent research being duplicated and speed up innovation.
• a Business and Science Forum involving the private sector, scientists and NGOs, to help shape the future of the blue economy and share ideas.

The action plan encourages research and business organisations to prepare the field by mapping out the needs and skills that will be required.

Over 5 million people are already employed in Europe’s blue economy, in sectors ranging from tourism to fisheries.

Between 2007 and 2013, the EU contributed an average of €350m a year to ocean research, on top of the €1.3bn earmarked for national projects by European countries.

Horizon 2020 – an EU innovation programme to boost economic growth – has a budget of €145m for “blue” growth in 2014-2015 alone.

Ocean monitoring will continue, to measure the environmental impact of the blue economy.