GENOVA, ITALY, June 27, 2023 – The NAUTILOS project, in collaboration with the Ocean Race Grand Finale, hosted a dynamic Policy Round Table on June 27th in Genova, centered around the topic of NAUTILOS project’s second policy brief, titled “Supporting Ocean Observations to Address Climate Change“. The event underscored the critical importance of cooperation, citizen engagement and ongoing commitment to ocean observation in the context of a changing climate. Experts, policymakers and stakeholders came together to explore the pivotal role of informed decision-making, knowledge sharing and innovative technologies in achieving collective success.
The discussions at the NAUTILOS Policy Round Table resonated with a resounding call for heightened collaboration among diverse stakeholders to address ocean-related challenges. Participants emphasized that robust ocean knowledge requires dedicated observation, data collection and the adoption of innovative technologies. The imperative of building policies and making informed decisions based on the best available knowledge was a recurring theme throughout the event.
Kestutis Sadauskas, representing the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (EC – DG MARE), highlighted the significance of ocean protection through intelligent strategies and policies build on best available knowledge.
“Knowledge requires observation, data collection, and all the things that you as professionals are doing here. And that’s also part of our story as well because as a policymakers, we have the duty to build all our policies and make all our decisions on the best available knowledge. And it turns out that the knowledge about the ocean, in spite of the fact that we’ve been collecting it for centuries already, is still not sufficient.”
Kestutis Sadauskas, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Directorate General, EC
The NAUTILOS project, known for its pioneering work in developing innovative and low-cost ocean observation technologies, was commended for its contribution to effective data collection. Nicolas Segebarth Healthy Oceans and Seas, RTD – DG, EC highlighted that “Ocean observations are typically very expensive, and long-term series are typically not sustained”.
“This is why it is so important to develop the technologies of tomorrow, like NAUTILOS is doing, technologies that must be cost efficient, robust, validated, and able to provide fair, standardized and as real-time as desirable data.”
Nicolas Segebarth, Healthy Oceans and Seas, RTD – DG, EC
The event demonstrated the power of collaboration and the role of diverse stakeholders in driving solutions for ocean-related challenges. The Policy Round Table of NAUTILOS facilitated valuable insights and discussions, while emphasizing the importance of all participants’ commitment to safeguarding our ocean for current and future generations.
The NAUTILOS project developed a collaborative statement encapsulating the outcomes of the round table discussions. This statement will further underscore the significance of ocean observation, collaboration and innovation in shaping sustainable policies and actions.
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