VLIZ cooperates and engages in several actions related to the European Mission ‘Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030’, also called Mission Ocean. Mission Ocean strives to protect and restore the health of our ocean and waters through research, innovation, citizen engagement and blue investments by 2030. The Mission is a new systematic approach that will address the ocean and waters as one and will play a key role in achieving climate neutrality and restoring nature.
VLIZ is engaged in the three operational groups related to the Mission Ocean and Waters:
TRAMI (the TRAnsnational cooperation on the Missions approach)
VLIZ is engaged to support this EU funded project on making the Mission Ocean the five missions works, exchanging knowledge between all related stakeholders and offering mutual learning about how to tackle the objectives of the mission ocean.
PREP4BLUE
The VLIZ divisions on coordination, policy and communication are involved in this Horizon Europe project. It aims to inspire, engage and involve citizens and stakeholders to optimize activities of the Mission Ocean and Waters, in four ‘Lighthouses’ areas: Mediterranean Sea, Baltic and North Seas, Danube River basin and Atlantic/Artic Sea basin.
BlueMissionBANOS
VLIZ leads the citizen engagement work package to inspire, engage and support all relevant stakeholders across the Baltic and North Sea (BANOS) area to make the Blue Economy carbon-neutral and circular by 2030, whilst eliminating pollution and restoring ecosystems and biodiversity of the BANOS.
VLIZ endorses the Mission Charter by taking action: Expedition ship Simon Stevin examined in 21-25 November 2022 litter, climate change and biodiversity loss in salty waters (North Sea), brackish (Westerschelde) and fresh water (Zeeschelde). Concentration of macro- and microplastics varied greatly among the three studied environments, with the highest concentrations of both in freshwater. Similarly, the particles of CO2 in fresh water are also much higher than in saline water. (To the complete results)