Join us in the Our Ocean 2024 side event!

Join us in the Our Ocean 2024 side event in Athens!

Concrete solutions for our greatest challenges: Mission Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030 

16 April 2024, 17:00 – 18:00
‘Alternative stage’ theatre room
Lead: European Commission; Environmental Defense Fund, BlueMissionMed project
Co-organizers: Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche

This side event of the Our Ocean 2024 Conference will highlight initiatives and actions under the EU Mission: Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030 that address some of the greatest challenges faced by marine and freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity. The Mission is an innovative initiative with a strategic framework for action that aims to improve the coherence of relevant policies, and to create synergies between public, private, and civil society initiatives and investments in support of SDG 14 (Life below water).

As an example of the latter, the event will announce a first-of-its kind commitment involving the Mission Ocean and Waters and the philanthropic funders collaborative Oceans 5, in support of the Mission, the growing need to better align public and private funding, and restoring islands globally. The alignment of public and philanthropic funding will strengthen national and local outcomes and support the transition agenda in European islands. The event will highlight projects in Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain; opportunities in the Caribbean; and call on relevant organizations and stakeholders to join us within Europe and in support of islands globally, in the lead up to the 2025 UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France.

The event will close with the award ceremony for “Blue Ports and Destinations“, curated by BlueMissionMed with the support of MedCruise an in cooperation with the European Commission.