Conclusion of the PACE-Net Conference held in Brussels, Belgium
The Pacific is too important for Europe and the world to be left out. This was one of the main conclusions of the PACE-Net Conference held in Brussels, from March 20th to 23rd 2012. The conference brought together more than a hundred senior researchers and officials from Europe, the Pacific Island States such as Fiji, Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Kiribati, from the OCTs as well as from New Zealand and Australia. Climate change has been identified as one of the major societal challenges of our time, not just for Europe, but also for other regions, including the Pacific. As climate change associated risks directly affect people and ecosystems of the Pacific, the event’s main topic was Climate Change: in relation to Water, Agriculture and Forestry, Natural Hazards, Fisheries, and Mid-Term Research & Innovation Policies in the Pacific. As input to the conference, high-level representatives from the EEAS, EIB, EC DG DEVCO , UNIDO, UNESCO, USP, SPREP, CTA as well as from Germany, presented their organisations in detail along with options for strengthening the Pacific-European collaboration in research, development and innovation. Central to the event was two days of interactive workshops where the more than 100 participants developed integrated research, development and innovation framework drafts for equitable Pacific–EU partnerships. These drafts address the above sectors and cross-cutting theme from their significance for both the EU and the Pacific, existing and required policies, a strategic needs assessment for research, development, and innovation, as well as the required actions and corresponding funding strategies. On the final day, the framework drafts, presentations and feedback from the high-level panel were discussed with the workshop participants. Based on post-conference consultations with the EC, the EEAS, further key stakeholders, and public discussions these drafts will be refined and will serve as input into the PACE-Net conference in Suva (March 2013) – the 3rd PACE-Net dialogue platform - for the discussion with the key country and regional policy, research, and development stakeholders especially from the Pacific contributing to an EU-Pacific research, development, and innovation mid-term partnership agreement. More on the outcomes of this conference can be found at http://brussels-conference.pacenet.eu/(opens in new window)
Countries
Austria, Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cook Islands, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Spain, Finland, Fiji, Micronesia, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kiribati, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, New Caledonia, Netherlands, New Zealand, French Polynesia, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Solomon Islands, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia, United Kingdom