Project description
Taking a holistic approach to fight marine pollution
Curbing water pollution is a top priority in Europe. Keeping seas healthy and clean can help protect the various ecosystem services we depend on such as climate regulation and food provision. The EU-funded SOS-ZEROPOL2030 project seeks to make a significant contribution to this effort. To that end, it will develop a holistic framework aiming towards zero pollution in European seas by 2030. This framework will provide practical guidance from source to sea and address shortcomings in marine pollution management. Moreover, it will increase understanding of existing obstacles regarding prevention, reduction, mitigation and monitoring of marine pollution in European seas.
Objective
The overall aim of 'Source to Seas - Zero Pollution 2030 (SOS-ZEROPOL2030)' is to develop a holistic zero pollution framework which can guide the process towards achieving zero pollution in European seas by 2030. Marine contamination (including pollution) occurs as a direct result of human activities on both; land and in the marine environment; and requires urgent attention as healthy and clean seas provide numerous ecosystem services (e.g. food, oxygen production, climate regulation), which are critical for our survival and wellbeing. Given the complex and interconnected nature of marine pollution, the integration of sustainability-focused agendas and circular economy principles and practices is essential for the development of effective actions that can address its impacts. The implementation of processes and measures to reduce marine pollution will have consequences for numerous economic sectors (e.g. agriculture, fisheries, food and beverage industry, waste management, packaging industry, tourism, offshore energy) at multiple scales (local, national, regional and international), framing marine pollution as a considerable global socio-economic challenge that requires active collaboration from multiple stakeholders, across a range of geographic areas. In this context SOS-ZEROPOL2030 aims to co-design, co-produce, and co-deliver a stakeholder lead European Seas zero-pollution framework that provides practical guidance from source to sea addressing shortcomings in marine pollution management and governance. This holistic approach is based on best practice, puts emphasis on human behaviour, socioeconomics and governance; and is underpinned in knowledge about and understanding of current barriers to effective and efficient prevention, reduction, mitigation and monitoring of marine pollution in European Seas.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologyother engineering and technologiesfood technology
- social sciencessociologygovernance
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwaste management
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesenvironmental sciencespollution
- social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicssustainable economy
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-CSA - HORIZON Coordination and Support ActionsCoordinator
T12 YN60 Cork
Ireland