A-A AGORA

Blueprint For Atlantic-Arctic Agora On Cross-Sectoral Cooperation For Restoration Of Marine And Coastal Ecosystems And Increased Climate Resilience Through Transformative Innovation

Funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe program, A-A Agora is a €9.8 million, four-year project that is structured to support the ambitious targets set in the European Commission Mission on “restore our ocean and waters by 2030” through the reduction of pressures in coastal areas to boost resilience to climate change and mitigate its impacts.

The Horizon Europe project Atlantic-Arctic Agora (A-A Agora) is structured to support the ambitious targets set in the European Commission Mission on “restore our ocean and waters by 2030” and, in this way, to answer the requirements on innovative and transformative change enabling the “Atlantic- Arctic lighthouse”.

A-A AGORA project is responding to the need:

  • To protect and restore marine and freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity, prevent and eliminate pollution of our ocean, seas and waters, and make the sustainable blue economy carbon-neutral and circular.
  • To protect valuable ecosystems located in coastal communities particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts, namely the risks of sea level rise and to the loss of biodiversity due to increased pollution.
  • To mitigate the effects of climate change, an increase in engagement with citizens is a key component, while promoting societal well-being.

There are three Demonstration areas within this project; namely one each in Portugal, Norway and Ireland, representing different starting points and serve as pilots of innovative actions, providing important data from the Atlantic-Arctic Lighthouse that can advance global ocean science and direct research in other coastal and marine regions. To address these challenges, the Irish Demonstration Area aims to explore the interplay between coastal protection, climate adaptation, and nature-based restoration, taking advantage of an engaged citizenry to promote an integrated and participatory approach to coastal management and planning. The initiative seeks to improve the knowledge base to support informed decision-making and facilitate partnerships at the local and regional levels. This work will be achieved through joint working and collaboration between Cork County Council and UCC (MaREI).

Cork County Council is proud to be working together with MaREI (Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine) at University College Cork and in a consortium of partnership with 29 other organisations from eight European Countries, working together through 7 complementary Work Packages, the A-A AGORA consortium will deliver the project, supporting the ambitious targets set in the European Commission Mission on “restore our ocean and waters by 2030” . The work package aims to deliver the project through the reduction of pressures in coastal areas to boost resilience to climate change and mitigate its impacts.

See link to AA Agora website - A-A Agora

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