Contact
Anna Kristín Daníelsdóttir
Deputy CEO / Director of Research & Innovation
annak@matis.is
Sveinn Margeirsson, CEO of Matís, recently attended a conference held in collaboration with the European Research Program (Horizon 2020) and similar research programs in South Africa and Brazil. The purpose of the conference was to launch research work related to the BELEM Declaration, which lays the foundation for increased research and innovation based on Atlantic marine resources.
At the conference, John Bell, Head of Horizon 2020's Marine and Bioeconomy Research Program, emphasized the importance of the ocean in Europe's next research program (Horizon Europe), which plans to invest € 100 billion in research and innovation, a significant increase from Horizon 2020. In his closing remarks, John Bell stated that we need to change the state of the oceans in order to change the state of the world. Let's get started (e. „We need to change the state of the ocean, to change the state of the world. Let's get on with it ").
The meeting looked at how well Icelanders have managed to link the work of scientists and fisheries companies, but Matís 'role at the meeting was to tell about Icelanders' experience of applying new knowledge and disseminating scientific results to companies and the public.
Research infrastructures were much discussed at the conference, but the BELEM declaration concerns, among other things, their better utilization. The operation of marine research vessels around the world is becoming increasingly difficult, due to the increased cost of their endurance, and at the same time new possibilities have opened up for data collection with automatic measuring equipment, including on fishing vessels, as well as with unmanned submarines.
Further information on the BELEM Declaration:
https://ec.europa.eu/research/iscp/pdf/belem_statement_2017_en.pdf