Investing in a Blue Future: EU Commission Supports 18 Projects with €106 Million for Ocean and Water Restoration – The EU Commission announced 18 new projects which will receive over €106 million to contribute to the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters“. The projects gather over 370 beneficiaries from 36 countries, including SMEs, research institutions, local authorities, schools and businesses. They will play a key role in achieving climate neutrality and restoring nature by protecting and restoring biodiversity in waters, cutting pollution, and developing the European Digital Twin of the Ocean. All EU Member States are involved in the projects, with actions from the Baltic and North Sea, through the Danube River, Mediterranean Sea, and across to the Atlantic.
Supporting a sustainable blue economy is also an essential aspect of these projects. The blue economy encompasses all economic activities related to oceans and seas. By promoting sustainable practices within sectors such as fisheries, aquaculture, tourism, or renewable energy generation, these initiatives aim to ensure that economic growth goes hand in hand with environmental protection.
The statement emphasized that these projects will provide a variety of benefits for the oceans and waters, including protection solutions, restoration of degraded coastal and marine habitats, protection and restoration of wastelands, floodplains, coastal lands and salt marshes in the Danube River, measures to prevent, reduce and treat chemical pollution in the Mediterranean, and bringing sustainable products and solutions. To solve the problems of the Baltic and North Seas and prevent and remove litter, plastic and microplastics while creating solutions to promote the European Zero Waste Rivers initiative and reduce litter and marine pollution with smart and low environmental impact fishing gear.
Investing in nature and local communities
The projects will deliver a wide variety of benefits to the ocean and waters, such as:
- Protection and restoration solutions for degraded coastal and marine habitats
- Protection and restoration of wetlands, flood plains, coastal wetlands and salt marshes in the Danube
- Actions to prevent, minimise and remediate chemical pollution in the Mediterranean sea
- Bringing sustainable algae-based products and solutions to the market in the Baltic and the North Sea
- Preventing and eliminating litter, plastics and microplastics – innovative solutions for waste-free European rivers
- Reducing marine litter and pollution by using smart and low environmental impact fishing gears
- Integration of biodiversity monitoring data into the Digital Twin Ocean
- Creation of an e-library of marine and freshwater species
- Developing local community-driven business models for ocean farming.
The allocation of €106 million for water protection and depollution projects demonstrates the EU’s commitment to safeguarding Europe’s water resources and promoting sustainable development. By investing in these initiatives, the EU aims to create a cleaner and healthier environment for its citizens while also contributing to global efforts to combat climate change.
Investing in a Blue Future: EU Commission Supports 18 Projects with €106 Million for Ocean and Water Restoration
