The European Ocean Coalition (EU4Ocean) connects diverse organisations, projects and people that contribute to ocean literacy and the sustainable management of the ocean.
The ocean is a source of life for human beings. It gives us food, oxygen and energy. It is home to many species and acts as climate regulator.
Understanding how we influence the ocean and how the ocean influences us is at the core of ocean literacy.
This understanding allows us to make responsible choices to better protect our ocean and to use the opportunities it offers in a sustainable manner. This is what we are striving for in Europe, contributing to the improvement of the well-being of Europeans, as envisioned and recently confirmed in the European Green Deal.
The EU4Ocean Coalition combines EU-wide activities with actions dedicated to the Arctic Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean (including the North Sea), the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea and the global ocean.
Supported by the European Commission, this bottom-up inclusive initiative aims at uniting the voices of Europeans to make the ocean a concern of everyone!
Awards will be given to outstanding active individuals, organisations and initiatives from the three networks.
Enhance awareness
Contribute to enhancing awareness and the engagement of all parties involved in the sustainable management of our ocean and seas.
Create ocean advocates
Help coalition members to become ocean advocates in their own field/role/region as well as agents of transition supporting changes in perception, values, attitudes and behaviour towards more sustainable practices, management of the ocean and blue economy opportunities.
Impact policy
Put ocean literacy high on the policy agenda, contributing inter alias to the implementation of the EU marine and maritime policies and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the Agenda 2030, in particular the SDG 14 Life below water.
EU4Ocean is a project funded by the European Commission and implemented by a consortium of 13 partners across Europe, which includes: ACTeon (coordinator, France), Seascape Belgium (Secretariat of the European Marine Observation and Data Network and the European Atlas of the Seas, Belgium), Nausicaá-National Sea Centre (France), Ciência Viva (Portugal), the European Marine Science Educators Association (EMSEA, Belgium), the European Centre for Information on Marine Science and Technology (EurOcean, Portugal), European Schoolnet (Belgium), Youth and Environment Europe (YEE, Czechia), REVOLVE (Belgium), JPI Oceans (Belgium), EuroGOOS (Belgium), European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA, The Netherlands), Overseas Countries and Territories Association (OCTA, Belgium).
Other initiatives by DG MARE also contribute to ocean literacy such as:
European Atlas of the Seas
An easy and fun way for professionals, students and anyone interested to learn more about Europe's seas and coasts, their environment, related human activities and European policies.
Hack4Oceans
This 2-day Youth Innovation Event gives young participants across Europe the possibility to learn, explore and co-create opportunities for prosperity through ocean conservation and sustainable use of marine resources.
More about Hack4Oceans
More about Hack4Oceans II
See also
The European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Datahub
Featured EU4Ocean campaign
A multitude of threats including climate change, overfishing and pollution is putting our ocean at risk, and changing course requires us to work together. As part of the EU4Ocean Coalition, the Make Europe Blue campaign is calling on you - citizens, businesses, organisations, authorities, celebrities, educators - to make a pledge to help the ocean. Your pledge is a personal promise or action that will keep our ocean healthy. Every action – even the smallest one - brings change to our ocean!
Check out the campaign page and get inspired by the pledges of journalists, educators, policy-makers, activists and organisations engaged in ocean protection.
