Hosted by the Marine Institute, JPI Oceans participated in the OKEANO Consortium meeting on 25-26 February 2025 in Dublin, Ireland. This meeting marked a year since the beginning of the OKEANO Coordination and Support Action (CSA) and it proved to be as productive as the weather was surprisingly un-Irish—sunny and not a drop of rain in sight.
The OKEANO CSA provides coordination and support to the All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance (AAORIA), ensuring effective governance, cooperation, and communication amongst signatories, and to implement the 2022 All-Atlantic Declaration.
JPI Oceans is a lively part of the OKEANO Consortium Work Packages. At the meeting, we led discussions on several fronts:
- The “Intergenerational Dialogue” format, organised at each All-Atlantic Forum to integrate Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs) into AAORIA and enhance intergenerational exchange;
- Future All-Atlantic Joint Calls, paving the way towards a Joint Call for research & innovation proposals among Atlantic countries, identifying common priorities and engaging funding agencies;
- Enhancing the All-Atlantic Alliance’s impact through communication, fostering community, and serving the Alliance’s objectives through various written and audiovisual formats.
We presented the Intergenerational Dialogue, highlighting progress on the six policy briefs produced by the ECOPs as part of the 2024 edition at the Ottawa Forum, which are now being reviewed by the AAORIA High-Level Board. We are now preparing for the 2025 Intergenerational Dialogue with new participants, and we invite all interested ECOPs, and organisations willing to sponsor ECOP attendance, to contact us via email at lavinia.giulia.pomarico@jpi-oceans.eu.
We also outlined our plans for preparing the ground for future All-Atlantic Joint Calls. These calls will be co-designed with AAORIA funders to determine scope and structure, aligning with the AAORIA Areas of Action. The next steps will include a scoping workshop, and the drafting of a Memorandum of Understanding targeted for January 2027.
Last but definitely not least, we shared our achievements and progress in the field of communication. Our approach to communication is being applied to all outputs, with social media analytics showing our LinkedIn followers have grown by over a thousand in a year. We are reaching new members of the All-Atlantic community, one post at a time. Like many others, we are discussing whether to stay or to leave the X platform, considering an entry into BlueSky soon.
While we are driving these initiatives, we are tremendously grateful to be working alongside our OKEANO Consortium partners from across the Atlantic, from coast to coast and pole to pole. The Marine Institute were excellent hosts, and Dublin, the city of literary giants, warmly welcomed us with a few rainbows and a visit at the MoLI (Museum of Literature Ireland), where we had the opportunity to see the first copy of Joyce's Ulysses.
The collaborative spirit of this Consortium was evident throughout our discussions, and it was particularly captured in our group photo, which was nearly compromised by a local dog with apparently strong opinions on ocean science diplomacy, who darted into frame just as we assembled to take the picture.
Speaking of group gatherings, the 2025 All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance (AAORIA) Forum will be held in Brussels, Belgium, on 25-26 September 2025! The European Union will host this flagship event, bringing together AAORIA Partners and stakeholders from across the Atlantic Ocean.
Consider yourself invited to become part of an inspiring and welcoming community dedicated to advancing ocean science, innovation, and cooperation from pole to pole.
The OKEANO CSA is the third and current EU-funded CSA supporting the All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance. Representatives from 15 partner organisations from Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Cabo Verde, France, Germany, Ireland, Morocco, Norway, Portugal, South Africa and Spain are part of the OKEANO CSA consortium. Funded under the Horizon Europe Programme by the European Union the OKEANO CSA is coordinated by the Marine Institute Ireland and works closely under the steering of the European Commission.
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