50 million SEK to research about sustainable blue economy
The research programme Co-Creating Better Blue, where the University of Gothenburg is the main applicant, receives 50 million SEK from Mistra's call "A sustainable blue economy for Sweden". The programme's goal is to support collaboration for a more sustainable, open, and democratic use of the ocean.
“It’s very inspiring that Mistra chooses to prioritise collaboration as an important tool for sustainability,” says Torsten Linders at the Department of Marine Sciences, University of Gothenburg, and programme manager for Co-Creating Better Blue.
Sustainable Blue Economy
The Blue Economy includes a wide range of ocean activities, such as fishing, aquaculture, tourism, fish farming, energy, and transportation. A Sustainable Blue Economy means that all these activities are carried out in a sustainable way. Therefore, new forms of collaboration need to be built between stakeholders and actors.
“The ocean faces many challenges, but the most important need is the control and management of an ocean in which an increasingly number of people have an interest, while the marine ecosystems are becoming increasingly fragile. We believe that the ocean can be used for many things and by many, but that also requires that they become involved and are given the opportunity to take responsibility,” says Torsten Linders.
Brings together 38 actors from research to industry
The research programme "Co-Creating Better Blue" gathers a very large number of marine actors from all parts of society: 13 research organisations and 25 actors from industry, authorities, and civil society. The programme will work in three thematic pillars: Science; Technology; and Governance and Management.
“The most exciting part will probably be our three LivingLabs: One in the Gulf of Bothnia, one in the Baltic Proper, and one in the North Sea. LivingLabs has become an increasingly established method for conducting experiments and testing innovations in a real environment together with actors and stakeholders,” says Torsten Linders.
“I am happy that we have gathered such a fantastic group, and not least our visiting professor in marine citizen science, Uta Wehn, who has been absolutely essential for designing the programme. She will become the scientific director for Co-Creating Better Blue. Now a lot is going to happen, but we are doing it together and that feels good. Together we will make the blue economy more sustainable, open, and democratic,” says Torsten Linders.
Link to Mistra's press release (in Swedish).
The University of Gothenburg becomes the coordinator of the research programme Co-Creating Better Blue (C2B2). The program receives 50 million SEK from Mistra distributed over four years. In addition, the programme receives an additional 4 million in co-financing from the Västra Götaland region, and 8 million from other actors.
The Swedish Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research (Mistra) supports research of strategic importance for a good living environment and sustainable development.
The purpose of Mistra's programme "A sustainable blue economy for Sweden" is to support the transition to a sustainable blue economy that will improve environmental conditions and increase resilience in ocean areas of relevance to Sweden. The goal is to steer away from strategies for individual sectors, and develop an overall perspective for Sweden's blue economy.