Project

SEAwise is a dynamic research programme aimed at understanding the current state-of-play of fisheries management across Europe, and facilitating the widespread implementation of Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) in the region. Through a targeted research programme, and in close collaboration with our stakeholder network, we will work to develop a fully operational, synthesised management advice tool that highlights the benefits – or potential trade-offs – of fisheries management decisions. To do this, SEAwise will work to identify and address the key challenges currently inhibiting EBFM.

SEAwise is funded by the EU's Horizon 2020 programme.

The COST Action “Rethinking the Blue Economy: Socio-ecological impacts and opportunities” (RethinkBlue) centres around the Blue Economy and related policies affecting European societies. After the term was introduced at the UN Rio+20 conference, the paradigm was adopted by various actors across Europe and beyond. In the EU, the Blue Economy paradigm involves regional and national political-economic priorities, new legislative and governance frameworks, and EU and national financial support for sectors of the marine economy. However, the impact of these policies on coastal populations are not yet well-understood. Accelerating globalisation, technological developments and the impact of climate change pose additional challenges.

The purpose of this Action is to rethink the Blue Economy, in two ways. First, by assessing its impact on coastal societies, and second, by exploring opportunities deriving from innovations and potential synergies between established and emergent marine activities. The guiding research questions are:

1. What are the impacts, positive or negative, of Blue Economy developments on human well-being, social equity and the economic and environmental sustainability of coastal societies?
2. What are potential opportunities for innovations and synergies between sectors?

Scientific interactions focus on five themes: (1) maritime occupations, (2) food security & sustainable blue consumption, (3) port cities & coastal communities, (4) fisheries governance & emergent activities, (5) climate change & natural hazards. Knowledge exchange and capacity building among researchers and stakeholders of the Blue Economy will be facilitated through meetings, research workshops, an online seminar series, training schools, and conferences.

Action keywords: Blue Economy - Maritime governance and policy - Socio-economic transformations - Social, economic and environmental sustainability - Coastal societies

When it comes to climate change, it will become more frequent and stronger every year. Cities and rural areas on both sides of the border need to adapt to both more rain and rising sea levels on our coasts, but also to the fact that rain may not occur for longer periods, resulting in a high drought index.

ClimatePol's focus is to make us more aware of existing structures and create alliances and cooperation across the border, so that we engage both cities, regions and all other actors who can contribute to climate adaptation measures at all levels and across the border.

The project is funded by Interreg Deutschland-Denmark and the European Union and runs from 2024-2027.

The region of Southern Denmark has had a long historical tradition for a strong involvement in the maritime sector, but the region has for the last 50 years been especially known for its deep involvement in the offshore sector, with Esbjerg as a key location in Northern Europe. The sector is now well-established and continues to grow, currently undertaking a radical transformation. This development is influenced by different factors, including an increase in offshore oil and gas decommissioning, as well as the rapidly growing offshore wind farms and plans for building large energy islands. These islands will serve as electro fuel production and bunkering facilities but will also become hubs that facilitate better connections between the energy generated from offshore wind constructions and the zero emission energy systems ashore. These developments all lead to important challenges and opportunities for the maritime sector. For instance, a strong focus on the maritime offshore sector is essential to realize the plans for developing the energy offshore sector and the connected goals for costs, efficiency, sustainability, performance etc. in all stages of the life cycle, from design, construction, operation, and maintenance to the final decommissioning. The maritime offshore activities will therefore be essential for reaching the United Nations (UN) 2030 and 2050 climate targets. The idea of the project is to investigate multiple aspects of this transition.
The project portfolio consists of six interconnected work packages (WP 1-6) that serve as part of a holistic collaboration platform that will significantly energize the maritime research at SDU. The topics are interdisci-plinary and cover a wide range of maritime disciplines, such as:

• Sustainability, safety, and risks
• Energy efficiency, maintenance, propulsion technologies and fuels
• Business history
• Business and Logistics
• Regulation
• Human factors, health, socio-economic issues
• Naval architecture and maritime operations

All work packages, though separate in their research focus, are interconnected and important to the project, as the breadth and interdisciplinarity of the initiative is what makes it unique in a Danish context.

SDU Maritime research platform is an interdisciplinary research platform with researcher from four different faculties at SDU (Health, Humanities, Social Science and Engineering). The work is related to research in the maritime part of the offshore sector. The topics cover a wide range of disciplines as e.g., sustainability, safety, risk, human factors, history, logistics, business, regulation, naval architecture, energy, and maritime operations.