PLOTO has joined the EU Mission: Restore our Ocean and Waters family of charter signatories!
EU Missions are Horizon Europe innovative way of bringing concrete solutions to some of the greatest challenges of our time with ambitious 2030 targets, spanning from cancer to climate resilience. The EU Mission: Restore our Ocean and Waters aims to protect and restore the health of our Ocean and Waters through research and innovation, citizen engagement and blue investments.
By signing the mission Charter PLOTO’s consortium has pledged to contribute to reaching the mission objectives. These are:
- Protect and restore marine and freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity, in line with the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030
- Protect a minimum of 30% of the EU’s sea area and integrate ecological corridors, as part of a true Trans-European Nature Network.
- Strictly protect at least 10% of the EU’s sea area.
- Restore at least 25,000 km of free-flowing rivers.
- Contribute to relevant upcoming marine nature restoration targets, including degraded seabed habitats and coastal ecosystems.
- Prevent and eliminate pollution of our ocean, seas and waters, in line with the EU Action Plan Towards Zero Pollution for Air, Water and Soil
- Reduce by at least 50% plastic litter at sea.
- Reduce by at least 30% microplastics released into the environment.
- Reduce by at least 50% nutrient losses, the use and risk of chemical pesticides.
- Make the sustainable blue economy carbon-neutral and circular, in line with the proposed European Climate Law and the holistic vision enshrined in the Sustainable Blue Economy Strategy
- Eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from maritime economic activities in the EU and sequester those emissions that cannot be avoided (net zero maritime emissions).
- Develop zero-carbon and low-impact aquaculture, and promote circular, low-carbon multi-purpose use of marine and water space.
PLOTO contributes to the mission supporting one of its enablers, namely its Ocean and Water Knowledge System. The goal of this system is to better monitor, forecast, valuate the health and manage the aquatic system as a whole. It will build on and scale up existing and planned European infrastructures and services towards the implementation of the mission’s targets.
What does it mean, practically?
By endorsing the Charter, PLOTO commits to
- support the EU Ocean knowledge system and respect of FAIR principle in relation to knowledge and data;
- involve citizens in the decision-making process;
- stimulate investments from public and private sources;
- share knowledge and experience and collaborate with other Mission actors;
- take stock of the collective progress of achieving the Mission objectives and contribute to adjusting its course and steer its actions.
Want to know more about the mission?
You can visit the mission portal here, or you can visit this page to learn more about the Mission Actions or about other Charter Signatories.