Scaling Atlantic & Arctic ocean restoration at European Ocean Days 2026

Project Description

BlueActionAA will participate in the European Ocean Days, taking place March 3-6 in Brussels, with confirmed representation in key sessions focused on community empowerment and Mission Ocean progress tracking.

The European Ocean Days brings together stakeholders from across Europe and beyond to advance the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030,” providing a critical platform for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and strategic planning.

Ahead of the European Ocean Days, BlueActionAA will hold its General Assembly on March 3, bringing together consortium partners to align on implementation strategies and upcoming activities.

On March 4 (9:30-12:30 CET), Project Coordinator Niall McDonough from the Marine Institute will represent BlueActionAA at the session “Together for Change: A Coalition to Empower Communities for Mission Ocean and Waters.” Co-organized by CO-WATERS, this session will unite all four Lighthouses Sister Projects – BlueActionAA, BlueActionBanos, TASC-RestoreMed, and SoS2LearnDBS – to share insights and chart the path forward.

The session is structured around three key components: the EU vision for oceans and waters, current status and learnings from ongoing and past activities, and future outlook for scaling up community-led action. The event will also introduce the Coalition of waterfront cities, ports, regions, and islands as a driving force for Mission implementation, celebrating the growing community supporting Mission Ocean and Waters.

Valerie de Liedekerke from the AIR Centre, leading BlueActionAA’s Work Package 7, will also participate in the panel “From Actions to Impact: Tracking the Mission’s Progress.” The workshop will discuss available monitoring frameworks and assessments of Mission Ocean and Waters activities at project, lighthouse, and EU levels. Discussions will address the Mission’s deployment phase and explore funding instruments under the new Multiannual Financial Framework, including the European Competitiveness Fund and National and Regional Partnership Plans, as well as national and private investments.

These confirmed sessions represent BlueActionAA’s first official presence at the European Ocean Days, positioning the project within the broader Mission Ocean ecosystem and creating opportunities for collaboration, learning, and amplifying the impact of community-led ocean restoration across the Atlantic and Arctic regions.

Further details on BlueActionAA’s participation will be announced as the event approaches.