Prep4BLUE

In 2019, the European Commission presented its 'Green Deal': a series of policy initiatives to make Europe climate-neutral by 2050. The EU mission 'Restore Our Oceans & Waters' was created to achieve the marine and freshwater  objectives of this Green Deal. The mission also fits in with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.

The blue economy plays an important role in this strategy, and the mission is expected to have produced tangible results by 2030. In a first phase, the focus is on reconnecting society with water-related ecosystems. Within this scope, the Horizon 2020 project Prep4Blue has been launched.

Prep4Blue is aimed at sketching the outlines in terms of research and innovation required to achieve the objectives of the mission and facilitate the first phase. The results of Prep4Blue will be used to enhance the mission ‘beacons’.

The project utilises 6 objectives:

• align all European, national and regional initiatives to achieve the objectives of the mission;
• develop guidelines on targeted communication strategies, involving local residents and stakeholders;
• ensure active citizen participation and knowledge management, and determine how solutions and users can be connected;
• provide economic and regulatory support to the facilitative framework (ensuring public and private investments),
• develop measures and models for stakeholder participation and co-development; and
• implement the scale-up of innovative solutions to achieve the mission’s objectives.