Europe’s marine research community gathers in Kiel

The European Marine Board (EMB) held its autumn plenary meeting at GEOMAR. The meeting provided delegates and the EMB Secretariat with the opportunity to discuss ongoing activities, report on progress and further develop strategic issues for European marine research. For GEOMAR, hosting the meeting was also an opportunity to showcase current research priorities and infrastructure at its Kiel campus. 

A strong voice for marine research in Europe

“The European Marine Board provides a strong voice for marine research in European science policy. It brings together the expertise of its member institutions and is a valued advisory partner to the European Commission. We are delighted to support the work of the EMB and its secretariat by hosting the autumn plenary meeting at GEOMAR,” said GEOMAR Director Professor Dr Katja Matthes.

The first day of the meeting focused on internal matters, including potential future topics for EMB working groups. The second day was devoted to scientific activities, such as the working groups on biomolecular approaches, subsea cables, digital twins for coastal and Arctic regions, and ocean observation. Other topics included EU projects, the EMB Young Ambassador Programme, contributions to the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, the EU mission ‘Restore our Ocean and Waters’, and the EMB’s involvement in the European Ocean Pact.

Focus on ocean observation and security

The session ‘Ocean Observation and Security’, opened by Katja Matthes, addressed a topic of growing importance for research, technological development and political decision-making processes. Speaking on behalf of GEOMAR, Torsten Frey discussed munitions in the sea, and Everardo Gonzalez spoke about the MOLA underwater sensor platform. Marie Becker moderated a discussion on security-related interfaces in research. Iglika Yakova from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries provided an overview of ocean observation, security and dual-use from a European perspective. 

Background: The European Marine Board

The European Marine Board (EMB) is a European network of marine research institutions, research funding organisations and universities. It strengthens the voice of marine research in Europe by pooling expertise from its member institutions, developing strategic recommendations and providing scientific evidence to inform policy-making. To this end, the EMB publishes position papers, organises thematic working groups and promotes dialogue between the scientific community, European institutions and other stakeholders. The EMB’s secretariat is based in Ostend, Belgium.