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Understanding Oceans and Climate interactions: Perspective from European Research

Understanding Oceans and Climate interactions: Perspective from European Research. European Commission Research & Innovation FP7 - Cooperation - Environment Paola Agostini and Luca Perez. Oceans Day, COP17 - Durban, 03 December 2011. Outline.

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Understanding Oceans and Climate interactions: Perspective from European Research

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  1. Understanding Oceans and Climate interactions: Perspective from European Research European Commission Research & Innovation FP7 - Cooperation - Environment Paola Agostini and Luca Perez Oceans Day, COP17 - Durban, 03 December 2011

  2. Outline • The Framework Programme (FP7): Europe’s RegionalProgramme for Research • Marine environment and climate change research in EU • Key projects • Future directions

  3. EU 7th Framework Programme This is the EU 's main instrument for funding research in Europe and one of the largest in the world (EU 27 Members states and 14 associated countries) It runs from 2007 to 2013.FP7 is also designed to respond to Europe’s employment needs and competitiveness.FP7 supports research in selected priority areas, including climate change The overall FP7 budget is € 50.5 billion.Approximately 15 to 20% of this budget has been allocated to climate-related research, andit is estimated* that about 75% of the research activities address sustainable development issues. *www.fp7-4-sd.eu

  4. The Framework Programme: How it works • Implemented through annual calls for proposals • Grants awarded on competitive basis • Participation open to research actors anywhere in the world • Funding possibilities developing countries and transition economies similar to those of EU/Associated countries

  5. FP7 Funding Opportunities: Cooperation Capacities People Ideas Contributions to Non-Annex I participants in collaborative projects (Climate Change Activities 2007-2010, not necessarely related to Oceans)

  6. Picture from Ocean Motion, NASA Role of ocean in regulating climate Ocean plays an important role in interaction with the atmosphere • It stores most of the sun energy • It transport heat around the globe, pumping warm water and air toward the poles, and cold water and air back to the tropics • It regulates wind and precipitation patterns, such as cloud formation (evaporation), cloud movement (wind) and rain/snow formation (condensation) • It controls freezing and thawing in polar regions through the sea ice formation/shrink • It acts as a reservoir of carbon, soaking up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere

  7. Marine environment and climate change research in EU FP7 research on marine environment and impacts by climate change has focused on 2 main issues: • Studying the different impacts by climate change on the marine environment, and assessing and managing marine ecosystems (eg. CLAMER, THOR, Ice2sea, ATP, EURO-BASIN, CoralFISH, SECOA, PEGASO projects) • Ocean acidification (eg. EPOCA, MedSeA, MEECE projects)

  8. Research areas and priorities Research has been conducted to identify and study: Climate change impacts on oceans Ocean acidification • - different impacts on marine environment (sea level rise, temperature increase, ice melting, thermohaline circulation changes, stratification changes, species migration, socio-economic consequences on economic sectors like fisheries and tourism, etc) • at different geographic areas: Arctic Ocean, North Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea • by integrating environmental and socio-economic aspects • by providing tools and methodologies for an holistic assessment and management of marine and coastal areas • - changes in ocean chemistry and biogeography • biological and ecological responses (ex. impact of acidification on pteropods and cold water corals, sea urchins or blue mussels) by large scale mesocosm experiments • projecting future ocean acidification and its consequences

  9. Understanding climate change impacts on oceans • CLAMER (2010-2011) – Climate change and European marine ecosystem research • ACHIEVEMENTS • Inventory and review of over 60 EU-funded projects, definition of gaps and challenges for next marine research • filling the gap between science, policy and general public with better communication strategies (websites, blogs, documentaries, public events) • EU-wide survey about public perception: • * public isconcerned about climate change impacts • * many believe climate change is at least partly caused by humans • * public supports more personal mitigation measures than adaptation, and also EU and national policies

  10. Assessing and managing oceans and coastal areas in a holistic way • CoralFISH (2008-2012) – Interaction between corals, fish and fisheries • To implement an ecosystem-based management approach in the deep sea • To better understand coral fish carrying capacity, by producing habitat suitability maps, including climate change factors • ECO2 (2011-2015) – Sub-seabed CO2 Storage: Impact on Marine Ecosystems • To assess the likelihood of leakage and impact of leakage on marine ecosystems • To assess the risks of sub-seabed carbon storage • EURO-BASIN (2011-2014)– • EU Basin-scale analysis, synthesis and Integration • To advance understanding on the variability, potential impacts, and feedbacks of global change and anthropogenic forcing on the North Atlantic ecosystems • to analyse key species influencing carbon sequestering and ecosystem functioning • PEGASO (2010-2013) – Assessing sustainable development of ocean and coast • To develop a methodology for the vulnerability and risk assessment in coastal zones with regard to climate change • To provide guidelines for adaptation and mitigation strategies

  11. Arctic Ocean research • Preservation of this key region in unison with its peoples • Subject to massive and rapid environmental changes in temperature and sea-ice coverage THOR (2009-2013) Studies the variability of the Overturning Circulation in order to forecast the development of this circulation under global warming First results The project’s observation platforms have revealed a strong warming of the deep ocean (up to 0.5° C/decade) but the strength of the circulation is very stable and does not (yet) show a response to global warming. Ice2sea (2010-2015) It will improve global sea-level rise projections on the basis of up-to-date climate projections. It will reduce the uncertainty in the contribution to sea-level rise from loss of continental glaciers and ice-sheets. Significance This analysis will improve understanding of the sources of uncertainty and provide increased clarity as to future research needs

  12. Ocean acidification • EPOCA(2008-2012) - European Project on OCean Acidification • ocean acidification can be measured • ocean acidity has increased by 30% in the past 200 years and could increase of another 100% by 2100 • the current speed at which the ocean is acidifying today is 10 times faster than ever in the last 65 million years • 10% of Arctic surface waters will become corrosive to some forms of calcium carbonate in less than 10 years and half will become corrosive by mid-century • MedSeA (2011-2013) – Mediterranean Sea Acidification in a changing climate • Identify where the impacts of acidification on Mediterranean waters will be more significant • Generate new observational and experimental data on Mediterranean organisms and ecosystem • Provide best estimates and related uncertainties of future changes in Mediterranean Sea • MEECE (2008-2012) – Marine ecosystem evolution in a changing environment • Improve the knowledge base on marine ecosystemsand the way they are impacted • Provide input for the development of innovative tools and strategies for the rebuilding degraded marine ecosystems, • Improve knowledge base for protection and management scenarios to reconciling the interests of the many economic groups

  13. Future activities Work Programme 2013 Horizon 2020 (years 2014-2020) • Currently under discussion the inclusion of a wide topic on ocean environment and climate change impacts • A single framework programme merging research and innovation • A simple structure based on three pillars: • Excellent science base • Industrial leadership & competitive frameworks • Tackling societal challenges (also Climate change) • An overall proposed budget of 80 billion €, with an engagement of allocation of at least 35% of this budget to climate-related actions • Adopted by the Commission on 30 November 2011

  14. Further information • www.ec.europa.eu/research: EU’s Research Portal • www.ec.europa.eu/research/fp7: General information on FP7 • www.cordis.europa.eu/fp7: • Specific information on FP7 programmes, projects and calls • Details of organisations in your country/region with previous experience in FP projects: • Find a partner • National Contact Points • International Cooperation Network (INCO-NETs) in your region • http://ec.europa.eu/research/inco for updates of particular collaborative opportunities in 2012 for third countries and regions. Paola.agostini@ec.europa.euluca.perez@ec.europa.eu

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