Life Below Water

Sustainable management of activities that impact on oceans and seas provides opportunities for diversification for Aclima partners. The oceans provide critical natural resources such as food, medicines, biofuels and other products, so mismanagement of the marine environment causes us to lose these reserves. In addition, the oceans contribute to molecular decomposition and the disposal of waste and pollution, although, in this respect, the increasing levels of waste in the oceans are having a major environmental and economic impact. On the other hand, coastal ecosystems act as buffers to reduce storm damage and are a great place for tourism and recreational activities. Maintaining the health of the oceans and their coasts helps in efforts to adapt to climate change and mitigate its effects.

Based on the context, both the blue economy and the protection of aquatic diversity (and in particular coastal zones), allow for the exploration of new environmental activities around the management of marine resources. The term blue economy encompasses all economic activities related to the oceans, seas and coasts, encompassing the sustainable reconversion of traditional sectors, e.g. fisheries, as well as the development of new emerging activities that represent important opportunities for innovation around the sustainability of maritime transport and port activities, fisheries and aquaculture, coastal tourism, renewable energies or resource extraction among others. On the other hand, the reduction of marine pollution and the protection of aquatic diversity allows the transfer of knowledge acquired in the reduction of pollution and the protection of terrestrial biodiversity to the field of seas and oceans.