“Rebuilding our oceans and waters”. – 106 million euros to support EU missions

As part of the EU’s “Rebuilding Our Oceans and Waters” mission, the European Commission has announced 18 new projects that will receive more than €106 million in funding.

More than 370 beneficiaries from 36 countries, including small and medium-sized enterprises, research institutions, local authorities and schools, are participating in the EU’s “Rebuilding Our Oceans and Waters” mission projects. They will play a key role in achieving climate neutrality and restoring nature by protecting and restoring aquatic biodiversity, reducing pollution, supporting a sustainable blue economy and developing Europe’s digital ocean twins. A detailed overview of projects under the EU’s “Rebuilding Our Oceans and Waters” mission is available on the European Commission‘s website.

EU mission “Rebuilding our oceans and waters” – benefits for nature

The new projects, which are being implemented as part of the EU’s “Rebuilding Our Oceans and Waters” mission, are designed to bring a variety of benefits to the oceans and waters, such as:

• solutions for the protection and restoration of degraded coastal and marine habitats;
• Protection and restoration of wetlands, flood plains, coastal wetlands and salt marshes in the Danube Valley;
• Measures to prevent, minimize and clean up chemical pollution in the Mediterranean Sea;
• Bringing sustainable algae-based products and solutions to the Baltic and North Sea markets;
• Preventing and eliminating litter, the presence of plastics and microplastics – innovative solutions for European waste-free rivers;
• Reducing marine waste and pollution by using smart fishing gear with low environmental impact;
• Integrating biodiversity monitoring data into the digital twin ocean;
• Creating an e-library of marine and freshwater species;
• Development of local business models for ocean agriculture.

EU mission “Rebuilding our oceans and waters” – area of action

The mission promotes regional engagement and cooperation through activities targeting specific areas of “zonal river basin zones” in the major sea and river basins: the Atlantic-Arctic, the Mediterranean, the Baltic and North Seas, and the Danube-Black Sea.

EU missions under the Horizon Europe program

The EU missions were established under Horizon Europe for 2021 – 2027 and are a new way to find solutions to some of society’s biggest challenges.

Launched in September 2021. The EU’s “Rebuilding Our Oceans and Waters” mission aims to protect and restore the health of the oceans and waters by 2030. through research and innovation, citizen engagement and investment in the blue economy. The mission treats oceans and waters as one of its priorities on the road to achieving climate neutrality and restoring nature.