Welcome to the 2023 Implementation Report of the Atlantic Action Plan 2.0 (AAP 2.0)!
In 2023, the revised Atlantic Action Plan (AAP 2.0) completed three years of implementation, and it’s time to take stock of the achievements made so far regarding its objectives, namely, to unlock the potential of sustainable blue economy in the Atlantic area while preserving marine ecosystems and contributing to climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Read this REPORT and find in detail all the achievements of 2023!
During the past year, the Portuguese Presidency intended to promote the discussion about the achievements of the AAP 2.0 and blue economy challenges in the Atlantic Sea Basin. Special focus was given to enlarge this debate to all stakeholders, including national, regional and local authorities, economic and social actors, civil society, academia and non-governmental organisations. One of the main goals of this year’s Portuguese Presidency was to organise a Ministerial Meeting with the members of government responsible for Maritime Affairs of the Atlantic Strategy Members States and the European Commission resulting in a joint Ministerial Declaration.
The AAP 2.0 brought along novel features such as the four thematic pillars and related Task Forces, each led by a Pillar Coordinator. The Presidency closely followed up the work of the Pillars, bearing in mind that the development of a Sustainable Blue Economy in the Atlantic Sea Basin lies at the heart of the AAP 2.0, i.e., combining sustainable transformation with a high job creation potential in the Atlantic coastal communities. Another goal was related to the international dimension of the AAP 2.0, especially since the Research and Innovation (R&I) activities implemented as part of the Galway and Belém Statements and the All-Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance cut across all Pillars.
The Portuguese Presidency agrees that only a “better understanding of the changing Atlantic Ocean and its effects on coastal communities can provide innovative solutions”. Therefore, further deepening the international dimension of the AAP 2.0 was one of the major goals of the Portuguese Presidency, as it intended to bring new stakeholders from different geographies to share their experience and best practices.