The Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands (PLOCAN) took part in the EuroGEO European workshop on the marine and coastal environment, held in Geneva and bringing together European and international initiatives working to turn marine and coastal data into useful information for sustainable management and decision-making.
PLOCAN’s involvement was channelled through the BlueActionAA project, selected from more than 200 initiatives for its potential to improve the use of ocean data. The workshop examined the main challenges in transforming marine observation into practical information to support public policy and the sustainable management of the marine environment.
The discussions highlighted several challenges. One of the main ones is the gap that still exists between the data being generated and its actual use in policies and decisions — an issue flagged as a priority by nearly 60% of participants. Others included the need to better understand the demands of decision-makers, the lack of common criteria for sharing data, and the difficulty of translating scientific results into everyday management and wider society.
In this context, PLOCAN’s contribution reinforces its role as a bridge between science, technology and society. Its involvement included presenting the BlueActionAA project and working alongside other initiatives to identify priorities and improve the way marine observation systems are used.
The workshop also helped strengthen collaboration with European and international initiatives such as GEO Blue Planet and AquaWatch, and opened up opportunities for future cooperation with global ocean assessment processes, as well as with international scientific events planned for 2027.
This activity is particularly relevant to the development of BlueActionAA, whose operational launch is scheduled for late 2026. The lessons learned at the workshop will help guide its next phases of work, mentoring and technical support.
PLOCAN’s participation in this forum reinforces its role in European blue innovation and its contribution to putting ocean knowledge to more direct use for society.
