Ladies and gentlemen, colleagues and partners,
It is a pleasure to welcome you, together with Commissioner Tzitzikostas, to the launch of the second edition of the European Maritime Transport Environmental Report, even if I cant be with you in person.
I would like to congratulate the European Maritime Safety Agency and the European Environment Agency for organizing this event. The report provides a valuable overview of the environmental impacts of the maritime transport sector in the EU, including greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, underwater noise, biodiversity, pollution, and marine litter. It contributes to the health of our oceans and helps shape our policies based on sustainable development.
The health of our oceans is essential for the wellbeing of humanity. They supply half of the oxygen we breathe and support millions of livelihoods.
This is why we will soon launch a new initiative: the European Ocean Pact. This pact will offer a comprehensive approach to all ocean-related policy areas with three strategic objectives:
- To ensure a healthy and productive ocean by protecting biodiversity;
- To boost the EUs sustainable blue economy and resilient coastal communities;
- To enhance research and innovation and improve the EUs marine knowledge framework.
I invite you all to contribute to this initiative. Participate in the extensive consultation process and share your views. Join us for the structured Ocean dialogues, for example, during the European Ocean Days in early March in Brussels.
Regarding the blue economy, to make it efficient, we need to utilize the EUs competitive advantages and better organize our activities and protect our coastline. The EU has many tools, including funding, to support member states, communities, and businesses.
A few examples include the EU Maritime Spatial Planning Directive, which allows member states to plan strategically and support our climate efforts and the goals of the European Green Deal.
Research, innovation, and skills are crucial for blue economy growth and to boost the EUs competitiveness. We need a cleaner maritime industry, which my colleague Commissioner Tzitzikostas is working on.
We must invest in research and development and emerging technologies, such as ocean energy and marine biotechnology. Our EU Mission to Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030 and the new EU Ocean Research and Innovation Strategy can help.
To promote the utilization of research results and their translation into innovation, our BlueInvest initiative, supported by the European Investment Bank, has been instrumental. It has helped hundreds of young ocean technology companies turn their ideas into marketable products and services and find investors to support their growth.
Dear friends,
Policy making is more effective when it is based on valid scientific information and sound documentation. The launch of the second edition of the European Maritime Transport Environmental Report substantially contributes to this. We assure you that the report will be adequately utilized.
I would like to once again congratulate the organizers of this event and wish you all productive exchanges today.