Source to Seas – Zero Pollution 2030

Source to Seas - Zero Pollution 2030 (SOS-ZEROPOL2030) is coordinated by MaREI, the SFI Centre for Energy Climate and Marine Research at University College Cork and brings together a consortium from 10 European institutions that form a unique interdisciplinary partnership with expertise in fundamental and applied natural sciences and associated governance concerning marine pollution, in social sciences concerning stakeholder engagement and in human behaviour.

The project received €2.9m in funding from Horizon Europe and has the overall aim to develop a holistic, stakeholder led zero pollution framework over the next four years, ultimately reflecting the EU’s very ambitious policy and legislative framework governing the environmental protection of our seas with focus on the zero environmental pollution agenda.

Marine contamination occurs as a direct result of human activities on both land and in the marine environment and requires our urgent attention as healthy and clean seas are critical for our survival and wellbeing. The implementation of processes and measures to reduce marine pollution will have consequences for numerous economic sectors at multiple scales, framing marine pollution as a considerable global socio-economic challenge that requires active collaboration from multiple stakeholders, across a range of geographic areas.

Stakeholder engagement is central to this project and the holistic research approach championed by SOS-ZEROPOL2030, emphasises human behaviour, socioeconomics, and governance; and is underpinned in knowledge about and understanding of current barriers to effective and efficient prevention, reduction, mitigation, and monitoring of marine pollution in European Seas.

SOS-ZEROPOL2030 is funded by Horizon Europe under their ‘Clean Environment and Zero Pollution’ call and will run from September 2022 – September 2026.

Research partners: University College Cork, Vlaams Instituut Voor De Zee, Wageningen University, Universitat Wien, Sintef Ocean AS, Stichting Wageningen Research, Black Sea NGO Network, Mediterranean Information Office for Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development Association, Stiftelsen Grid Arendal, Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies EV.