On 3rd May took place in Pavilhão do Conhecimento in Lisbon and online, the event that joined the Environment Programme and the Blue Growth Programme aiming at sharing synergies and promoting the EEA Grants financed projects in the themes of circular economy and marine litter reduction.
About 120 participants were present at the event, organized by the Secretary General of the Environment (SGA), operator of the Environment Programme, and the Directorate General for Maritime Policy (DGPM), operator of the Blue Growth Programme.
The welcome session had the presence of the Norwegian Ambassador to Portugal, Tove Bruvik Westberg, the Secretary of State for the Sea, José Maria Costa, and Secretary of State for the Environment and Energy, João Galamba, whose messages reinforced the commitment with sustainability and the application of circular economy principles aligned with the United Nation Sustainable Development Goals.
The session continued with The Synergies between Programmes panel, that had the participation of Susana Ramos, Head of the National Focal Point, Magnar Ødelien, from Innovation Norway, partner of the Programmes, followed by the presentation of the Programme Operators. Conceição Santos, Deputy Director General for Maritime Policy, from Blue Growth Programme, reinforced the importance of the Programme for the sustainable development of the sea economy highlighting the impact that the funded projects will have both on the removal of marine litter and in preventing that waste reaches the sea by integrating it into the circular economy. Alexandra Carvalho, Secretary-General of the Environment, from Environment Programme, emphasized that the main contribution of these synergies is the efficiency of for a transition to circular economy, with the Environment Programme promoting public awareness for the prevention of marine litter.
During the pitches session, that took place in the morning, 13 projects were presented whose diversity was notorious, but all with the same goal of promoting the circular economy and reducing marine litter.
The afternoon session included the promotion of Bilateral Meetings (b2b) where the Promoters had the opportunity to demonstrate the stage of development of their projects and respective results as well as enhance future partnerships and ended with a together wrap up with the Blue Growth Programme Coordinator, Sandra Silva, and the Environment Programme Coordinator, Susana Escária.
Watch the video of the session.