Preventing oil and plastics contamination of ocean regions of the North
POPCORN
Funders
Project information
Project duration
-
Funded by
European Structural and Investment Funds - INTERREG
Project funder
Project coordinator
University of Oulu
Unit and faculty
Contact information
Project leader
- Professor
Contact person
Project description
The ocean regions of the North face various environmental hazards in the 21st century. Since pollution does not recognise state borders, international cooperation is needed to tackle these threats for marine environment. However, sometimes you don't have to invent the wheel again or start from scratch, in order to gear up for these challenges. Many projects have already produced solutions, best practices, methods and tools, how marine pollution can be prevented in the first place, or how it can be addressed, if it takes places. POPCORN as a clustering project disseminates outcomes from four projects dealing with plastic pollution and oil spills - APP4SEA, OIL SPILL, Circular Ocean and Blue Circular Economy - to new audiences in new regions.
Project actions
POPCORN's activities target both experts working with maritime pollution as well as general public. The project will organise webinars, seminars and other events to reach out authorities, environmental experts and other organisations, and introduce them to the best practices, methods and tools, which have been developed in previously implemented projects. With the help of these, the experts are better equipped to prevent maritime pollution from happening, or if takes place, utilise best methods to minimise their environmental impact.
The projects have empowered the experts with latest methods and tools, but they have also reached out to the general audience in order to raise awareness among them about maritime pollution. Different kind of approaches have been utilised in this, as well as different sets of means, and POPCORN will share these with new audiences. Increasing knowledge in northern communities about oil spills and plastic maritime pollution is reached by attending public events, producing publications, infographs and podcasts, which will be widely circulated. This POPCORN publication tells more about the different projects and other marine pollution related issues.
One way, how POPCORN serves both target groups and beneficiaries of the project, is by developing and updating the APP4SEA Smart map. This platform, which includes comprehensive information about existing oil and gas extraction sites, shipping activity, preparedness capacity, weather data that affects oil spill response and environment, will be expanded to cover new areas, both in terms of geography and contents. The map can be accessed at www.app4sea.com. POPCORN's official homepage is located at www.popcorn.interreg-npa.eu.
