The Organizers are pleased to announce that the 5th GEO Blue Planet Symposium is slated to be held from October 24th- 28th in Accra, Ghana. These symposiums are designed to increase regional linkages, promote linkages between stakeholders and the observing community and gather community feedback on the focus of GEO Blue Planet activities. This year’s Symposium is Co-organised by the GEO Blue Planet Secretariat (Mercator Ocean International, NOAA and the University of Maryland) and the AIR Centre, and will be hosted by the University of Ghana (UG) and University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) in Ghana.Â
This year’s symposium, themed Local Action in Support of Global Traction, is specifically geared towards improving GEO Blue Planet’s engagement with African nations in an effort to expand the EO community of practice, strengthen local capacity and provide access to resources, tools and services.
The symposium will feature plenary sessions centered around the GEO Blue Planet Core Action Areas of Stakeholder Engagement, Cooperation and Co-design and Capacity Development. It will also feature Ocean and Coastal Observations tutorials, thematic workshops and a highly interactive symposium forum.
GEO Blue Planet Symposium Forum
Summary
The Symposium Forum is designed to be a platform for interactive dialogue among various members of the Ocean and Coastal Observations value chain. One of the main objectives of the Symposium Forum is to promote lively engagement between scientists/researchers, data providers, and end users to promote synergistic strategies for societal benefit. The Forum will be structured in a manner which supports value chain dialogue related to ocean and coastal issues pertinent to the African region. In keeping with the format of the 5th GEO Blue Planet Symposium, value chain representatives will be classified based on the themes of Fisheries, Coastal Erosion and Ecosystem Conservation. Value chain representatives are invited to participate in the Forum by populating respective thematic booths.
Objectives
- To provide an interactive platform for engagement among members of the Ocean and Coastal Observations value chain.
- To support engagement between local stakeholders and the private sector to encourage the development of local/regional opportunities.
- To discuss the role of Ocean and Coastal Observations in addressing issues pertinent to coastal and marine resources in the African region.
Target Audience
The Symposium Forum will be open for engagement during pre-determined sessions from Monday, October 24th to Wednesday, October 26th and should appeal to the general audience of the symposium. Forum attendees may include high-level representatives from international agencies, representatives from regional organizations, research scientists, local stakeholders, policy makers, students etc.
Call for Forum ParticipantsÂ
Students, Researchers and Subject Matter Experts
In these thematic booths, we welcome students, researchers and subject matter experts who have conducted research related to fisheries, coastal erosion or ecosystem conservation in the context of Ocean and Coastal Observations. Representatives from this segment of the Ocean and Coastal Observation value chain are invited to share research findings with Symposium attendees and value chain representatives via posters or oral presentations. Please note that students/scientists/subject matter experts interested in participating in the Symposium Forum are required to submit an abstract summarizing their research and explaining its relevance to the Symposium.
Ocean and Coastal Observation Data Providers
We also welcome representatives from Earth Observation affiliated organizations to serve as participants in these thematic booths. This includes representatives from agencies/organizations that utilize remote and in-situ monitoring to collect data on parameters related to marine and coastal resources (e.g., ESRI, GMES & Africa, NASA, Copernicus Marine Service, SANSA etc.). Participants can be expected to engage with conference attendees and other members of the value chain about how ocean and coastal data are remotely collected, processed and translated to develop the tools and services that address needs related to specific themes. Representatives from this segment of the Ocean and Coastal Observation value chain are also invited to provide live demonstrations of specific EO tools which have been developed to meet the needs of end-users in fisheries, coastal erosion or ecosystem conservation (e.g., NOAA/NESDIS/STAR OC View tool that can be used in detecting HABs). Earth Observation organization representatives interested in participating in the Symposium Forum are required to submit a summary of their proposed contribution detailing potential discussion objectives, proposed product tool demonstrations and desired outcomes.
Sectoral Stakeholders and End-Users
Representatives from the end-user segment of the Ocean and Coastal Observation value chain are also invited to serve as participants in the thematic booths. Local, regional and international stakeholders who have utilized Ocean and Coastal Observation tools related to fisheries, coastal erosion or ecosystem conservation are invited to engage with conference attendees and other members of the value chain to provide insight into the real-world application of these tools. End-users who have utilized these products are invited to demonstrate the value that these products and tools provided to their local communities, countries or regions (e.g., EO based SMS fisheries warning system used in Ghana). End-user representatives are also invited to provide insight to other members of the value chain regarding data needs and gaps in information related to fisheries, coastal erosion or ecosystem conservation that can potentially be addressed using Ocean and Coastal Observations. Sectoral end-users interested in participating in the Symposium Forum are required to submit a summary of their proposed contribution outlining their interest in using Ocean and Coastal Observations to address issues related to fisheries, coastal erosion and ecosystem conservation. End-users who have utilized Ocean and Coastal Observation tools to address issues related to the themes mentioned above are asked to provide an overview of the product and its application in their local communities, countries or regions.
Submitting an Expression of InterestÂ
If you would like to submit an expression of interest to participate in the GEO Blue Planet Symposium forum, please use the following tab.
Please note that participants who plan to submit an abstract/contribution summary are expected to complete this by July 29th 2022. Applications for forum participants will be accepted and selected on a rolling basis as booth slots are filled.
GEO Blue Planet Symposium Sponsors will also be providing need-based grants to cover the cost of travel and accommodation to facilitate in-person participation at this year’s symposium. If you require additional information, please visit the GEO Blue Planet Symposium website or contact GEO Blue Planet via email at info@geoblueplanet.org.
If you would like to submit an expression of interest, please follow this link.