Climate Change Impacts on Marine Ecosystems: Research Results & Public Perception

CLAMER is a European Union 7th Framework Programme project Climate Change and Marine Ecosystem Research, involving 17 marine research institutes and universities from 11 European countries covering all regional seas. The project builds upon the concept that there is a gap between what is known through research and what policy makers and the public know and understand about the effects of climate change on the oceans; this gap needs to be filled to help catalyse formulation and acceptance of the necessary mitigation and adaptation measures for the marine environment. Therefore, CLAMER will compile and summarize all existing scientific material & outreach products on this topic and carry out a pan-European poll to investigate the awareness/perception in various European coastal regions.

Plural CLAMER outreach activities aim to raise the awareness of European citizens and society at large to the effects of climate change on the marine environment and its socio-economic consequences. In the build-up to an international conference in Brussels, European marine institutes and aquaria are invited to participate in 'marine climate change' side-events in the summer of 2011.

• To assess and summarize state-of-the art knowledge of research results and public perception of EU research climate change impacts on the marine environment, including the socio-economic consequences;
• To organize an international conference to promote and exploit EU research results related to climate change impacts on the marine environment and address public perception;
• To organize outreach events and activities to obtain wide and balanced information and participation from affected European countries and beyond.

The project is coordinated by the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ).