The All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance 2026 annual forum starts today in Salvador, Brazil

The European Commission, DG Research and Innovation, and scientists from the EU are participating in the All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance 2026 Annual Forum, showcasing collaboration between the EU and its 12 partner countries in this alliance from around the Atlantic Ocean.

Since its launch at the 2025 Forum in Brussels, the All-Atlantic Network of Coastal Resilience "Beacon Sites" has grown to include 26 sites. This progress was highlighted during a workshop in Salvador which focussed on what this international network can learn from local Brazil sites.

This year, Brazil is the AAORIA Chair and its Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation organised this forum in Salvador, Bahia, with support from OKEANO, a Horizon Europe funded project that coordinates the work of AAORIA to achieve the goals of the All-Atlantic Declaration.

The programme of the forum includes sessions on ocean observation and modelling, ocean literary, sustainable aquaculture, and polar science. The forum also demonstrates that Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs) are an integral part of the All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance (AAORIA). As part of the All-Atlantic Blue Intergenerational Programme, an Intergenerational Hackathon pairs senior scientists and experienced policymakers with teams of ECOPs to design forward-looking solutions to core Atlantic challenges.

Following the Forum, a new EUR 6 million Horizon Europe project will start this summer and will focus on innovative solutions for coastal resilience and climate adaptation to further support the resilience of coastal communities in the Atlantic.

The 2027 All-Atlantic Forum will be held in the UK, who will be the AAORIA Chair for 2027.

Background

The All-Atlantic Ocean Research & Innovation Alliance is an ocean science diplomacy initiative uniting countries across the Atlantic to contribute to the science needed for effective ocean policy, governance, and management at local, regional, and international scales. Guided by the All-Atlantic Declaration, signed in 2022, its Partners are Argentina, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Canada, the European Union, Ghana, Iceland, Morocco, Norway, Senegal, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States.

More information

The recording of the Forum will be available on the All-Atlantic website together with more information on how to participate in the follow-up actions of AAORIA.