Domains

BLUEGent is active in the following six domains:

	Blue tourism and health Oceans are often associated with several health benefits resulting from the breeze or spray of fresh air. Recent research has shown that the sea contributes to our health in several ways. The effects range from physiological benefits associated with ocean aerosols, over psychological benefits, to physical benefits. Depending on which perspective you take, growing blue tourism in coastal communities can either pose a challenge for local ecosystems, because of littering and pollutants, or serve as an opportunity and a source of sustainable alternative income. Regardless of the sustainability of blue tourism... Read more
	Coastal management Forty percent of the global population lives within 100 kilometers of the sea. Also, ports, for instance, provide important access to global trade, giving trade-dependent industries an advantage when they expand in the vicinity of the coast. The proximity of coastal areas to the sea is at the same time what makes them vulnerable. Models predict a continuing and accelerating sea level rise, as well as an intensification of storm events due to climate change. In order to continue and expand our activities in coastal areas in a sustainable manner, coastal protection is essential and may need to evolve from hard engineering... Read more
	Healthy oceans Healthy oceans, seas, coastal and inland waters are vital for our societies and the future of our planet. In fact, they produce half of the oxygen we breathe. Furthermore, our waters provide us with healthy food, contributing 16% of our animal protein consumption. They are Earth’s largest carbon sink and have absorbed 26% of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. They are home to the richest biodiversity on our planet and are the source of all life on Earth and our planet’s life-support system. They supply freshwater, renewable energy and provide benefits... Read more
	Marine resources & bioprospecting Did you know that the first commercial HIV treatment was originally extracted from a Caribbean sponge, or that several of the most widely used hydrocolloids are refined from seaweed biomass? Are you aware that chitosan, a group of chemicals derived from chitin extracted from marine waste products such as crustacean shells, can be applied for multiple purposes, ranging from pharma- and nutraceuticals to water treatment? While there are many more great examples of the exploitation of compounds originating from marine organisms, this practice is still relatively new. Large parts of our oceans are still... Read more
	Multi-use of marine space Nowadays, plenty of commercial activities are being hosted by the European sea basins: oil and gas extraction, renewable energy production, pipelines, cables for telecommunications and electricity, the shipping and cruise industry, fisheries, aquaculture, blue biotechnology, sand and mineral extraction, coastal and maritime tourism, and so on. On top of that, a number of important non-commercial activities take place in ocean space, such as marine defense and coastguards. Additionally, our seas and oceans include areas designated for the protection of marine ecosystems and biodiversity. Systematic... Read more
	Sustainable seafood Currently, seafood accounts for about sixteen percent of the animal protein daily consumed globally. While fisheries are still a major supplier, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) states that aquaculture already ensures half of the aquatic protein supply. It estimates that by 2030, it will reach sixty-five percent. This makes aquaculture the fastest growing food production sector globally. Aquaculture could also be a sustainable way to meet the increasing global demand for food that is the result of the growing world population. The growing aquaculture sector has its own challenges to tackle... Read more