PACE-Net Plus is a project funded by the European Commission to strengthen further bi-regional science, technology and innovation (ST&I) cooperation and dialogue between the Pacific Region and the European Union. The project brings together 16 members, from the Pacific region and the EU.
More information: http://plus.pacenet.eu/
Editorial
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2014 was an intense and fruitful year for PACE-Net Plus 16 partners who organized three thematic Think-Tanks in Europe, and three more in the Pacific - together with Horizon 2020 Info Days - and a first successful bi-regional Platform of Policy dialogue in Auckland in December. One more Think-Tank will be organized by IRD (Institut de Recherche pour le Développement) in Nouméa on Strengthening the Observation Systems of Climate change and its impacts in the Pacific, for sustainable management of resources and adaptation. The year ended with the signature of Memorandum of Understanding between PACE-Net Plus and the Regional Universities Network (RUN) of Australia, promising further opportunities of collaboration. In 2015, the project will keep up the pace, hold its 2nd bi-regional Platform of Policy dialogue and continue on the Innovation chapter with the launch of a (call for projects) supported by a seed-funding envelop. PACE-Net Plus members wish all of its readers a Happy New Year 2015! |
Major events held in 2014
First PACE-Net Plus bi-regional policy dialogue platform in Auckland, New ZealandMore than 80 policy-makers, officials and scientists participated in the bi-regional dialogue platform (10-11 December 2014), the purpose of which was to reflect on how to develop a regional strategic framework on STI, and how this could contribute to enhancing the global partnership between the Pacific region and the EU. The outcomes of six thematic Think Tanks that were held in 2014 in the framework of the project in the fields of health, food security, climate change and natural resources, were delivered and contributed to policy recommendations for science, development and innovation. A set of priority actions was defined that will strengthen the EU-Pacific global partnership, through the optimization of existing or future cooperation opportunities. The outcomes of this first bi-regional platform of policy dialogue (posted on http://plus.pacenet.eu/) will contribute to draw the following steps to be implemented for the constitution of a long-term institutionalized dialogue in STI between Europe and Pacific. The future platforms in Brussels (Belgium) in June 2015 and in Suva (Fiji) in mid-2016 will constitute two important milestones for this bi-regional policy dialogue. See more at: http://plus.pacenet.eu/events/pacenetplus-auckland-2014 |
Six thematic think tanks
Bremen conference & think tanks9-11 September 2014, Bremen, Germany Three Think-Tanks took place in Bremen, focusing on the three following global challenges: 1) Tackling Non-Communicable Diseases 2) Exploring the convergence of science and traditional knowledge in aqua-agriculture 3) Enhancing community resilience: environment, water and wastes under a changing climate . The final plenary gathered all Think Tanks results and looked forward to actions to be held during the lifetime of PACE-NET Plus. Further points were identified across that ranged from policy level, data collection issues, research capacities, to community level approaches to be accounted for future H2020 project developments. More information: http://plus.pacenet.eu/events/pacenetplus-bremen-2014 |
Infectious diseases in the Pacific12-14 November 2014, Papeete, French Polynesia Selected researchers, public health representatives and policy makers from both the Pacific and Europe met in Papeete to discuss the latest knowledge, share their experience and identify common priorities on infectious diseases. The working sessions focused on the state of the art, on the pathways of management and control and on EU-Pacific region cooperation in the field of infectious diseases. A National Contact Point from the INCONTACT network also presented an overview of Horizon 2020 as well as funding opportunities for Polynesian researchers. More information: http://plus.pacenet.eu/events/pacenetplus-papeete-2014 |
Coastal ecosystem disturbances, fish and shellfish poisoning & their socio-economic implications18-20 November 2014, Noumea, New Caledonia Four thematic areas: marine toxins, the effects of climate change and environmental disturbances, health and society, and cultural and economic aspects. The participants selected a number of priority research areas, highlighting the need to consolidate regional databases (to enhance the knowledge available and enable enlightened decision-making) and the need to use traditional knowledge. The innovations included easy-to-use diagnosis kits to identify fish and affected persons. More information: http://plus.pacenet.eu/events/pacenetplus-noumea-2014 |
Reconciling mining and the sustainable development in the Pacific countries8-9 December 2014, University of Auckland, New Zealand Three sub-topics were discussed: Enhancing environmental consideration in (terrestrial) mining while answering societal needs; Increasing knowledge on deep-sea mining environmental and social impacts, and; Mining industry and corporate social responsibility as a vector of societal innovation. Priority research areas were highlighted, such as the need to strengthen governance and regulation of mining activities and create financial mechanisms to assure offsets, decommissioning and “after-mining” in local economies, etc. More information: http://plus.pacenet.eu/events/pacenetplus-auckland-2014 |
Upcoming events
Workshop on observatory systems28-19 April, Noumea, New Caledonia This workshop will be organized and hosted by the IRD representation in New Caledonia. The central objective of this workshop that will bring together experts from Pacific countries, from their regional organizations, and from Europe will be to produce a guidance note for the European Institutions on the projects and tools for these systems of observation, as well as the partnerships to be implemented to strengthen those, in the perspective of the societal challenges relating to climate change in the Pacific. More information: http://plus.pacenet.eu/events/pacific-observation-systems-2015 |
 MoU signature between PACE-Net Plus and the Australian Regional University Network (RUN), 10th December 2014 |
2nd bi-regional policy dialogue platform23-24 June 2015, Brussels, Belgium The mandate of this platform is to deliver the outcomes of all Think Tanks and present the recommendations that have been elaborated in Auckland to further feed the bi-regional dialogue. All concerned DGs, various networks and EU/EC institutions in Brussels as well as high level representatives of Pacific regional bodies will be invited. On the agenda: a tour of the European institutions for the visitors from the Pacific. More information soon: http://plus.pacenet.eu/ |
 PACE-Net Plus first bi-regional Platform of Policy dialogue, 10-11th December 2014, Auckland, New Zealand |
Contacts
Newsletter and PACE-Net Plus project: fadhila.lemeur@ird.fr or nejma.andre@ird.fr
Follow us on Twitter @pacenetplus and visit our PACE-Net Plus page on Facebook (facebook.com/pacenetplus)
