PREP4BLUE

PREP4BLUE develops innovative methods, tools, and pilot projects to successfully launch the “Ocean, Seas and Waters” Mission. The aim is to systematically connect knowledge, actors, and activities, and to mobilize citizens and stakeholders for the restoration of healthy oceans by 2030.

Background

The EU Mission “Ocean, Seas and Waters,” as part of the European Green Deal and the Sustainable Development Goals, aims to restore the health of oceans and waters. To achieve this, research and innovation initiatives, policy measures, stakeholder activities, and citizen engagement need to be better interconnected and coordinated processes established. PREP4BLUE supports the first phase of the Mission by bringing together existing projects, initiatives, and living labs to create synergies and lay a solid foundation for the implementation of the Mission.

Objectives

PREP4BLUE aims to prepare and support the first phase of the Mission through concrete activities. These include the development and piloting of methods for knowledge management and knowledge transfer, the identification and transfer of best-practice solutions, the development of communication strategies and narratives for different target groups, and the engagement and mobilization of citizens and stakeholders. Digital tools, dashboards, and pilot projects are designed to make progress visible, facilitate knowledge transfer, and actively advance the implementation of the Mission.

Role of Fraunhofer IGD

Within the PREP4BLUE project, the main focus of FHG was on piloting mission progress tracking in the Baltic Sea Living Hub region. FHG leads this activity as the main responsible partner and develops the dashboard and interactive maps that visualize the Mission’s progress and are tested based on real data and projects. In addition, FHG supports the mapping and visualization of relevant R&I activities as well as the analysis and profiling of mission-relevant knowledge and solutions. In this way, FHG combines strategic leadership in progress tracking with targeted input for the project’s data and knowledge base.

Results

Within the PREP4BLUE project, a concept for the Mission Dashboard was developed to transparently and data-drivenly depict the progress of the Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030.” Building on the WaveLinks platform, it integrates relevant information, visualizations, and key performance indicators (KPIs) and enables the tracking of projects, stakeholders, and outcomes.

In addition, a framework for tracking mission progress was implemented, which systematically captures KPIs to visualize progress and identify trends over time, across regions, and thematic areas. By integrating the KPIs with the Mission ontology and the Mission Ecosystem Database, relationships between projects, stakeholders, and outputs can be traced. Pilot implementations in the Baltic Sea Living Hub region show that the dashboard functions both as a monitoring and planning tool, supports knowledge transfer, and promotes stakeholder engagement.