HUBs4Innovation: Support and Empower the Mediterranean Sea Basin Innovation Ecosystem in Türkiye Workshop
The "HUBs4Innovation: Support and Empower the Mediterranean Sea Basin Innovation Ecosystem in Türkiye" workshop was successfully organised by the BlueMissionMed Türkiye Hub representative METU Institute of Marine Sciences with the support of Mersin Metropolitan Municipality at the Mercan 100th Year Climate and Environment Science Center on 16 January 2025. At the event held in a hybrid format, over 110 participants from academia to maritime sectors came together to advance collaborative solutions for marine pollution and foster innovations that contribute to achieving the EU Mission "Restore Our Ocean and Waters."
The workshop started with opening remarks of Mustafa Yücel, BlueMissionMed Türkiye Hub representative, with an emphasis on the importance of the Mediterranean Hub in catalysing collaborative solutions to tackle marine pollution. The opening session continued with remarks from Merve Polat, TÜBİTAK Mission Türkiye National Contact Point and Arda Alp, Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Climate Change and Zero Waste Department, highlighting local, regional and national commitments to supporting sustainable solutions for clean Mediterranean.
Before the first session commenced, Ezgi Şahin from METU Institute of Marine Sciences provided an overview of BlueMissionMed and innovative transformative solutions, emphasizing the necessity of amplifying efforts to tackle and reduce marine pollution in the region. Moderated by Devrim Tezcan, round table discussions on identifying needs and opportunities for the implementation of innovative transformative solutions in Türkiye took place with representatives from government bodies, regional administrations, chambers, and development agencies. During the policy dialogue, Hacer Çağlayan from the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change; Sinan Can from Mersin Metropolitan Municipality and the Chamber of Environmental Engineers; Samim Kayıkçı from Hatay Metropolitan Municipality; Levent Sırrı Selek from Çukurova Development Agency; and Çağdaş Kızıl from Antalya Chamber of Commerce shared regional and national practices emphasizing the urgent need for scalable and comprehensive solutions to effectively address pollution challenges.
Following that, the session showcased innovative and transformative solutions developed through leading projects, including MarGnet (presented by Gian Claudio Faussone, SINTOL SRL), BIOSYSMO (presented by Sara Gil Guerrero, IDENER.AI), RHE-MEDiation (presented by Mehmet Dilaver, TÜBİTAK MAM), and REMEDIES (presented by Vesna Kuralt, NIC Slovenia). A notable regional highlight was the “Unite for Plastic Free Mersin Coasts” initiative, which secured the funding under the REMEDIES project. Zeki Altun of Mersin Metropolitan Municipality outlined the planned actions under Up-FreeCoasts as a model for good practices. The session concluded with a presentation by Olgaç Güven from Akdeniz University, offering insights into “Pollution-Free Smart Cities” solutions aimed at advancing clean seas initiatives to the next level.
The workshop concluded with remarks from Mustafa Yücel and Devrim Tezcan, emphasizing the role of collaboration and innovation in achieving the EU Mission Ocean’s pollution-free goals. Participants engaged in interactive discussions, followed by a networking lunch featuring poster presentations of innovative ideas where solution providers and other stakeholders had a chance to discuss further. The event ended with a tour of the Mercan Climate and Environment Science Center, showcasing its state-of-the-art facilities.
This workshop marks a significant milestone in strengthening the Mediterranean Sea Basin's innovation ecosystem. By bringing together all marine and maritime actors it laid the groundwork for implementing actionable solutions and fostering regional cooperation. The outcomes will contribute to achieving the 2030 targets set by the EU Mission "Restore Our Ocean and Waters."
Date and time: 16 January 2025, 09:00-16:30 (GMT +3)
Organiser: METU Institute of Marine Sciences
Place and Host: Mersin Mercan Climate and Environment Science Center
Format: Hybrid
