Based on the planning, implementation, and documentation of the BlueMissionBANOS Arena 1, which took place on 14th-16th November 2023 in Gothenburg, the Collaboration Manual in the BANOS region shows the systematic approach developed by the BlueMissionBANOS partnership to coordinate Baltic and North Sea Lighthouse activities with already existing relevant transnational, national and sub-regional strategic structures, and initiatives.
It provides evidence that coordination with such existing structures is already part of the individual missions and portfolios of each of the BMB partners; as the creation of the BMB consortium has taken its offset in the SUBMARINER Network; the Horizon BANOS SRIA CSA, the ICES Network as well as long-existing collaborations of institutions involved in Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP); Ocean-Multi Use as well as Ocean Literacy. These networks are already strategically committed to the ‘Mission Ocean and Waters’ as they have been working towards its three objectives before creating the ‘Mission’ format.
In addition, each of the involved BMB partners features their strong collaborative networks and out- reach, especially at the national level, which they have at their disposal when acting as the National Contact Point for the Mission Ocean and Waters.
Nevertheless, the BMB Partnership cannot only rely on its own resources but highly depends on good interaction and interplay with other existing structures and networks outside their direct part- nership. With the Mission being a large-scale mobilization effort of all relevant actors to systemati- cally collaborate to jointly achieve the ambitious goals and objectives of the Mission Ocean, essen- tially all forces need to be pulled together.
These include:
- The two strategic sea-basin initiatives, namely the well-established European Union Baltic Sea Region Strategy with its 14 Policy Areas and the newly established Greater North Sea Basin Initiative, have only been launched in late 2023.
- The network of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (North Sea and Baltic Sea Commission) and the European Regions Research and Innovation Network to better involve the sub-regional authorities.
- If existing, further delimited networks, such as the STRING megaregion, mirrored the geo- graphic scope of the Mission Arena 1.
- The consortia/networks behind individual transnational Mission Ocean relevant projects.
- The increasing community of pledging institutions of the Mission Ocean charter – often also including sea-basin wide active NGOs such as the John Nurminen Foundation, the Baltic Sea Action Group or the Baltic Environmental Forum.
- If existing – national / sub-regional – Blue Clusters or Business Parks.
As shown in this manual, collaboration must take a concrete format. Such a format has been created through the five Mission Arenas, each planned to be Lighthouse Events in their regard for a selected, distinctive geographic spot. As successfully piloted with the 1st Mission Arena it is through this kind of event, that the various networks featured above and their representatives within the given geographic area are brought together to transfer and generate knowledge, jointly discuss and decide upon the necessary, priority steps to be taken to turn the Mission Ocean Objectives into reality as well as showcasing their willingness to play an active part in this transformation process.
Even though the format of the Mission Ocean may still be new and unknown to many stakeholders, the organization of a Mission Ocean Lighthouse event within a delimited geographic spot has grabbed the attention of many of the above networks as well as individual stakeholders, as it provides immediate benefits to them.
These include among others:
- Knowledge exchange among actors involved in similar projects/activities.
- Outreach to a much more extensive range of stakeholders than normally possible through single-standing events.
- Provide for a large-scale regional forum, where stakeholders jointly take stock, identify the most critical gaps and vote on the most important priority steps.
- The diversity of stakeholders offering a system of ‘checks and balances’
- Spotlight events providing evidence decision-makers/media of the ‘willingness to act’.
- Stimulate the creation of consortia of actors for specific actions/projects.
- Provide a clear deadline, a ‘moment of time’, towards which the relevant partners within the BMB project and ancillary stakeholders are working.
Clearly Mission Arenas also provide ample scope of ideas and opportunities for more thorough follow-up actions. BMB partners will carefully assess in following steps, which of them can still be taken up within the project and its lifetime and/or by individual BMB partners themselves. Clear recommendations will be developed within other forthcoming deliverables especially on how the Mission Ocean and Waters Governance can in the following be secured also beyond the lifetime of the BMB project.
