Sustainable Development Goals
Efficient use of natural resources is at the centre of sustainable development worldwide and is required to meet the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The EWEAS project is expected to contribute to 7 of the 17 SDGs, in particular addressing those directly linked to the technical and educational component of the project. In this line, EWEAS aims to train aquaculture workers through the development of digital training services which will equip them with practical skills for operating and managing fish farm systems as efficiently and sustainably as possible.
The EWEAS project will contribute to the following SDGs:
#2 Zero Hunger
Aquaculture is one of the fastest growing food production sectors, accounting for over 20% of seafood produced in Europe, and almost half of all seafood produced globally. As a goal to end hunger and malnutrition by 2030, SDG #2 aims to ensure all people have access to sufficient and nutritious food. The EWEAS project sets a clear objective to contribute to meeting this goal, in particular through supporting efficient resource use and sustainable practices in the aquaculture sector.
#4 Quality Education
EWEAS focuses on fostering capacity building and improving the aquaculture labour market by creating new training opportunities and facilitating the exchange of good practices. EWEAS’ training programme will provide expert-led content and promote work-based learning for aquaculture plant managers, farm technicians and other aquaculture professionals, providing them with the knowledge to carry out self-management of energy and water consumption.
#9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Innovation plays an increasingly important role in ensuring global food security, smart infrastructure and sustainability, with direct application to aquaculture. One of the main objectives of the EWEAS project is to support the development of innovative training solutions to help fish farm specialists to improve quality of technical assistance, monitoring and evaluation, and enhance the effective use of resources management in response to water and energy challenges.
#12 Responsible Consumption and Production
Ineffective management practices, poorly maintained wastewater and sewage, energy loss and water pollution are among the factors most affecting the productivity of fish stocks. EWEAS aims to promote a sustainable approach to aquaculture to ensure sustainable and environmental-friendly operational procedures are used to minimise the losses and reduce the environmental impacts.
#13 Climate Action
Through the EWEAS training programme, fish plant managers and specialists will gain access to solutions for improvement of water and energy resource efficiency which is strongly linked with climate action. Thus, they will learn how to adapt to impacts arising from climate change, such as sea level rise, salt-water intrusion, changes in ocean biomass, shortages in water supply, and extreme climate events. Moreover, the training will also improve staff capability to predict and mitigate the consequences of climate change and therefore, contribute to strengthening the adaptive capacity and resilience of aquaculture farms in Europe.
#14 Life Below Water
SDG14 aims to enforce sustainable management and protection of marine and coastal ecosystems from pollution and other harmful impacts. In line with SDG14, EWEAS will address these concerns by increasing awareness and understanding of ecosystem vulnerability as well as improving preparedness and response of employers to minimize risks. It will also enable fish farmers to make informed decisions regarding the environmental impacts of aquaculture, and efficiently monitor the health of fish stock and water quality.
#17 Partnerships for the Goals
Due to its complexity, addressing water and energy challenges needs to be a joint effort. Solutions depend on effective partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders, that are expected to make use of each other’s knowledge and expertise to address the common challenges. To this end, EWEAS encourages development of more integrated solutions to the sector’s challenges and engages with different public and private organizations to take action on these challenges. Through its collaborative nature, EWEAS will contribute to the development of fruitful partnerships with academia, research centres, industry and private sector organizations in the aquaculture domain.
