REV Ocean partners with University of Bergen to support the UN Decade for Ocean Science

REV Ocean and UiB have strong research programmes focused on climate-ocean interaction, and the impacts that result from increasing greenhouse gas emissions. Both organisations will join forces to provide new science and advise to the UN Decade for Ocean Science, international assessments such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and decision-making processes such as the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP).

• Read more about REV Ocean here
• Read more about marine research at UiB here

The polar regions will be an area where REV Ocean and UiB collaborate to gain knowledge of some of the most remote and least understood areas of the ocean. Multidisciplinary teams will work together to explore deep-sea ecosystems in polar regions and investigate hydrothermal vents under permanent ice cover in the Arctic (4000 m).

Sustainable ocean solutions

Nina Jensen, CEO of REV Ocean, said “Together with UiB we are in an excellent position to unlock some of the mysteries of the polar regions and to champion sustainable ocean solutions with the amazing innovation and commercial organisations based in Bergen. UiB will also play a key role in our plans for educating the public and inspiring positive impact.”

On Feb 9^th UiB secured funding for a new project called Shaping European Research Leaders for Marine Sustainability (SEAS) that will offer 37 three-year postdoctoral positions in ocean challenges and sustainability. REV Ocean’s state of the art vessel and multidisciplinary research focus makes it a natural partner to host visiting fellows for field-work for periods of 2-6 months. REV Ocean also plans to offer postdoctoral opportunities with research teams at its headquarters.

Decade of Ocean Science

”It is through partnerships that the sustainable development goals can be reached. To us – a university with a strategic focus on marine research and the sustainable development goals – a partnership with REV Ocean is very exciting. It gives us all great opportunities to explore and discover in order to, among other things, fill knowledge gaps on deep-sea ecosystems in the polar region", says UiB Rector Margareth Hagen.

"We also enter the Decade of Ocean Science, declared by the UN, and in light of this we are very glad to enter into a new cross-sectoral partnership for research which will result in development and impact on both a local and international level”, Hagen adds.

• Read about SDG Bergen - a University of Bergen strategic initiative to engage in science diplomacy, in particular towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

REV Ocean and UiB have a keen interest in finding solutions in the field of plastic pollution and competence-based measures to prevent such pollution. This includes research, education and other activities outside traditional natural science, and embraces opportunities with business, law, economics and humanities. The partnership between UiB and REV Ocean has great potential to further strengthen these efforts.

Teams will also focus on education and awareness raising, in cooperation, with the University Museum of Bergen. This is an excellent opportunity to promote education and raise awareness about the oceans’ challenges and promote a scientific approach to problem solving such as plastic pollution and its impact on the marine environment.