On Monday 20 November representatives from seven countries signed the Declaration of Florianopolis, Brazil for Implementation of the International Center for Atlantic Research (AIR Center). The document is a step forward in cooperation to create a multilateral organization in the Azores to research climate change, energy systems, space science and data in the Atlantic Ocean. The statement has more than twenty signatories, counting research associations and industry delegates, including GMV.

The center will allow the promotion or scientific collaboration of highly qualified human resources and integrated research on the Atlantic.

In addition to Brazil and Portugal, the other signatories to the memorandum were Angola, Cape Verde, Spain, Nigeria, Uruguay and the Autonomous Region of the Azores. The next high-level AIR Center meeting is scheduled for May next year in Cape Verde. The signatories of the memorandum of understanding agreed to form and appoint representatives to an Installation Committee to address topics such as governance and funding sources for the center.

GMV, represented by Alberto de Pedro, director of GMV Portugal, also participated in the workshop “From deep sea to space, from space to deep sea” with a presentation on “New steps towards Services and Applications”.