SOCLIMPACT held the local working group on the island of the Azores last September 27, 2018, where its main stakeholders met to share knowledge and look for possible ways of collaboration, as well as taking advantage of the project.
SOCLIMPACT presented the main objectives and risks for each sector of the blue economy. The main goal was to reach conclusions about how climate change will affect the industrial areas, how companies can adapt to them and what information is needed for decision-makers to be able to support themselves.
In the working session, participants discussed and built a scheme to represent the functioning of the sector in the region. The objectives were to schematically formulate the various phases and processes associated with the industry, assessing the specificities of the region and identifying the critical factors for the development and functioning of the sector, ideally those that can be measured.
Finally, participants reflected on the potential impacts observed for each sector, studying in depth the risks and their possible consequences.
The event ended with a better understanding of the needs and work processes necessary for the information to reach decision-makers in the economy. Projects such as SOCLIMPACT provide information that improves policies in terms of minimizing climate impacts at the island level, which is why these types of events are essential, to enhance the use of the project and its findings influence policy decisions in these vulnerable regions.