The Regional Secretary for the Sea, Science and Technology highlighted in New York the "geographical centrality" of the Azores in the Atlantic, stressing that it is "an important factor for the establishment of a transatlantic partnership in the study of oceans and climate."
 
Fausto Brito e Abreu pointed out three reasons why the archipelago occupies "a special place" in the agenda on ocean research. In this regard, he mentioned marine ecosystems and oceanographic conditions associated with Mid-Atlantic Ridge as well as the geostrategic position of the Azores over the last developments in maritime economic policy in the South Atlantic, "where Portugal stands out as one of the South Atlantic triangle vertices."
 
The Secret Sea for the Sea spoke at the meeting "Atlantic Interactions: knowledge, climate change, space and oceans," an event organised by the Foundation for Science and Technology. It addressed the importance of the Azores as a future basis for an international study centre on space, climate change and oceans.
 
In his speech, Brito e Abreu noted that marine sciences produced in the Azores have received "international recognition over the past two decades due to the research conducted by the Department of Oceanography and Fisheries of the University of the Azores and IMAR."
 
In this context, he highlighted the studies on open-ocean and deep-sea ecosystems, especially on hydrothermal fields, seamounts, deep water corals, cetaceans and various fish species.
 
As for space and Earth observation, the Regional Secretary reminded that the Azores were chosen for the installation of two of the four fundamental geodetic stations that make up the Atlantic Network of Space Geodynamics Stations (RAEGE); one already opened on Santa Maria and another is planned for the island of Flores. Moreover, the government official added that "ESA's Satellite Tracking Station, which is part of ESTRAK, and the Galileo Sensor Station are also based on the island of Santa Maria."
 
With regard to the studies on climate and climate change, Brito e Abreu pointed out the ARM project on Graciosa Island, stressing the Regional Government's investment in research infrastructures and human resources, namely in the study of atmospheric and meteorological sciences in the Atlantic. In this context, he recalled that the first Portuguese weather forecast infrastructure is located in the Azores and has been in operation since 1902.
 
"Due to their isolation in the middle of the Atlantic, the Azores are the perfect place to observe and study the characteristics and oceanic and atmospheric processes, either "in situ" or from space," said Brito and Abreu. The government official stressed that the public, private, academic and non-governmental organisations that make up the Regional Scientific and Technological System contribute to "the competitive advantages of the Azores in Atlantic research."
 
The workshop "Atlantic Interactions: knowledge, climate change, space and ocean" intended to create a new agenda for transatlantic research aimed at improving the knowledge on climate change, energy and space as well as on interactions between the Earth, atmosphere and the ocean. It should take advantage of the natural conditions that the Azores can offer to the conduction of studies in these fields.
 
The event held today in New York, USA, was the first of a series of three workshops. The next takes place in the Azores on June 27 and the final will be held in Brussels in late September.