Although there is no certainty regarding the precise nature and rate of future climate change, even the most moderate scenarios predict a continuing change of the marine environment, with associated major environmental and social impacts. To prepare society for the necessary mitigation and adaptation measures, the awareness of citizens to research results, both certainties and uncertainties, in this specific area should be raised.

During the last years, much new information has been gathered in large EU-funded research, but to date this information has not been synthesized nor has it become an important part of public knowledge. The aim of this proposal is to make a synthesis of EU research results on the impacts of climate change on the marine environment and to make this knowledge and its socio-economic consequences better known to European citizens and society at large.

Together with expert representatives of major Networks of Excellence, large EU projects and research networks, we will produce a state-of-the-art overview of European research results on the effects of climate change on marine environment.

An up-to-date overview of public knowledge and perception on the effects of climate change on marine environments and their socio-economic consequences will be produced by means of polls and questionnaires. The results will be used to identify the main issues to be addressed and the best practices to be used during the outreach activities.

Enhancement of public knowledge on climate change impacts on the marine environment, including the socio-economic consequences, will be achieved by means of challenging and innovative tools such as an interactive Pan-European conference at the end of 2010 and a high-quality internet-based portal within an e-learning platform. These outreach activities will build upon recent experience as has been gathered within EU-funded research to communicate with European citizens on impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems.