Intersectoral research call in the maritime sector between the French National Research Agency (ANR) and the Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ)

The Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ) and the French National Research Agency (ANR) are launching an intersectoral research call between France and Quebec on the maritime sector in January 2019. The call will fund teams of researchers from France and Québec.

The overall goal is to improve the understanding of the combined impacts of natural ocean variability and human activities, such as those related to maritime transport, on the sustainability of the continuum ocean-coastal zones-estuaries and the related socio-economic services.

Projects have to be interdisciplinary, inter-sectorial and/or transdisciplinary. Researchers are strongly encouraged to develop public-private partnerships and/or to engage societal actors (e.g. local communities, conservation NGOs, fisheries) in their consortium.

Projects should address at least one of the following research areas:

• Characterise and reduce the environmental, economic and social impacts of maritime transport and port infrastructures between Europe and Canada, in particular potential impacts of CETA, using systems and integrative approaches;
• Decrease the ecological footprint of maritime activities, including impacts of contaminants (e.g. antifouling, heavy fuel oil), invasive species (e.g. ballast water), noise pollution, dredging, etc., including but not restricted to development of green technologies;
• Development of socio-ecological-economic scenarios for adaptation towards sustainable management of the continuum ocean-coastal zones-estuaries, and using different temporal scales.

Applications must be jointly led by a French and a Quebec coordinator. Applications will be reviewed by both the ANR and FRQ.

More information is available below and in the call text.