IM Public Lecture: “iMarine in Support of FAO’s Blue Growth Initiative: The Information Requirements*” by Marc Taconet

Abstract:
In order to address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the UN, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) has recently launched its Blue Growth initiative. A key challenge for the promotion of Blue Growth is the need for facts-based decision making across multiple scientific disciplines, a challenge which a data infrastructure such as iMarine can help articulating. iMarine aims at developing collaborative science, and the platform has demonstrated a strong potential to deliver cost-efficient solutions by pooling together data, software, methodologies and expertise. Beyond the technological demonstration, its uptake however requires the development of a comprehensive sustainability plan, including governance, data policies, marketing, outreach, and capacity building (www.i-marine.eu/Pages/Home.aspx).

Biography:
Marc Taconet is the Chief of the Statistics and Information Branch, FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, and Secretary of the FIRMS partnership. A member of the FAO Rome-based staff since 1987, Mr. Taconet has led the development of the Fisheries Global Information System (FIGIS), played a leading user-community role in several European Union-funded projects, and chaired the iMarine board.

Lecture Details:
Thursday, October 8th, 2015 from 4:30-6:30pm
University Hall, MacDonald Building, 6300 Coburg Road (across from the University Club, Studley Campus)

Reception to follow the lecture – co-sponsored by the Dalhousie President’s Office, Dalhousie Libraries, and the Dalhousie Faculty of Agriculture (5:30-6:30pm).