The Australia-Brazil Virtual Research Collaboration is a networking strategy that builds on existing and growing relations and common projects between these two countries. It aims to foster and expand joint research on global challenges to increase the pace of knowledge production and its impact, taking advantage of common and complementary interests, expertise and infrastructure. It is run by the Brazilian National Council for State Funding Agencies (CONFAP) and the Australian Department of Education, Skills and Employment (DESE) with the support of other institutions, such as the Australian Academy of Sciences (AAS) and the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (ABC).

The Virtual Research Collaboration events were established following the 2020 Memorandum of Understanding between CONFAP and DESE, which seeks to strengthen Australia and Brazil’s history of research collaboration, including through facilitating the streamlining of joint research funding applications. 

For the first 2022 edition, the theme chosen to be explored is ‘Oceans’ due to its pivotal role in containing climate change, being the main ecosystem on the planet and the base of essential economic and cultural activities. This event also has the support of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), as the United Nations has proclaimed 2021-2030 as “The Ocean Decade”, with the upcoming “UN Ocean Conference” scheduled for June 2022. 

The research streams to be featured are:

• Oceans and society;
• Ocean economy and management of seafood chains;
• Mitigation of climate change and marine pollution effects.

THEMES FOR 2022 EDITION ON OCEANS:

The Australia-Brazil Virtual Research Collaboration on Oceans comes in the aftermath of deep-rooted global problems, dramatically exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, that require major structural transformation and joint solutions anchored in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Science-based innovative solutions will be key to propel a new chapter of global ocean action and policy making. In this context, the Australia-Brazil Virtual Research Collaboration will have three separate breakout rooms covering the following research streams:

• Oceans and society: 

In this breakout room participants will debate ways of promoting a better understanding of the role played by the ocean in our lives and the impact of our actions on the sea. These include mechanisms to engage society in ocean science, raising awareness on the importance of the ocean and its sustainability, and the need to invest in this area of research.

• Ocean economy and management of seafood chains: 

In this breakout room participants will debate themes related to ocean based economic activities, focusing on sustainable use of resources by the main ocean industries such as oil, transportation, fishing, leisure and tourism. Related topics could also consider the inclusion of traditional populations in ocean management, environmental challenges faced by aquaculture may also be debated in this session.

• Mitigation of climate change and marine pollution effects: 

This breakout room will feature discussion on preventive efforts to reverse the following trends of marine pollution and climate change:

1- Generalized increase in temperature, hypoxia and seawater acidity and the consequential decline in marine biodiversity, including fishing, coral bleaching, and the elevation of sea levels and the growing occurrence of extreme events.

2- Marine pollution with a focus on the eutrophication and deoxygenation of the sea, generated by industries such as oil, pharmaceutical and cosmetic, or by pressure from growing populations.

3- (Micro)plastic and other waste increase in the oceans, how to work with industry and governments to provoke changes in the way those materials are used, recycled and disposed.

EVENT FORMAT

The event will be held at 7.00pm on 29 June 2022 (Brasilia Time Zone)/8.00am on 30 June 2022 (Australian Eastern Standard Time) and will run for two hours. An optional follow up opportunity for collaboration will be held in late August/early September.

Ten senior researchers from each country will be selected to participate in the event. Each senior researcher may nominate up to two early to mid-career researchers to also attend. 

The event is not designed around an extensive speaker program, but rather focused on creating connections between researchers and provoking collaborative research ideas. 

[GENERAL AGENDA]

Welcome and introductory remarks

• Opening remarks: Kassia Hare, Education Counsellor
• CONFAP: Professor Odir Dellagostin, President
• DESE: Alison Dell, Assistant Secretary
• UNDP: Katyna Argueta, Resident Representative in Brazil

Keynote speakers from Brazil and Australia

• Milton Kamper, INPE – Brazil
• Beth Fulton, CSIRO – Australia

Inspirational speech to kick-off and promote discussion

General information

• Organization of the breakout rooms

Report of rooms

Breakout rooms

• Room 1: Oceans and Environment

Moderation: Dr. Elizabeth Dinsdale – Flinders University

• Room 2: Ocean Economy and Use of Technologies

Moderation: Dr. Vikram Garaniya – University of Tasmania

• Room 3: Oceans and Society, focused on Climate Change

Moderation: Dr. Eduardo Resende Secchi – Federal University of Rio Grande

Debrief session

• Breakout Rooms presentations

Each moderator will have 5-7 minutes to present key discussions

Close and next steps

DESE and CONFAP representatives

DATE

– 29 June 2022, 7:00pm (Brasília Time Zone – BRT);

– 30 June 2022, 8:00am (Australian Eastern Standard Time – AEST);

– Zoom platform.

• Access the slides of Australia-Brazil Virtual Research Collaboration, click here.

• Access the Booklet of event, click here.