Ireland Portugal Business Network announces sustainability conference focusing on the ocean

The free event will take place on 17 March at the Oriente Green Campus of Universidade Europeia in Lisbon. Under the theme ‘Ocean – The Blue Economy’, organisations such as Sea Shepherd Global, Indico Capital Partners, Federação Portuguesa do Surf, Universidade Europeia, Católica Porto Business School, and many more will take the floor.

The ocean that separates Portugal from Ireland is also the one that unites the two countries, particularly through trade relations and investment in the blue economy. This was what Ireland Portugal Business Network (IPBN) observed in 2023 at its latest conference dedicated to the sea, where the port of Leixões served as a gateway to the synergies shared between the two countries. 

Now, the theme returns to the stage at the seventh edition of the IPBN Annual Sustainability Conference, which will take place at the Oriente Green Campus of Universidade Europeia in Moscavide, throughout the morning of 17 March. Free admission can be secured by registering on the website.

Coinciding with the celebration of Saint Patrick's Day, as tradition dictates, this will be an event for sharing scientific knowledge, technological innovation, climate challenges, and partnership opportunities around the blue economy and the essential role of the oceans in the Portuguese and Irish economies. Special emphasis will be placed on the impact of the climate emergency on coastal infrastructure, following the storms that have ravaged the Portuguese coast over the last few weeks. 

The programme opens with a panel discussion held in partnership with the climate and social justice organisation Ethical Assembly, in which Christopher Storey, Special Projects Manager at Sea Shepherd Global, and André Almeida Santos, Partner at Indico Capital Partners specialising in blue economy investments, discuss the latest scientific and technological innovations related to ocean conservation.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with the IPBN team for their 7th Sustainability Conference focused on the ocean. As we’re midway into the UN Ocean Decade, this is a critical moment for us to pause and take stock of where we are on this journey and collectively reflect on how we can deliver an ambitious ocean agenda by 2030,” said Patricia Imbarus, founder and CEO of the Ethical Assembly.

The first panel will be followed by a discussion that is more relevant than ever, focusing on the climate challenges associated with coastal infrastructure, with the participation of Professor Emília Duarte from IADE/UE, Antónia Correia from the collaborative tourism laboratory KIPT COLAB, and Pedro Pardal Monteiro, Vice-President of the Portuguese Surfing Federation. The morning ends with a journey into the future of marine protection technology, led by Lee Bristow, an artificial intelligence expert, Agostinho da Silva, from Católica Porto Business School, and Pedro Costa from the University of Coimbra.

Sponsored by the investment company Multi Family Wealth, admission to the seventh edition of the IPBN Annual Sustainability Conference is free, but prior registration is required, which can be done through the website. There will also be the opportunity to participate in a networking lunch, at an additional cost of €25, which can be booked when purchasing the admission ticket.

About IPBN

The Ireland Portugal Business Network (IPBN) was founded in 2016 with the aim of supporting the development of commercial and economic relations between Portugal and Ireland by creating business opportunities and partnerships among its members, providing cross-border facilitation services to companies and individuals. 

This is a community of entrepreneurs formally recognised by the governments and state organisations of both Portugal and Ireland, which already has 200 members and three delegations in Portugal (in Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve). 

Its mission has been reinforced over the last ten years, not only through the strengthening of the Portugal-Ireland network of contacts, but also through the establishment of partnerships with educational institutions, support for the inclusion of migrants as active contributors to successful cross-border co-creation, and the promotion of innovation, research and knowledge-sharing initiatives. 

Among its wide range of events, highlights include the Annual Sustainability Conference, launched in 2019, the Tourism Conference, the recently renamed Tony Boyle Business Success Awards, and the Innovation Conference, which takes place in Dublin.

Further information

Website: https://www.ireland-portugal.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ireland-portugal-business-network/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ipbn-irelandportugal 

The 7th IPBN Annual Sustainability Conference is supported by:

Multi Family Wealth | CGreener Comunicação | Universidade Europeia | IPBN Executive Partners | Essential Business Portugal | RXL Studio