Researcher Elena Ojea has been awarded the Banco Sabadell Foundation Award for Marine Sustainability 2023. The leader of the Future Oceans Lab group at the Marine Research Center (CIM) of the University of Vigo has been selected for her work on the adaptation and transformation of marine socio-ecological systems and on the assessment of vulnerability and risks in the face of climate change. The president of Banco Sabadell, Josep Oliu, will present the award next Wednesday, November 15, at an event held in Vigo.
The award jury, chaired by Dr. Isabel Cacho, has valued the holistic perspective of the work developed by Elena Ojea, in which she integrates "not only ecosystemic aspects of marine sustainability, but also the more social aspect, emphasizing the vision of justice and equity and including the gender perspective." The jury also highlighted the role of the University of Vigo researcher in international panels such as the IPCC, FAO, and the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, where her contributions to advising new policies have been "highly valued." In fact, the doctor was the lead author of the chapter on oceans in the sixth IPCC Report.
The president of Banco Sabadell, Josep Oliu, will present the award next Wednesday, November 15, at an event held in VigoDr. Elena Ojea's research is dedicated to adaptive solutions for marine socio-ecological systems, which allow for sustainable resource management, social equity, and the care of livelihoods linked to the sea. Her line explores to what extent and for what reasons marine-dependent communities, such as artisanal fishermen, and conservation instruments, such as marine protected areas, are capable of responding to the impacts of climate change.In her work, she combines the use of risk indices, socio-ecological network analysis, and statistical models of human behavior to identify adaptation and transformation strategies in marine systems.
"I reflect on the relationships between society and the oceans, especially in the current context of climate change. I am motivated to contribute to the urgent change that we as a society must undertake by curbing climate change and taking the opportunity to adapt in a socially just and inclusive way. We are at a critical moment to awaken and be able to leave a sustainable marine legacy for the little ones," explained Ojea. The researcher graduated in Environmental Sciences from the University of Salamanca and received her doctorate in Economics from the University of Santiago de Compostela. In her postdoctoral career, she has worked at the Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3) and at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
"We are at a critical moment to awaken and be able to leave a sustainable marine legacy for the little ones," Ojea defends.The jury of the Banco Sabadell Foundation Award for Marine Sustainability is completed by Dr. Conxita Ávila, Dr. Ángel Borja, Dr. Emma Cebrián, Dr. Emilio Fernández, Dr. Núria Montserrat, Dr. Stefano Pogutz, Dr. José Luis Sánchez Lizaso, Dr. Rafael Sardá, and Dr. Jorge Miguel Terrados.
Support for young talent
The Banco Sabadell Foundation Award for Marine Sustainability was created in 2022 with the aim of encouraging and recognizing the work of Spanish scientists in the field of marine environment regeneration. It also seeks to reward research aimed at the sustainable exploitation of its resources, and specifically, those studies that show tangible evidence of their applicability and impact.
The award is accompanied by other recognitions granted by the Banco Sabadell Foundation, such as the awards for Economic Research, Biomedical Research, and Sciences and Engineering. All of them respond to the entity's commitment to promoting research and education, with special interest in fostering young talent.
The Banco Sabadell Foundation presents other awards such as those for Economic Research, Biomedical Research, and Sciences and Engineering.In the case of the Banco Sabadell Foundation Award for Marine Sustainability, it is also part of the framework of action of Sabadell Compromiso Sostenible. This is a program of the Catalan entity that seeks to promote actions that contribute to sustainable development and the fight against climate change.
Created in 1994, the Banco Sabadell Foundation's mission is to promote culture and the arts, research, and education. Throughout these years, the foundation has contributed to promoting activities in these areas "with the vision of being a benchmark and an actor of change and innovation, at the service of the general interest and social cohesion, through the promotion of excellence, creativity, and innovation."
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