The high-level Innovation Room is designed as a knowledge and matchmaking event, which will bring together a unique mixture of blue economy, industry 4.0 and ocean cleantech representatives from Europe, small island developing states and least developed coastal countries. It is being organised by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the Small Island Sustainable Energy and Climate Resilience Organisation and the Global Network of Regional Sustainable Energy Centres as special event of the Vienna Energy Forum.

This edition of the Innovation Room will focus on the wide spectrum of marine renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions in key blue economy sectors (e.g. fisheries and aquaculture, desalination and freshwater production, coastal protection and waste treatment, biotechnology, ocean intelligence and observation, costal and maritime tourism, shipping and ports).

The Innovation Room will follow-up on the outcomes of the United Nations Ocean Conference, between 2 to 6 June 2020 in Lisbon, Portugal. It will also provide input to the Our Ocean Conference, to be organised from 17 to 18 August 2020 in Palau. The event is being supported by the Governments of Austria, Norway, Spain, and other international partners. Further information is available here.

Please note that due to the outbreak of COVID-19 the Vienna Energy Forum will be shifted to 2021. Alternative dates for the special event are currently under discussion.