Science in Funchal: a case of BlueUrbanism

Manuel José BiscoitoCurator, Funchal Natural History Museum

• The urban-Ocean Connection

• Connecting urban life-styles and ocean health

• Urban design for a blue planet

– Waterfront redevelopment

• Engaging urban dwellers in marine life around them

– Role of aquaria

• New ideas for connecting oceans and cities

– City sponsored ocean research

FUNCHAL

• 500+ years old

• Capital city of the Autonomous Region of

Madeira

• ≈120.000 inhabitants

• ≈1.300.000 tourists/year

≈12 km coastline

Funchal Natural History Museum

•1929

Adolfo César de Noronha (1873-

1963)

•1957

Funchal Aquarium

•1999

Funchal Marine Biology Station

Promoting science

http://publications.cm-funchal.pt

Contributing to Ocean literacy

>10.500 young and adults/year on guided tours and field activities

Exhibition“Treasures of the deep Atlantic Ocean”240.000 attendees

Blue urbanism and sustainable tourism

• When

– 60% world’s population live within 60km from the coast (70% in 2050)

– 80% of tourism takes place in coastal areas

– 45% of nights in EU countries are on coastal areas

• Significant impacts occur on coastal areas

In the International Year of Sustainable Tourism

• We need to forge a Blue Urban Future

– Cities must begin to think much more creatively about how they can support conservation and protection of the oceans

– Cities can and must exhibit leadership in protecting and conserving the oceans

• Engaging city residents

• Fostering science-based knowledge acquisition

• Acting

• Touristic cities need to be smart.

• To be smart is to be intelligent, knowledgeable and ecologically sustainable.

• Coastal cities to be smart need a blue urbanism approach

• Let’s start talking about Blue Smart Cities!

Muitoobrigado!Thanks!