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30 | POLLUTION AND HEALTH
ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING
REMARCO: tracking the
seas in Latin America
and the Caribbean
The Latin America The digital conference organised by the Colom- cators, working with top laboratories and relying
bian research institute INVEMAR, with the sup-
on experiences shared between experts. “To
and Caribbean port of the International Atomic Energy Agency, carry out studies at this level, the network en-
communication and presented the progress made by the interdisci- sures standardisation of analysis methods to be
plinary network REMARCO. Founded 13 years
able to compare data and benefit from real ex-
research network ago, it now involves 18 countries in Latin Ame- pertise which helps with decision making” adds
Carlos Alonso Hernandez, analyst with the IAEA
rica and the Caribbean, with a focus on marine
aims to facilitate problems in this huge region bordered by 3 environment laboratory in Monaco.
decision-making by oceans. “REMARCO’s four priorities are chemi-
cal pollution, microplastics pollution, harmful al-
18 member states gal blooms and ocean acidification”, underlined REMARCO, SUPPORTING
Francisco Arias, director general of INVEMAR, in DECISIONS
dealing with the his opening speech. As reflected by its participation in Monaco
vulnerabilities of Ocean Week, the REMARCO network advo-
cates communication to improve visibility of
coastal and marine CUTTING-EDGE these problems amongst policy-makers and
environments in the TECHNIQUES the general public. By offering a comprehensive
overview of the region’s environmental quality,
region. Representatives from the International Atomic the marine and coastal ecosystem surveillance
Energy Agency (IAEA) explained the technical
network can inspire policy-makers to play their
cooperation programme, which aims to deve- part in the global effort for the oceans “which is
lop the knowledge and capacity of 147 partner led by Monaco”, as underlined in a conclusion
states, including 31 in Latin America and the Ca- by the Colombian researcher Francisco Arias,
ribbean. Magali Zapata-Cazier, IAEA programme director general of INVEMAR.
management officer, underlined the importance
of a regional network like REMARCO, involving
scientists, policy-makers and communicators:
“Environmental problems do not stop at borders
- they require national and regional responses”.
With the support of the IAEA, REMARCO rein-
forces the capacities of participating countries
to use cutting-edge techniques (nuclear and
isotopic techniques) and can track different indi-
