The AIR Centre

The Atlantic International Research Centre is an international collaborative framework to address global challenges and local priorities in the Atlantic Ocean. It promotes an integrative approach to climate and ocean issues in the Atlantic, supported by emerging technological innovations and advances in space and data science, and through international cooperation. The association was launched in 2016 by the Portuguese Government, initiating a consultation process under the title of “Atlantic Interactions”. The establishment of the AIR Centre was formally made during the 2^nd High-Level Dialogue on Atlantic Interactions, that took place at Florianopolis, Brazil, in November 2017. The Headquarters are established at Terceira Island, in the Azores.

On March 2025, sixteen states (or regions) cooperate through AIR Centre initiatives: Portugal, Azores, Spain, Nigeria, United Kingdom, Cabo Verde, Bahia (Brazil), South Africa, Morocco, Angola, Colombia, France, Guatemala, Peru, S. Tomé e Príncipe and Madeira.

AIR Centre Programs

The activities of the AIR Centre are organized through seven programs focused on the priorities defined by its members. Those programs are:

Ocean Policy and Stakeholders Engagement
Space Systems and Applications
Data Science, Cloud Infrastructure, and Development
Biodiversity and Blue Economy
Ocean Modelling and Observation
Coastal Communities
Blue One Health

Programs 1 and 6 are coordinated from Portugal/Secretariat, Programs 2 and 4 are coordinated from Portugal/Azores, program 5 is coordinated from Brazil/UERJ and program 7 also from Brazil/FIOCRUZ. Other initiatives will be launched soon, under the responsibility of some of the members of the AIR Centre or associated organizations.

Impact in Global, Regional and Local Agendas

AIR Centre is actively contributing to strengthen the Atlantic Community at Global and Regional levels. The strengthening is promoted

by the continuous organization of webinars and workshops where the community exchanges experiences and knowledge,
by the co-development of space-based or ocean-based applications, or the share of instruments, that are of interest to the partners, as tools for ocean or climate monitoring,
by the implementation of cooperative platforms that can be used to share qualified information on the ocean and coastal communities,
through high level training, to promote capacity building based on the real needs of national organizations or research groups.

AIR Centre is committed to promote excellence at all levels and all latitudes.