Coalition
Turn your city, region, or island’s blue ambitions into concrete Transition Plans.
The Coalition of cities, regions, islands and ports for the Mission Ocean and Waters, implemented by the CO-WATERS project, unites waterfront authorities and their local partners and stakeholders to drive cleaner, healthier and more resilient marine and freshwater systems under the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030”.
Why join the Coalition?
As a Coalition member, you gain access to networking opportunities and tailored services designed to accelerate the sustainable blue transition, helping you turn your ambition into concrete action and measurable impact. Your membership is designed to be flexible and responsive to your needs: you engage in the services that best match your priorities and timeline.
You will benefit from:
- Stronger networks through European-wide peer learning and collaboration
- Enhanced skills and increased capacity through hands-on training
- Greater ability to engage citizens and stakeholders using practical tools and formats
- Clear guidance on funding and financing opportunities
- Dedicated support to obtain the Mission Ocean and Waters Label
Who can join?
The Coalition brings together public authorities and the wider ecosystem supporting the sustainable blue transition, welcoming members at all stages of their journey, from those already active in Mission initiatives to those just beginning their transition.
- Core members are waterfront cities, regions, islands and port authorities located in the EU or Associated Countries, as well as entities representing them.
- Supporting members include all other organisations contributing to waterfront transformation, such as local authorities outside of the EU and Associated Countries; research and academia; non-profits, NGOs and community associations; businesses and business clusters; and donors, funding and financing organisations.
What support will you receive?
CO-WATERS offers Coalition members a coherent set of services co-created through consultations and continuously refined through practical experience and direct feedback from Coalition members, to support you from planning to implementation.
Connect and learn
Engage with peers through thematic working groups, interactive knowledge exchange workshops and a structured Twinning Programme. Share experiences, solve challenges, and learn from tested approaches.
Build capacity
Strengthen your skills to develop robust Transition Plans and coordinate ambitious transformation processes. Through hands-on training, mentoring and peer support, you gain practical tools and guidance that you can adapt to your local context.
Engage your community
Transition requires strong stakeholder ownership. Organise Blue Climathons (local innovation hackathons focused on water challenges) and use the tailored Local Stakeholder Engagement Workbook to design inclusive, effective participatory processes.
Finance and implement
Receive guidance on funding and financing opportunities, participate in dedicated webinars, and engage in a Pitch and Connect session linking your territory with solution providers and investors. This ensures your Transition Plan becomes implementable and investment ready.
Gain recognition: The Mission Ocean and Waters Label
The Mission Ocean and Waters Label recognises your city, region, or island's efforts to advance the Mission objectives through a structured Transition Plan. You receive technical assistance and tailored guidance throughout your application journey.
The Coalition offers a phased programme of services between 2026 and 2029, allowing members to engage over time as new opportunities become available.
How do you become a member?
By completing a short five-minute sign-up form, you join a growing community under the EU Mission Ocean and Waters. After registering, you choose which services to engage in and when. You decide your level of involvement based on your priorities, timing and available capacity, and you can scale up your engagement whenever you are ready.
Registration form - Coming soon
Additional resources
For a detailed overview of the Coalition and the services CO-WATERS offers to its members, check the following resources:
- Coalition Member Journey: A short, comprehensive guide explaining the Coalition and the services offered by CO-WATERS.
- Coalition services offer: A visual summary of all services and how they support your transition.
Stay informed!
Not ready to join the Coalition yet? Subscribe to our newsletter to receive updates on Coalition activities and how members are advancing their journey towards the Mission Ocean and Waters objectives.
