In order to meet the challenges ahead of us, we need oceans that are clean and sustainably managed. The Ocean Governance project looks at how we can rethink international marine policy. istock/Arrangements-Photography

Headline: Ocean Governance

Humans depend on a healthy and productive ocean - for their livelihoods, health, and cultures. As well as being a vital source of sustenance, the ocean regulates the global climate and hosts a wealth of biodiversity. But it is facing growing threats as human uses and impacts continue to exceed sustainable limits. A lack of adequate management frameworks is adding to the severe pressures on it.

The Ocean Governance research group at the IASS generates knowledge and initiates participatory dialogues in order to analyse and respond to the causes of ocean decline and to support ocean governance processes. It also contributes to the development of new approaches and regulatory frameworks.

Its transformative work focuses on three processes:

The implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular the Sustainable Development Goal on oceans, seas, and marine resources (SDG 14)
The negotiation of a legally binding instrument under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ)
The development of international rules for deep seabed mining

The interdisciplinary team addresses the following key questions: How can the SDGs be translated into policy processes? How can marine biodiversity be protected in areas beyond national jurisdiction? What regulatory frameworks do we need to manage the mining of deep seabed mineral resources?

As part of a transdisciplinary research agenda, the team also provides solution-oriented advice to decision-makers and societal actors with a view to transforming the responses to the urgent challenges facing our ocean.

In addition to the projects listed below, the research group conducts the project "Marine Conservation in the Arctic" in cooperation with the group "Arctic Governance".

Projects

Marine habitats are threatened because the various demands of interest groups are difficult to control.

The IASS Ocean Governance project supports knowledge-based transformation processes for the conservation and sustainable use of marine and coastal systems. It focuses on the most salient challenges for ocean sustainability and related policy processes such as the 2030 Agenda and its ocean goal SDG 14 and the negotiation of a new international agreement for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity on the high seas.

Within OceanNETs, experiments with the Kiel KOSMOS offshore mesocosms are planned to test the impacts and possible side effects of so-called ocean alkalinisation in ocean ecosystems.

Negative emission technologies for removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere could offer an opportunity to limit global warming and meet the targets of the Paris Agreement. But many uncertainties about the feasibility and impacts of these technologies remain. The EU-funded OceanNETs project aims to provide critical new insights into ocean-based negative emission technologies. Within OceanNETs, the IASS will contribute to the assessment of governance, policy and legal dimensions.

Containerschiff im Hafen von Rotterdam: Die EU will das Management von Aktivitäten in ihren Meeren und Küstengebieten verbessern.

The EU's Green Deal requires marine policies to function coherently across governance levels and between sectors. The project aims to aims to improve the coherence of multi-level and multi-sectoral marine policies to enhance the protection and restoration of marine ecosystems undergoing rapid change.

Large school of Bigeye jacks in the tropical blue waters of Palau: intensification of human activities, both on land and at sea, is accelerating marine biodiversity loss globally.

Marine managers must set Europe on a course to reverse marine biodiversity decline. The Marine SABRES project applies a multi-stakeholder approach to co-design, co-develop and co-produce a simple marine social-ecological system framework to improve decision-making and support marine managers to implement interventions and measures for the protection of coastal and marine areas

The EU aims to achieve zero pollution in European seas by 2030.

The project aims to develop a holistic zero pollution strategy that will guide the EU towards achieving zero pollution in European seas by 2030. The project will characterise existing barriers to successful pollution reduction policies and identify best practices for effective measures, engage with key stakeholders to co-identify policy opportunities, as well as co-develop a practical roadmap to guide the transition to clean European seas.

Polymetallic nodules containing minerals essential to energy storage lie at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.

Mining for mineral deposits in the deep seabed could harm ecosystems irreversibly. Despite international obligations to protect the ocean, certain states - Germany among them - are working towards the advancement of deep seabed mining to maintain supply security and develop new technologies. In the current research project "Environmental standards for deep seabed mining", a scientifically and legally grounded approach is being developed which will support the ISA in systematically planning the environmental management of the deep sea.

Completed Projects

Is deep seabed mining compatible with protecting biodiversity and habitats in the deep sea? The project Ecological Safeguards for Deep Seabed Mining investigates this issue. Our photo shows ‘Casper’, the deep-sea octopus discovered on Necker Ridge, Hawaii.

The deep seabed is the least understood ecosystem on Earth and is known to contain mineral resources in some areas. Their extraction presents significant technical challenges and is not as yet financially viable. Environmental reviews have shown that deep seabed mining could result in irreversible harms on a large scale. Efforts continue to promote the development of deep seabed mining despite low commodity prices and the resulting uncertainty around its economic benefits. At present, the extraction of mineral resources in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction is not the subject of a comprehensive legal framework. The project Ecological Guardrails for Deep Seabed Mining evaluates potential environmental impacts and advises the German Federal Environment Agency on the development of environmental standards to safeguard the sustainability of deep seabed mining under the supervision of the International Seabed Authority.

What can be done to protect marine biodiversity and foster the sustainable exploitation of marine resources on the High Seas? The STRONG High Seas project is concerned with these questions.

The high seas span a vast area and make up nearly two thirds of the world's oceans. Existing governance frameworks do not adequately provide for the protection and sustainable use of biodiversity in these areas. This project supports regional and national institutions in the Southeast Atlantic and Southeast Pacific regions with the task of developing integrated governance approaches.

Climate change and economic activities are having adverse effects on the Arctic.

The melting of sea ice in the Arctic leads to new opportunities for economic exploitation, but also poses risks to the fragile marine environment. In the research project, the project partners are examining, among other things, the use of Arctic marine resources and the introduction of conservation measures. The project is a cooperation of the research groups "Arctic Governance" and "Ocean Governance".

Many people in the Western Indian Ocean region live from and with the ocean.

The state of the ocean urgently requires that protection and sustainable use of marine systems are aligned, suitable measures put in place and all relevant actors engaged. The Marine Regions Forum provides an informal, transdisciplinary, and participatory space at the science-policy interface to enhance ocean action. It facilitates inclusive collaborations within and between regions that could trigger transformative change to address current ocean sustainability challenges such as biodiversity loss, the impacts of the global climate crisis, or marine pollution.

The traditional round coracle boats and narrow cutters of these Vietnamese fishermen offer the perfect backdrop for a holiday snap. However, overfishing is also a problem here. Regional cooperation is vital to a sustainable fishing industry.

Marine pollution and migratory species do not stop at the boundaries of territorial waters. These problems require not only global agreements, but also coordinated regional solutions. The overall goal of the project is to develop effective cross-sectoral regional governance concepts for the protection and sustainable use of the oceans.

With its outstretched tentacles, this sea cucumber (Pelagothuria natatrix) collects organic material and puts it into its mouth. The sediments stirred up in the course of deep seabed mining would bury animals like this alive.

The project analyses the governance framework for potential mining activities in the Area beyond national jurisdiction. In dialogue with stakeholders from the science and policy communities and civil society, IASS researchers are generating independent reports and other input to support the international negotiation process under the umbrella of the International Seabed Authority.

A sargasso fish caught in a plastic bag.

Plastic pollution has become a widespread issue in the ocean. In this project, the IASS analysed the role of regional actors in tackling marine plastic litter, the challenges they face and how a new global agreement could strengthen action at the regional level and benefit ocean governance.

It takes at least 10 million years for manganese nodules to form. Deep seabed mining could cause irreparable harm to ecosystems, with unknown consequences for ocean health.

Interest in the exploitation of deep sea mineral resources located in areas beyond national jurisdiction has grown significantly in recent years. The international debate around deep seabed mining has focused on its technical feasibility, profitability, and potential environmental impacts - rather than the question of whether deep seabed mining should take place at all and which development pathways could otherwise be explored. These questions are the subject of a new study commissioned by the Heinrich Böll Foundation: "Towards a Contemporary Vision for the Global Seafloor - Implementing the Common Heritage of Mankind".

A new platform aims to mobilise different stakeholders for a more committed maritime policy.

With IASS support, the European Commission is in the process of developing a new platform for discussion and exchange on international ocean governance: the International Ocean Governance Forum (IOG Forum). Ocean actors and stakeholders are invited to participate in the Forum's online webinars and thematic workshops, targeted online consultations and conferences to develop joint proposals to advance the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean. In this way the IOG Forum is contributing to the further development of European Union policy on international ocean governance.

The IASS supports the BMU in the negotiations around a Global Ocean Biodiversity Treaty.

With Germany holding the Presidency of the EU in July to December 2020, IASS researchers are supporting the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety in the ongoing negotiations for the development of a new and internationally binding instrument under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) for the conservation and sustainable use of the marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ).

As a blue carbon ecosystem, seagrass meadows are able to sequester carbon and could make a relevant contribution to climate mitigation.

Marine ecosystems such as mangroves, seagrass beds and salt marshes are able to store carbon in their biomass and sediments. Their conservation and restoration can thus make an important contribution to global climate targets and, beyond that, a healthy ocean. IASS researchers have presented recommendations for action concerning how Germany can better exploit the potential of these blue carbon ecosystems for national and global climate goals.

How can we develop integrated approaches to fostering the sustainable use of oceans and coasts? In the COST project researchers investigate innovative models of ocean governance.

The current legal and political governance frameworks for the oceans are highly fragmented and limited in scope. COST Action, a transdisciplinary network of 58 actors that serves as a platform for partners from science, policymaking and civil society, gives impetus to research and policymaking for a more consistent governance architecture.

Team

At a cabinet meeting on 14 September, the German Government appointed Sebastian Unger as its first Special Representative for the Oceans in the portfolio of the Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection. Prior to his appointment, Unger worked at the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) for a good decade. The establishment of a Special Representative for the Oceans underscores the Federal Government’s recognition of the growing importance of marine conservation and the sustainable use of the oceans.

As the Arctic Ocean is particularly affected by global temperature rise, more knowledge about this special habitat is needed. In six studies on the region, Ecologic Institute and the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) describe the Arctic marine environment and the environmental pressures it faces. In this interview, lead study author Nicole Wienrich of the IASS discusses the project and its findings.

The Arctic Ocean needs more effective conservation measures. © Pavel Brodsky/Unsplash

The rapid rise in temperature in the Arctic is profoundly altering the region – with unknown consequences for the future. At the same time, dwindling sea ice is increasing economic interest in the Arctic Ocean. How can the Arctic be protected and used sustainably against this backdrop? To provide an overview of issues relevant to marine conservation in the Arctic, Ecologic Institute and the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) have published a series of reports.

The clock is ticking down fast but is there a need to rush? In 2021, the island nation of Nauru triggered a treaty provision known as the “two-year rule” that obliges the International Seabed Authority (ISA) to finalize and adopt regulations for deep seabed mining within 24 months. Researcher Pradeep Singh of the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) examines the legal implications of this provision in a paper published in the International Journal of Marine and Coastal Law.

A deep-sea skate glides through a cloud of diffused "smoke" of mineral-laden waters from hydrothermal vents.

International solutions are needed to protect the ocean. Two sets of regulations currently under development offer an opportunity to expand protections, but a greater degree of alignment between the two must be achieved. In a new scientific article IASS researchers outline how this could be realised. States will meet again in July and August to continue their negotiations.

Dialogue Workshop 4 in Lima, Peru (2020).

The conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ) is a shared responsibility of all nations. But current regulations and policies are ineffective to address comprehensive marine environmental protection. Over its five-year duration, the STRONG High Seas project (‘Strengthening Regional Ocean Governance for the High Seas’) has advanced the development of integrated approaches for ABNJ in the Southeast Atlantic and Southeast Pacific.

Mangrove forests, seagrass beds and salt marshes, macroalgae and marine sediments: All of these marine ecosystems can store atmospheric CO2 in their biomass and sediments. In an IASS study, researchers present recommendations for Germany to better address this aspect of the ocean-climate-nexus in national environmental policy.

Solitary Islands Marine Park is the first marine protected area to be designated in New South Wales, Australia (1998). It is located on the east coast of Australia and stretches 75 kilometres along the coastline.

Area-based management tools are an important means of protecting the ocean. In addition to marine protected areas, they include spatial regulations for activities such as fishing, shipping or deep sea mining, and more comprehensive approaches such as maritime spatial planning. These measures can contribute significantly to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the ocean. However, this requires better coordination of measures and effective implementation, as researchers have shown in a new study with the participation of the IASS.

There are increasing signs that negotiations over a global agreement on plastic pollution will begin in February 2022. In an article co-authored by IASS researcher Sebastian Unger and his team published in the journal “Science”, a team of scientists present the three key objectives and a number of supporting actions for an intergovernmental agreement in order to effectively curb the increasing amount of plastic waste.

Sustainable Development Goal 14 (“Life below water”) of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development addresses the protection and sustainable use of the ocean and its resources. Conventional approaches to environmental policy and governance are less suited to transboundary systems such as the ocean. A new study by researchers from the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) examines the challenges and potentials of collaborative processes at the level of marine regions.

160 randomly selected citizens, twelve meetings, 25 scientists from the climate and social sciences: Germany’s first Citizens’ Assembly on Climate has commenced its work under the patronage of former German President Horst Köhler. This “Council of 160” will develop recommendations for Germany’s climate policy with the support of a board of experts led by Professor Ortwin Renn from the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) in Potsdam. In this interview, Prof. Renn explains what the Citizens’ Assembly is setting out to achieve.

As investors set their sights on the mineral resources of the deep seabed, the International Seabed Authority (ISA) is developing regulations that will govern their future exploration and possible exploitation. A new IASS Policy Brief, published in cooperation with the Federal Environment Agency (UBA), presents three recommendations to ensure that future deep seabed mining would be to the common benefit all humankind, as required by international law.

The EU hopes to improve ocean governance in Europe and beyond through the IOG Forum.

With the support of the IASS, the European Commission and the EU High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy brought together representatives from politics, science, and civil society at a virtual conference over three days in December 2020 to develop recommendations for the protection and sustainable use of the oceans. Developed within the framework of the EU International Ocean Governance Forum (IOG Forum), these recommendations will underpin the pending revision of the European Union's International Ocean Governance Agenda of 2016.

Marine ecosystems are suffering from the loss of biodiversity

We rely on the ocean to meet our growing demand for foodstuffs, energy, and transport. At the same time, marine ecosystems are facing serious challenges from over-exploitation, pollution, climate change, and loss of biodiversity. In a new report prepared with the support of IASS researchers, the High Level Panel for the Sustainable Ocean Economy, an international initiative of heads of state and government, recommends concrete steps to strike a balance between the use and protection of the oceans.

The EU’s IOG Forum aims to mobilise ocean actors and stakeholders worldwide for a joint exchange.

Strengthening the European Union’s role in international ocean governance - this is the aim of the EU International Ocean Governance Forum (IOG Forum) developed by the European Commission and the European External Action Service with the support of the IASS and other project partners. In late April 2020, the IOG Forum was launched online with a series of online-seminars attended by 450 experts. The series addressed a range of issues, including the protection and sustainable use of the oceans, how to deal with the oceans in the context of climate change and the role of research and science for a sustainable future for the oceans.

Cooperation across ocean regions is vital to marine conservation.

The next decade will be crucial for the future of our oceans. What role can marine regions play in efforts to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals? Which approaches have proven successful and what can be done to enhance their coordination? Experts developed solutions to these questions and more at the Marine Regions Forum held in Berlin, Germany last autumn. On 4–5 February, IASS project lead Sebastian Unger will present the most important recommendations at a preparatory meeting for the United Nations’ 2020 Ocean Conference.

Interest in the extraction of mineral resources from the deep seabed has grown in recent years. In order to protect the marine environment, the existing legal framework must be strengthened through the addition of environmental objectives and regulations to minimize harmful impacts. A team of researchers from the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) in Potsdam recommends the establishment of ecological safeguards for deep-seabed mining in a new report commissioned by the German Environment Agency (UBA).

Antarctica offers the participants an opportunity to observe first-hand the influence of human activities on the environment.

IASS marine researcher Carole Durussel is among 80 female scientists from around the world selected to participate in the Homeward Bound leadership initiative. The year-long programme, which includes a series of online training seminars and a three-week expedition to Antarctica, will help the participating researchers develop networks to address environmental problems.

The ocean hosts an inconceivable wealth of marine life and diverse habitats, most of which remains unknown. International plans to mine minerals from the deep seafloor threaten this largely unexplored biodiversity hotspot. States are currently seeking to develop a legal framework for deep seabed mining. In cooperation with the Heinrich Böll Foundation, an international team of researchers from the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) has published a new study warning against a rush to exploit deep seafloor resources and calling for coordinated efforts to develop alternative approaches.

Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme UNEP, addresses the conference.

The first meeting of the Marine Regions Forum will take place on 30 September – 2 October, 2019, under the overarching theme “Achieving a healthy ocean – Regional ocean governance beyond 2020.”

Climate change is having particularly devastating impacts on the world’s oceans: they are becoming warmer and more acidic, with profound consequences for their complex ecosystem. The special report on “The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate”, due to be presented by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on 25 September, evaluates current scientific research on changes to the oceans. The Marine Regions Forum will convene in Berlin shortly afterwards with the aim of delivering clear recommendations, actionable results, and more support for regional partnerships.

A comprehensive High Seas Treaty and extensive marine protected areas are urgently needed in the next decade to preserve life-supporting ocean function. These are just two of eight measures recommended in a study, to which Torsten Thiele from the Ocean Governance team at the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) contributed.

If the UN Convention meets the expectations of conservationists, marine animals such as this whale will be better protected from human impact in the future.

The next round of negotiations on a new legally binding instrument for biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) will take place from 19 to 30 August 2019. How can the agreement be formulated to meet the challenges of a constantly changing environment? A new study makes concrete proposals for an agreement that includes resilience principles.

Climate change and overexploitation threaten the world’s oceans.

The United Nations wish to adopt a new global agreement for the protection of the high seas in the coming year. The negotiations among the UN member states offer an opportunity to strengthen marine conservation and extend protections to ocean areas beyond national jurisdiction. IASS researchers have developed a number of recommendations to strengthen relevant legal frameworks and bolster institutional cooperation in West Africa and South America.

Commitments have been made to improve tracking of products from tuna from vessel to final buyer.

Our human livelihoods depend on the oceans, and the conservation of this vital resource is one of the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs), which together form the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In order to achieve SDG 14, the sustainable use and development of the world’s oceans, a plethora of voluntary commitments have been made in recent years. IASS researchers Barbara Neumann and Sebastian Unger have studied these voluntary commitments. Their findings and recommendations for improving the existing system have now been published in the prestigious journal Science.

The IASS at the COP23 in Bonn in November 2017. The institute will also inform about its work at a booth in Katowice.

The 24th UN Climate Change Conference (COP24) is due to take place in the Polish city of Katowice from 2 to 14 December. At this year’s COP, minds will focus on concrete steps towards implementing the Paris Climate Agreement. A whole host of experts from the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) will be there. At the international symposium on “Safeguarding Our Climate, Advancing Our Society”, IASS Scientific Director Patrizia Nanz will speak about the role democratic structures can play in the shift to sustainability. And IASS Scientific Director Mark Lawrence will represent the institute at the High Level Assembly of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition on the margins of the conference.

Andreas Papaconstantinou (European Commission), Ngedikes Olai Uludong (Permanent Representative to the UN from Palau) and Barbara Neumann (IASS) were among the experts who gathered at the IASS for the workshop.

Our oceans are increasingly suffering under the pressure of overfishing, pollution, climate change, and acidification. Yet in spite of this, the various institutions responsible for conserving them still tend to operate in isolation from each other. That situation is about to change: On 8 and 9 October, about 40 international experts gathered at the IASS to further refine the concept for a new informal dialogue forum at the interface of science, policy and society.

Überfischung und Plastikmüll bedrohen Meeresbewohner wie diese Wasserschildkröte. Ein neues Abkommen würde ihnen Schutz gewähren.

Negotiations on a new international agreement to protect biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction – and support the UN sustainable development goals in the process – got under way in September. Researchers from the IASS were present at the negotiations and have now published a Policy Brief with recommendations for the proposed agreement.

How could the exploitation of the resources of the deep seabed conceivably benefit humanity? What risks does such exploitation pose to the marine environment? And how can we ensure that governance in this area is fair – for all of humankind? The latest IASS Policy Brief examines what the International Seabed Authority can do to reconcile the use of the ‘common heritage of mankind’ with the global sustainable development goals formulated in the 2030 Agenda.

Dr. Sabine Christiansen

Dr. Aline Jaeckel

Pradeep Singh

Negotiations to regulate deep seabed mining are entering a critical phase with some states pushing back against the rush to mine the ocean floor. Germany has called for a precautionary pause on seabed mining. The Ocean Governance team at the IASS is supporting the development of high environmental standards to protect the ocean from harm that could be caused by seabed mining.

Dr. Aline Jaeckel

Dr. Sabine Christiansen

Sebastian Unger

Pradeep Singh

From 21 March to 1 April 2022 governments will continue negotiations of international regulations for deep seabed at the International Seabed Authority (ISA). Scientists from IASS will attend the 27th Session of the ISA Council as part of research on environmental standards for deep seabed mining.

Sebastian Unger

Ben Boteler

From 7 to 18 March 2022, governments will continue negotiations on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction under the auspices of the United Nations. After a break of nearly two years due to the coronavirus pandemic, a binding UN instrument should be ready this year.

Sebastian Unger

The issue of marine conservation was hardly mentioned in the election campaign and the exploratory coalition talks that followed. This despite the fact that, for years, scientists have agreed that the climate crisis cannot be successfully combated without active marine conservation. Yet with the start of the coalition negotiations, this could now change. A look at the election programmes of the Green Party and the liberal FDP offers hope that a "Blue Deal" – a sustainable marine policy that is in line with the 1.5-degrees target and could improve the livelihood of those living in coastal regions – will be one of the future projects of the new coalition government.

Dr. Aline Jaeckel

Advancements in new technologies open up new ocean industries and possibilities to explore the ocean. Some of these new technologies, such as swarms of underwater mini robots to map the seafloor or sensors on automated underwater vehicles, assist scientists in their work and produce growing quantities of ocean data.

Dr. Henrike Knappe

Niklas Scheffer

We are happy to announce the adoption of the institute’s inaugural focal topic. Throughout 2022 we will undertake collaborative research activities, hold public events, and publish research exploring themes related to matters of social justice.

As the largest and most complex ecosystem on the planet, the ocean plays a key role in efforts to address the interrelated challenges of biodiversity collapse and climate change. Despite this, its dynamics have only been inadequately included in financial approaches intended to mitigate them. Financial regulators are increasingly aware of the multiple links between the climate and biodiversity crisis and the financial system and how nature is impacted by financial flows. They now need to fully integrate ocean biodiversity into their approaches.

Thirty years ago today, world leaders came together to launch the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), a bold initiative to foster change in an economic system that was degrading both the environment and indeed entire societies. Today, with the ocean facing unprecedented threats, a similarly bold initiative is required.

Ben Boteler

Sebastian Unger

Dr. Barbara Neumann

Five years have passed since the so-called ‘Paris Agreement’ was concluded at the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) following years of deliberation between the member States. For the ocean, the Paris Agreement represents a turning point: previously issues relating to the ocean were side-lined in COP negotiations.

Marine life is full of potential treatments, including the first antiviral approved for Covid-19 patients

The ocean plays a fundamental role in regulating global temperatures. Not only does the ocean absorb 93 percent of the heat trapped by rising anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2), but it also absorbs approximately 25 to 30 percent of anthropogenic CO2 emissions that would otherwise remain in the atmosphere and increase global warming.

Laura Weiand

A healthy ocean is critical to the survival of every life on earth. However, given that the marine environment, including its currents and species that inhabit its waters, are transboundary, national action alone cannot ensure its conservation. Each one of us must resolve the pressing issues facing the ocean, from marine pollution and overfishing to securing vulnerable coastal communities.

Dr. Sabine Christiansen

How does one go about setting limits for industries and activities?

Events

08.12.2022

This DFG Round Table is part of the activities undertaken by the DKN Working Group Anticipating and Transforming Coastal Futures and aims to critically reflect on how transdisciplinary sustainability science focused on the coastal and marine environment is approached within the (German) research community. Participants are invited to discuss and together with the DKN working group develop recommendations for transdisciplinary coastal research.

30.06.2022

The Baltic Sea region has not only achieved but actually surpassed the 10 % target of MPA coverage. Now the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM) is becoming a frontrunner in using Other Effective Conservation Measures (OECMs), which promote biodiversity conservation outside of protected areas.
The side event highlights Marine Protected Areas (MPA) as a concrete example of the instrumental role of the regional seas conventions in implementing SDG14 in particular and other global commitments in general, at the macro-regional and sea-basin levels.

29.03.2022 - 31.03.2022

This workshop is part of a series of workshops organised under the STRONG High Seas project in the Southeast Atlantic and Southeast Pacific regions with the aim to bring together stakeholders to discuss current challenges as well as opportunities for global and regional ocean governance, foster exchange of knowledge and information, and build new networks. It will apply an interactive approach to enable information exchange between participants and feature action-oriented discussions with high-level actors and experts. This workshop aims to discuss lessons learnt and critical steps for regional and global action necessary to make progress towards integrated ocean management of the high seas.

17.11.2021 - 18.11.2021

At this workshop, we will discuss the challenges the Arctic marine environment is currently facing, learn from each other about innovative conservation approaches, and exchange ideas about ways forward to effectively protect the Arctic waters and their biodiversity. The workshop is a follow- up of a successful 2020 Arctic Marine Conservation Dialogue, which featured 40 international Arctic marine experts from government, NGOs, universities, and stakeholder associations.

16.11.2021 - 17.11.2021

This workshop is part of a series of workshops organised under the STRONG High Seas project in the Southeast Atlantic region with the aim to bring together member States and stakeholders to discuss current challenges as well as opportunities for global and regional ocean governance, foster exchange of knowledge and information, and build new networks.

06.10.2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted millions of people, causing significant loss of human life and unprecedented economic and social disruption. The ocean community, and especially those who depend upon marine resources for their livelihoods, have been affected and the various consequences of the crisis are still being felt by many of them. Around the world, States and intergovernmental organisations have launched emergency and recovery plans. Many stakeholders have called for these plans to include provisions for the ocean, to take advantage of its enormous contribution to sustainable development pathways.

25.08.2021

Venue
Zoom

The STRONG High Seas project will be running a series of virtual capacity development workshops through 2021.

26.05.2021 - 27.05.2021

The STRONG High Seas (‘Strengthening Regional Ocean Governance for the High Seas’) project and its regional partner the Permanent Commission for the South Pacific (CPPS) are organising the Joint Workshop – ‘The Role of Regional Cooperation Efforts for the High Seas of the Southeast Pacific’ – which will take place online on 26-27 May 2021.

25.03.2021

A recent IASS-UBA Policy Brief entitled "A comprehensive approach to the payment mechanism for deep seabed mining" was successfully launched during a webinar on 25 March 2021 with over 60 participants in attendance. The event centred on the core message of the policy brief, which was that greater emphasis needs to be placed on the environmental values and non-monetary benefits for humankind associated with the Area and its mineral resources, which are the common heritage of mankind, in developing the payment mechanism at the International Seabed Authority (ISA).

28.01.2021

The aim of this interactive workshop is to explore possible pathways to address the effects of the COVID-19 crisis in marine regions. It will bring together actors from different marine regions to (i) discuss the socio-economic and environmental impacts of COVID-19 in marine regions, (ii) explore options for immediate responses and longer-term recovery; and (iii) discuss impacts on regional cooperation and possible consequences for ocean governance.

14.12.2020 - 16.12.2020

The IOG Forum acts as a discussion and exchange platform that invites international actors from different fields to jointly discuss the [international ocean governance agenda of the European Union] (International Ocean Governance (IOG): an agenda for the future of our oceans).

25.11.2020 - 26.11.2020

The Arctic Marine Conservation Dialogue is an international expert workshop on marine nature conservation in the Arctic. During the workshop, challenges the Arctic marine environment is currently facing are discussed and ideas about ways forward to effectively protect the Arctic waters and their biodiversity are exchanged.

09.10.2020

The purpose of this workshop is to discuss a) the opportunities and challenges of regional initiatives and instruments in combatting marine plastic litter and b) their possible roles and contributions as part of a strengthened international framework including a potential future global agreement to combat marine plastic litter.

22.04.2020 - 24.04.2020

With the International Ocean Governance Forum (IOG-Forum), the European Commission together with the European External Action Service (EEAS) is developing a new discussion and exchange platform for international ocean governance under the lead of the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG Mare). As a kick-off, the three thematic working groups will offer online webinars between 22 and 24 April 2020 to present the objectives and contents of the IOG Forum and the thematic working groups.

26.02.2020 - 27.02.2020

This workshop is organised with the aim to bring together stakeholders to discuss current challenges as well as opportunities for global and regional ocean governance, foster exchange of knowledge and information, and build new networks. It will apply an interactive approach to enable information exchange between participants and explore various topics.

17.12.2019

Negotiations for a legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction have been taking place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York since 2018. This webinar will give the opportunity to learn more about the topic of marine genetic resources in the context of the global negotiations: from in-situ sampling to digital sequences and the role of marine science and capacity building.

02.10.2019

Was beschäftigt Schülerinnen und Schüler, wenn sie an den Klimawandel denken? Und wie können wir von Berlin aus unsere Ozeane schützen, die den Globus umspannen und eine zentrale Rolle im Klimasystem der Erde haben? Schülerinnen und Schüler aus Berlin zeigen eine interaktive Intervention inszeniert von der Berliner Künstlerin Lisa Rave und ARTPORT_making waves. Im Anschluss richten sie ihre Fragen in einem Fishbowl-Dialog an Expertinnen und Experten aus Wissenschaft, Kunst und Politik.

30.09.2019 - 02.10.2019

A unique space for actors from science, politics, civil society and the private sector to discuss impactful collaborative solutions to protect the ocean will take place from 30 September to 2 October 2019.

25.08.2019

This meeting builds on prior expert meetings held during the first and second rounds of negotiations in September 2018 and March 2019, respectively, that brought together participants to discuss the role and contribution of regional and sectoral ocean governance in developing and underpinning the implementation of a strong high seas agreement.

10.06.2019 - 12.06.2019

The Abidjan Convention Secretariat, the Nairobi Convention Secretariat, the ABNJ Deep Seas project and the STRONG High Seas (‘Strengthening Regional Ocean Governance for the High Seas’) project are pleased to invite to a Joint Workshop, which will take place in Cape Town, South Africa.

27.05.2019

Nach der zweiten Verhandlungsrunde im März/April 2019 und vor der dritten Sitzung der Regierungskonferenz (Intergovernmental Conference – IGC) im August 2019 in New York bietet sich eine gute Gelegenheit, eine erste Zwischenbilanz zu ziehen und Fragestellungen zum laufenden „BBNJ-Prozess“ im Austausch mit etwa 40 Vertretern aus Wissenschaft und Forschung, Wirtschaft, Zivilgesellschaft und Politik gemeinsam zu diskutieren.

16.04.2019

Effective monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) is critical for the success of marine conservation and management. Whereas States have the right to manage the marine resources within their national jurisdiction, the high seas are subject to a complex patchwork of international rules and regulations. As States begin to negotiate a new international agreement concerning areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ), there is growing interest in how MCS tools and policies can be applied to this vast global commons. This workshop in Paris, France,will focus primarily on possible options for strengthening MCS through a new international instrument on high seas biodiversity, currently under negotiation at the United Nations.

30.03.2019

In September 2018, after more than a decade of discussions, States began formal negotiations for a legally binding instrument for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in Marine Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction. This meeting in New York City builds on a prior expert meeting held during the first round of negotiations that brought together 65 participants to discuss the role and contribution of regional and sectoral ocean governance in developing and underpinning the implementation of a strong high seas agreement.

25.03.2019 - 05.04.2019

This UN side event is organized under the STRONG High Seas project and open to participants and delegates at the Intergovernmental Conference on an international legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction

13.03.2019 - 15.03.2019

The Secretariat of the Comisión Permanente del Pacífico Sur (CPPS), the ABNJ Deep Seas project and the STRONG High Seas (‘Strengthening Regional Ocean Governance for the High Seas’) project are organising the Joint Workshop – Science for solutions: bringing stakeholders together to improve ocean planning and governance – which will take place 13-15 March 2019 in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

26.02.2019

This side event presents results of the international expert workshop that took place from 26 to 29 November 2018 in Potsdam, Germany, organized by the German Environment Agency and the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies.

05.02.2019 - 07.02.2019

This workshop organised under the STRONG High Seas project brings together regional stakeholders and experts in order to discuss and exchange on technical and scientific information relevant to marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction. This output of this regional collaboration will feed into the scientific work of the STRONG High Seas project and help to inform the Southeast Pacific assessment for an upcoming report covering the ecological baseline of the region. The workshop is organised by regional partners WWF Colombia and UCN.

26.11.2018 - 29.11.2018

Following up on a dialogue meeting with national stakeholders in June 2018, this international expert workshop addressed ecomomic implications of the implementation of the Common Heritage of Mankind principle when developing the enabling legislation for deep seabed mining in the Area.

08.09.2018

Marine Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ) cover about half of the planet’s surface, have high biodiversity and deliver important ecosystem services. While there is a growing economic and political interest in exploitation of marine resources in ABNJ, there is to date no comprehensive global instrument for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in these areas (BBNJ).

03.09.2018

This training is targeted to support State delegates to the negotiations on an international legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ). It will be the opportunity to bring together ministry representatives and UN negotiators from the Southeast Pacific and Southeast Atlantic regions.

16.08.2018

Dealing with topics around the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in ABNJ, this webinar will specifically focus on the status and role of marine biodiversity in ABNJ, including the threats and challenges it faces as well as the opportunities for its conservation and sustainable use, both globally and in the Southeast Pacific and Southeast Atlantic regions.

27.06.2018 - 28.06.2018

This event is the first part of a series of Dialogue Workshops in the Southeast Atlantic region. It will explore the current status and challenges of ocean governance in the Southeast Atlantic, especially with regard to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

20.06.2018

Anforderungen des Prinzips „Common Heritage of Mankind“ und der ökonomischen Theorie „Naturkapital“ sowie Ausgestaltung eines angemessenen Finanzmechanismus

Das Seerechtsübereinkommen hat den Tiefseeboden und seine Ressourcen zum Gemeinsamen Erbe der Menschheit erklärt („Common Heritage of Mankind“). Ein Kernelement dieses Prinzips ist die Verpflichtung zum Vorteilsausgleich („benefit sharing“).

13.06.2018 - 14.06.2018

This workshop in Cali, Colombia, will focus on the current status and challenges of global and regional ocean governance in the Southeast Pacific region. Its purpose is to foster exchange among stakeholders, build new networks, and identify key interests and challenges, especially with regard to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity, with a focus on areas beyond national jurisdiction.

07.11.2017

Effektiver Vollzug eines umweltverträglichen Tiefseebergbaus: Die Aufgabe der „Sponsoring States“ mit besonderem Blick auf Deutschland und unter Berücksichtigung der Aufgaben der Organe der „International Seabed Authority“ (ISA)

15.11.2016

A second dialogue meeting, jointly organised by UBA and IASS, took place at IASS on November 15, 2016. 21 participants from science, ministries and advisory bodies, NGOs and other stakeholders discussed the ‘Common Heritage of Mankind’ Principle in context with the globally adopted sustainability agenda (UN Agenda 2030). The issue was whether and if yes how the implementation of the Principle could be adjusted to today´s need for a balanced approach to ecosystem protection and use.

19.04.2016

Das Fachgespräch „Entwicklung der Umwelt-Regeln für Tiefseebergbau im Gebiet: Welche Transparenz und öffentliche Beteiligung brauchen wir“ soll zur Formulierung von Empfehlungen und Anforderungen an Transparenz und Beteiligung in der Governance des Tiefseebergbaus im R