T10-6
The Coral Research and Development Accelerator Platform (CORDAP) seeks to fund innovative, transformative ideas and technologies that could allow us to conserve and/or restore coral reefs and other coral-based habitats affordably and at-scale. Although science is at the heart of this novel initiative, it will also be critical to simultaneously work towards growing the capacity to undertake effect coral research, conservation, and, when necessary, restoration in those areas where coral reefs in particular are located; the majority of the planet’s coral reefs are located in the territorial waters of low- to middle-income countries, many of which lack the personnel and infrastructure needed to successfully stage coral reef interventions. In an effort to develop capacity for successful coral research in developing nations, CORDAP has been 1) requiring that all proposals submitted to our “Coral Accelerator Program” (1.5-million USD awards for projects up to three years) include at least one developing country partner (and preferably being led by a developing country researcher and based at their major area of work), 2) staging workshops whereby developing country coral visionaries discuss their needs with capacity development experts to draft actionable plans to overcome barriers, 3) raising the visibility of both senior coral “champions” and more junior “rising stars” and providing them with both funding opportunities for their research and conservation/restoration projects and a research support network (including mentorships by more established members in the field) that they can depend upon to realize their coral projects, and 4) initiating a coral conservation and restoration academy (“Coral School”) that will provide training in not only basic coral biology, reef ecology, and the latest methods needed to conserve and restore reefs, but also the skills needed to serve as local and regional trainers of the aforementioned material (i.e., “train the trainers”). Through these, and other, capacity development initiatives, we seek to grow a large network of coral scientists, conservationists, and restoration practitioners through which we will implement the in-water activities flowing from the groundbreaking science and technologies developed through our CAP program. In this way, we will have cemented both the scientific and human capacity needed to climate-proof intact reefs, or restore degraded ones, on a truly global scale in a manner in which cutting-edge approaches rapidly make their way to those on-the-ground practitioners who serve as the stewards of their imperiled reefs.
How to cite: Gummalla, M. R., Cebrian, J., Steckbauer, A., and Duarte, C.: Growing the capacity for affordable, large-scale coral conservation and restoration in developing countries: an update on initiatives led by the G20 Coral Research and Development Accelerator Platform (CORDAP), One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-1616, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-1616, 2025.
Ocean acidification (OA) is threatening marine ecosystems worldwide, with potential follow-on effects on the economies of ocean-dependent communities. The urgent need to mitigate and minimize the impacts of OA is a scientific and political priority, as highlighted by the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report (IPCC, 2022) and by the inclusion of OA as a target in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. More than 20 years of strong scientific evidence on the impacts of OA provides compelling arguments for urgent CO2 mitigation. Assessing local adaptation possibilities require information at local scales, considering the variabilities in marine ecosystem responses to OA. Sustained measurements and assessment of OA effects on key marine species in developing countries is hindered by a general lack of OA literacy and exacerbated by a lack of infrastructure, instrumentation, and financial support.
The International Atomic Energy Agency launched its Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre (OA-ICC) in 2012, in response to increasing concern about OA by its Member States. The OA-ICC acts as a global hub for coordinated action in three key areas: science, capacity building and communication. The Centre provides opportunities for training and networking for Member States, promotes the development of standardized methodologies and best practices, and provides a number of databases and resources. The OA-ICC works hand in hand with IOC-UNESCO and other international players to ensure a common vision and coordinated international response to address ocean acidification, in the framework of the UN Ocean Decade programme on ocean acidification, OARS (Ocean Acidification Research for Sustainability).
Over the past 12 years, the OA-ICC has trained more than 800 scientists from over 100 IAEA Member States on how to study, report and take action on ocean acidification. The Centre has developed a multi-level capacity building program from basic training to collaborative research, tailored to the needs of Member States. Pre- and post-course evaluations have enabled improved format, content, and teaching methods. A technical questionnaire is used to assess the needs and existing capacities of countries. Each institution’s capacity is reflected by a number between 1 (full capacity for OA research) and 4 (lack of basic infrastructure). This presentation will showcase lessons learned and success stories of more than a decade of capacity building on ocean acidification by the Centre and its partners.
How to cite: Dupont, S., Edworthy, C., Sánchez-Noguera, C., Metian, M., Friedrich, J., Flickinger, S., Bantelman, A., Galdino, C., Graba, F., Anghelici, O., Hansson, L., and Witkowski, C.: The IAEA Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre Capacity Building Program: Empowering Member States to Address and Minimize the Impacts of Ocean Acidification, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-1401, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-1401, 2025.
Oceanic CO2 measurements are important for a wide range of scientific studies, including better understanding the role of the oceans in uptake of atmospheric CO2 (climate-related studies), characterizing the change in the composition of seawater as a result of this uptake of CO2, and working to comprehend its implications for organisms and ecosystems (ocean acidification studies), and more recently studying how the oceans might be manipulated to increase this uptake of CO2 (marine carbon dioxide removal: mCDR) while, perhaps, mitigating the effects of ocean acidification.
My laboratory at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography has been producing, certifying, and distributing reference materials for oceanic CO2 measurements since 1990. These have been used in over 120 laboratories in almost 60 countries around the world to assist in the quality control of oceanic CO2 measurements. We have also carried out various interlaboratory comparisons to better understand the overall community capacity to make such measurements.
In this presentation, I shall report on our reference material program, and will present some data from an (as yet unpublished) interlaboratory comparison of measurements of total alkalinity, total dissolved inorganic carbon, and of pHT that was made some years ago. Based on these experiences, I should like to make suggestions as to how I feel the international ocean CO2 measuring community might work together to ensure that measurements made to support various future activities are of sufficient quality for their intended purposes.
Typically, this requires that the measurements of the various parameters be made with a well-defined uncertainty, and that the uncertainty achieved be sufficiently small so as to achieve the intended purpose. The presentation will discuss the steps needed to ensure this, steps which – if followed – will enhance community capacity to make these important measurements.
How to cite: Dickson, A.: Ensuring oceanic CO2 measurements of appropriate quality for both academic and marine carbon dioxide removal needs., One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-748, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-748, 2025.
Since soon after the accident at Fukushima Daichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) in March 2011, scientific bodies in Japan have undertaken intensive monitoring to assess the radiological consequences of the accident, including in the marine environment. This monitoring provides data for assessing the safety of radiation levels and the public’s exposure to radiation. It also addresses the continuing concern of scientists and the public about FDNPS in Japan and internationally. But how can we be sure that the resulting data reflects the actual levels in the different media being measured?
To address this issue, since 2014, the IAEA has been helping Japan to ensure the high quality of its monitoring data and to prove the comparability of the results through a series of interlaboratory comparisons (ILCs) and proficiency tests (PTs). The ILCs are based on relevant radionuclides, including isotopes of Cs and Pu, 90Sr and 3H, in seawater, marine sediment and fish samples collected from coastal waters in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. These samples are collected jointly by IAEA staff and Japanese scientists and split between participating laboratories in Japan and IAEA. In some ILCs, laboratories in other countries, members of the IAEA ALMERA (Analytical Laboratories for the Measurement of Environmental Radioactivity) network, take part, with selection based on capability and demonstrable performance in relevant analytical techniques. The PTs are based on seawater samples spiked with radionuclides relevant to the accident at FDNPS, including radiocaesium, 90Sr and 3H.
More recently, in April 2021, Japan announced its Basic Policy on handling of the ALPS (Advanced Liquid Processing System) treated water currently stored in tanks at FDNPS through controlled discharge into the sea surrounding the plant, subject to national regulatory approvals. A radiological characterization of the treated water to be discharged and relevant marine environmental monitoring are required to support Japan’s radiological environmental impact assessment (REIA) for ensuring the protection of people and the environment. A similar query can be raised in this case: how can we be sure that the measurement results used as radiological input to the REIA are accurate and precise?
Here too the IAEA is actively corroborating this data, using both ILCs and PTs. The ILCs are based on a broad range of radionuclides relevant to ALPS treated water, including 3H, 14C and 129I, in both treated water from the tanks at FDNPS prior to discharge and in environmental media including seawater, fish and seaweed from locations around FDNPS.
In this paper we describe in more detail the methodology used for each verification initiative, highlighting commonalities and distinctions. We present the results so far available and the conclusions which can subsequently be drawn on the performance of Japanese laboratories and the veracity of Japan’s measurement data related to FDNPS.
How to cite: Osvath, I., Mc Ginnity, P., Blinova, O., Levy, I., Pham, M. K., Putra, D., and Sobiech-Matura, K.: Marine Monitoring: Confidence Building and Data Quality Assurance – 10 years of verification of Japan’s marine environmental monitoring data quality following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-1341, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-1341, 2025.
What’s hiding in the deep ocean ? Our understanding of this complex realm and its associated biodiversity is hampered by a lack of fundamental knowledge. Faced with increased human presence, deep-ocean ecosystems are now threatened by emerging activities such as the exploitation of marine mineral resources, the development of blue (bio)technologies but also by cumulative anthropic pressures to its deepest part (global warming, pollution, …). The international scientific? community working on deep-ocean ecosystems recognises that this lack of knowledge can hinder the sustainable use of the ocean and lead to the underestimation of the impacts of a potential exploitation.
In the meantime, the deep ocean is invisible to the general public although it represents the largest biome on Earth and is a key player in carbon sequestration and climate regulation. In order to inform these economic, ecological and societal issues, Ifremer commits to enable the appropriation of current science by different actors of the society, schoolchildren, students, general public, decision-makers, through various approaches based on exchange, practice and arts, rather than just dissemination of scientific information. The outreach tools and actions developed aim to provide citizens and stakeholders with tools to investigate, question what they observe, sharpen their critical thinking and stimulate their curiosity in order to emancipate oneself, and ultimately, to shed light on this hidden part of our planet, the abyss.
Through a few examples, from laboratory guided tours for politicians to citizen science or art & science projects, we will present different actions developed to improve our societies’ perceptions of the deep sea, raise awareness of the environmental and societal issues at stake, and encourage questioning and debate among scientists, artists, citizens, institutions, decision-makers and the future generations.
How to cite: Borremans, C., Sarradin, P.-M., Matabos, M., Sarrazin, J., Tourolle, J., and Burdallet, J.: Make the invisible visible: the deep sea in outreach, scientific communication and art & science project, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-968, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-968, 2025.
Brown seaweed blooms (i.e. overgrowth of native seaweed) and invasions (i.e. introduction, establishment and dispersal of non-native seaweed with associated impacts) have affected 29% of the Earth's coast. For example, the proliferation of invasive pelagic sargassum across the tropical Atlantic poses significant environmental challenges and socio-economic problems to coastal communities. This study investigates the role of citizen science in enhancing local responses to nuisance seaweed. By integrating communities in Ghana, Mexico and Jamaica affected by invasive sargassum spp., and the UK affected by blooming ulva spp., the research uses four innovative approaches: (1) establishing permanent volunteer monitoring stations, (2) providing training on coastal monitoring, (3) co-creating educational content for schools and (4) forming an international network for experience sharing. The monitoring stations – Ghana (n = 7), Mexico (n = 7), Jamaica (n = 2) and the UK (n = 1) – enable communities to collect data by photographing their coastlines. These images provide valuable insights into seaweed seasonality and its localised impacts. Community engagement is deepened through tailored educational programs for students aged 11-18, fostering an understanding of seaweed dynamics and adaptive measures. The establishment of the Seaweed School and Community Network amplifies these efforts by connecting seaweed-affected regions, facilitating knowledge exchange and collaborative problem-solving. Our findings suggest that citizen science offers an intervention point to work with communities to help them learn about the problem and share knowledge of how to handle these challenges. It generates important data and more informed citizens can engage more effectively in co-developing locally-appropriate seaweed policy through this process. Given that other seaweed species are blooming/invading in coastal regions across the planet, the lessons being generated from community monitoring of sargassum and ulva have the potential to drive improved adaptations to nuisance algae globally.
How to cite: Dominguez Almela, V. and Notarangelo, G.: Empowering communities through citizen science in seaweed management, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-453, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-453, 2025.
Created in November 2023 and founded in October 2024, NOWA Network of Women in Aquaculture is a social entrepreneurship initiative dedicated to promoting gender equality, sustainability and inclusivity across the global aquaculture industry. Our initiatives focus on providing training, resources, and support to women in the aquaculture industry, empowering them to lead and thrive.
NOWA's journey began in June 2023 during a transformative training session in Athens, facilitated by the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) of the FAO, along with FEAP and HAPO, to implement the GFCM Resolution GFCM/45/2022/1 on empowering women in aquaculture. This pivotal event brought together eleven women from the Mediterranean and Black Sea and with diverse backgrounds i.e. students, researchers, and entrepreneurs, all driven by a shared commitment to sustainable aquaculture. Under the expert guidance of these leading international organisations, the participants recognized a significant gap in the industry: the need for a dedicated network to support and empower women in aquaculture. This realisation laid the foundation for NOWA, aimed at bridging these gaps by providing a global platform for support, training, and advocacy, transforming the aquaculture industry from within.
As a non-profit organisation, we advocate for gender equality, sustainable aquaculture practices, and the importance of women's leadership in the industry. We raise awareness about the challenges and opportunities for women in aquaculture. The founding members of NOWA are a group of inspiring women, each a leader in her own right, representing the diverse sectors of aquaculture and fisheries across the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions. We bring together a wealth of knowledge, experience, and passion to drive the mission of NOWA.
Through the development of mentoring programs, training courses, and networking opportunities, NOWA is committed to building a strong and supportive network for women in aquaculture and transforming the aquaculture industry, ensuring that women’s contributions are recognized and valued.
Our mission is to contribute to creating a future where women play a leading role in driving positive change in aquaculture, managing healthy marine ecosystems, offering comprehensive scientific insights, and providing food security. We envision a world where women have equal access to resources, representation in decision-making processes, and are recognized as key stakeholders in the sustainable development of aquaculture.
For this reason, we firmly believe that our participation in the One Ocean Science Congress will provide valuable insights by amplifying the voices of women working in aquaculture, highlighting their technical and scientific contributions to addressing the critical challenges facing our oceans. By doing so, we aim to enrich the dialogue with innovative solutions and a holistic approach, fostering stronger connections among science, society, action, and policy. This will also promote broader engagement with civil society. To further this goal, we propose organising a roundtable to involve other experts present at the event in the discussion.
How to cite: Bellomo, I., Zantioti, C., Suc, M., and Rodriguez Valle, G.: Empowering change in Ocean Science: raising women's voices through a supportive network, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-757, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-757, 2025.
Posters on site | Poster area "La Baleine"
Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals requires equitable scientific partnership and a transdisciplinary, citizen-based approach to science. The French Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), which has just celebrated its 80th anniversary, has built long-term partnerships with over 60 countries in the Global South and overseas territories. Its unique model promotes equitable scientific collaboration, both within and outside the scientific community, based on mutual respect and shared expertise. Regarding ocean sciences, the institute promotes the advancement of scientific research in collaboration with countries from the Global South by encouraging and coordinating research efforts to fill gaps in our understanding of the ocean, marine socio-ecosystems and their interactions with climate.
In collaboration with our partners in the Global South and the Global North, and through a transdisciplinary approach, we are committed to developing “the science we need for the ocean we want”. By aligning ourselves with the Ocean Decade, we are demonstrating our commitment to global initiatives aimed at advancing ocean science, sustainability and conservation through a solid network of partnerships that combine research, knowledge exchange and capacity building of scientists and institutions in the Global South and Overseas territories. The co-construction of these partnerships is based on original complementary and long-term support mechanisms and programmes : Research Grants for PhD in the Global South programme (3 years), Emerging Teams associated with IRD (JEAI, 3 years), International Research Networks (IRN, 8 years), International Joint laboratories (IJL, 10 years). 60% of IRD publications are co-published with our partners in the Global South.
In this way, as part of an interdisciplinary, collaborative and inclusive approach, we are building shared expertise that integrates local constraints and global issues to address the following challenges facing the ocean:
- Understand the role of oceans from global to local scales, including oceanic and coastal socio-ecosystems, in climate variability and global climate change and anticipating the reciprocal impacts of climate variability and global climate change.
- Understand the functioning of coastal and marine socio-ecosystems and the complex interactions between the multiple components of these systems, their multi-scale variability and their response to natural and anthropogenic factors in order to reconcile the often contradictory objectives of resource exploitation and biodiversity conservation and to design solutions aimed at ensuring a sustainable and fair trajectory for the ocean.
- Study the impact of ocean pollution and provide valuable insight into the sources, consequences and potential mitigation strategies of ocean pollutants.
How to cite: Herrmann, M., Inthavong, E., Pringault, O., Duvail, S., Lanco, S., and Lévy, M.: Building equitable partnerships with countries of the Global South, the core of IRD's commitment to ocean sciences, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-230, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-230, 2025.
Nearly 40% of the world's population lives within 100 km of the coast. Coastal ecosystems are subject to growing anthropic pressures putting at risk many vital services for the development and well-being of populations. Monitoring these ecosystems efficiently is thus a necessity in order to evaluate and reduce marine pollution, as prioritized by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG target 14.1). As recommended in the Global Ocean Science Report1 and across the UN Ocean Decade initiative2, it is crucial to improve the scientific knowledge through actions aiming at strengthening the capacities of regions and communities to protect the marine ecosystems.
The “Chemical monitoring of Coastal environments Summer School” was created to transfer operational skills for the protection and sustainable management of marine resources in developing countries. Since October 2022, 20 academic trainees from 12 countries (Brazil, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Mauritania, Vietnam, Thailand and The Philippines) attended a 2-week program in Nantes (France) to gain scientific knowledge and practical guidelines in sampling, marine chemical data analysis and interpretation for marine coastal chemical monitoring.
This action, co-funded by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), addresses two main goals: 1) transferring educational program to academic staff including targeted scientific knowledge and standardized analytical protocols and 2) creating a worldwide mentored network of experts able to monitor the Ocean pollution in areas where chemical data is scarce. Topics such as monitoring network design, sampling strategy, chemical analysis (metals, organic pollutants, nutrients) or chemical risk assessment were addressed by combining scientific lectures (Biogeochemistry, Ecotoxicology, Environmental Psychology, Scientific Mediation …) and practical work from the field to the lab.
This presentation intends to share feedback experience after completion of two sessions of the summer school. This program was endorsed by the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development under the framework of the Global Estuaries Monitoring Program (Program 176).
1. IOC-UNESCO. 2020. Global Ocean Science Report 2020 – Charting Capacity for Ocean Sustainability. K. Isensee (ed.), Paris, UNESCO Publishing.
2. UN Decade of ocean science for sustainable development 2021-2023 https://oceandecade.org/
How to cite: Ponzevera, E., Sanchez, W., Platzgummer, E., and Lecouffe, C.: Building a network of marine chemical pollution experts in developing countries: a summer school targeted at the transfer of scientific knowledge and capacity building, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-308, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-308, 2025.
Ocean sustainability links human survival with ecological health, the global economy, and cultural continuity. As noted in the description of Theme 1, efforts to promote this sustainability require recognition that the ocean and its problems are complex and therefore require integrated and comprehensive approaches from different knowledge and perspectives. Although this is understood by the academic community, the interdisciplinary articulations and contributions have not been easy and often end up as isolated outputs with limited scope.
As an institution of higher education, the Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica (UNA) is characterized by its rigorous approach to ocean and coastal issues. We also have extensive experience in engaging coastal and island populations in addressing a range of sustainability and appropriate ocean management issues, from citizen science practices to innovative commercial uses with diverse impacts on communities and informing public policy.
Currently, UNA's work tends to a certain fragmentation, to the point where people from different disciplines working on the same issue do not know each other. This fragmentation leads to a smaller range of research outputs and impacts.
UNA’s Vice Rector's Office of Research (VrOR) has been promoting and strengthening an comprehensive vision of the marine and coastal scientific and social problems towards a sustainable ocean and social wellbeing. But inter and transdisciplinary work requires many efforts from academic management, to create capacities, seek funding or improve the exchange of results and fundamentally to achieve the collective creation of knowledge.
With this goal, the VrOR propose the following actions:
- Establish a Multidisciplinary Commission capable of bringing together experts from multiple disciplines and academic units to foster collaboration and information sharing. At the end of 2023, VrOR established a Commission with the participation of academics’ specialist in oceanography, population studies, geography, marine biodiversity, international relations and law of the sea, seismology, hydrology, social and community planification and marine ecology, that has monthly meetings and coordinate actions.
- Undertake a Comprehensive Inventory of Initiatives: Create a database of ongoing projects and research to improve visibility, capacity building and coordination. With this information the VrOR coordinated the organization of the Congress on the Integration of Knowledge for a Sustainable Ocean (CISOS24), as the academic counterpart of the High-Level Event on Ocean Action: Immersed in Change.
- Develop Concrete Proposals: Formulate actionable strategies to tackle pressing ocean-related issues, drawing on the combined expertise of our teams. One step has been the participation in the Solidarity Fund for Innovative Projects (FSPI) and the Fonds Equipe France (FEF) programmed overseen by the French Embassy in Costa Rica.
- Maximize Resources: Pooling financial human, and knowledge resources to increase the impact of our initiatives and promote a more sustainable oceanic future.
- Leverage our collective knowledge and resources to inspire meaningful change, like a book that is been prepared with the participation of multiple academics.
How to cite: Pino Chacon, G. and González Vargas, P.: Uniting Forces: knowledge exchange for an integral approach to Ocean Sustainability, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-420, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-420, 2025.
The capacity sharing approach of the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR) focuses on supporting opportunities for individual ocean scientists and students within SCOR’s portfolio of scientific activities and through targeted capacity development opportunities. This presentation focuses on SCOR’s travel grant program, which has supported the attendance of early career researchers (ECRs) from developing countries at conferences, workshops, trainings/courses, and other meetings with an ocean science component since 1984. It will include the findings from an analysis of SCOR’s digital records of supported events and recipients from 1999-2023, prepared for publication in the special issue of Oceanography on A Vision for Capacity Sharing in the Ocean Sciences. This analysis provides insights into the geographical distribution of host countries and recipient home countries, provides lessons for administering such a program, and suggests directions for future growth. This program can be utilized by the ocean science community broadly to expand international participation and cooperation in their efforts. It can also serve as a model for other organizations to implement a program that supports their own regional or disciplinary priorities.
How to cite: Zitoun, R., Twigg, E., Miloslavich, P., and Urban, E.: Enhancing Global Ocean Science Networks: The Impact of SCOR’s Travel Grant Initiative, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-463, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-463, 2025.
Observing the ocean is essential not only for understanding natural cycles but also for tracking the impacts of human activities on marine environments and biodiversity. Reliable ocean data enables accurate predictions, informs policy, and empowers decision-makers to take effective actions to mitigate and adapt to climate change, as well as to protect and restore vital marine ecosystems. Despite significant advancements in ocean observation technology, there remain substantial gaps in our observational capacity, particularly in areas that are difficult to access or where financial, scientific, and technological resources are constrained. This challenge is especially pronounced for developing countries, which often lack the infrastructure and capacity required to establish and maintain comprehensive ocean observatory systems.
The Partnership for Observation of the Global Ocean (POGO) is dedicated to addressing these gaps through training, networking, and technology transfer initiatives, empowering scientists and institutions in developing countries to build sustainable ocean science and observation capacities. As underscored by the Global Ocean Science Report, there is a critical need for building human capacity. Over the past 25 years, POGO has prioritised capacity development, focusing on nurturing the next generation of ocean science experts and leaders.
POGO’s capacity development programme supports global ocean science by providing professional training opportunities that expand worldwide capacity for sustained ocean observations, data collection, analysis, and interpretation of scientific results to benefit society.
The programme’s core initiatives include research fellowships and scholarships that offer: i) training at advanced oceanographic institutions, where trainees gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge equipment and techniques; ii) regional training programmes hosted by institutions in developing countries, tailored to the specific resources and conditions of each region; and iii) shipboard training, either through spare berths on scheduled research cruises or dedicated training voyages on transiting ships.
Since 2001, POGO has trained over 1,300 early-career ocean professionals from 96 countries, primarily from emerging economies. Many alumni have since taken on influential roles in oceanographic institutes, universities, and government agencies, contributing to the global ocean science and policy communities.
In partnership with the Nippon Foundation, POGO further supports its alumni through the NF-POGO Alumni Network for the Ocean (NANO), which fosters continued networking and collaboration. NANO enables alumni-led initiatives, including the development of low-cost devices for citizen science and the establishment of an alumni-managed network of 33 time-series coastal monitoring stations in 18 countries. These stations track essential ocean variables, providing valuable, long-term data that strengthen our understanding of ocean health.
As an implementing partner of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, POGO’s efforts are dedicated to transforming the Decade's visionary goals into tangible, actionable outcomes. Our capacity development programmes are contributing to overcoming the barriers identified for Challenge 9 “Skills, knowledge and technology for all”.
How to cite: Krug, L., Beckman, F., and Seeyave, S.: TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION: POGO’s CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-600, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-600, 2025.
Marine taxonomy—the science of discovering, describing, and classifying marine organisms—is the cornerstone of understanding our ocean biodiversity. Despite its critical importance for conservation, sustainable management, achieving global targets like the 30-by-30 initiative, and helping to tackle climate destabilisation, food insecurity and biodiversity destruction, taxonomy is facing a crisis. Taxonomy is in decline due to lack of investment and retirements, whilst novel techniques are still under utilised in this field.
Taxonomist positions are limited by insufficient funding, and a lack of training opportunities. Accepted processes do not yet take full advantage of new technologies, with many methods being time-consuming and often inaccessible to researchers in low and middle income nations. These limitations hamper knowledge exchange and slow the discovery of new species.
The need to invest in documenting biodiversity and the skills required to do this is urgent and advancements in technology offer transformative potential enabling faster and more accurate species identification and fostering global knowledge exchange - at speed and scale.
This presentation explores the urgent need to accelerate species discovery, to increase capacity in marine taxonomy and biodiversity research, and how modern methodologies can address current challenges. We will present data highlighting the need to discover ocean life, how discovery can help tackle global challenges and help nations meet national and international commitments. The session will also reveal the rapid evolution of taxonomic practices and how new technologies are being harnessed to rejuvenate the field.
We will introduce initiatives by The Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census Alliance, a global collaborative programme - combining scientists from over 350 institutes - dedicated to accelerating marine species discovery. The Ocean Census is actively building capacity through workshops, training programmes, and funding support, particularly targeting early-career scientists and researchers from underrepresented regions.
Our work aligns with the conference themes of inspiring responsibility and respect for the ocean by integrating across knowledge systems and ensuring science informs ocean action through ambitious investment in inclusive fundamental research and interdisciplinary knowledge generation. We advocate for renewed investment in taxonomy as a fundamental science essential for informed ocean stewardship. Attendees will gain insights into how collective efforts in capacity building and technological innovation can overcome the taxonomic impediment, ultimately contributing to more effective conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity.
How to cite: Coley, K. and Woodall, L.: Revitalising Marine Taxonomy: Capacity Building and Innovation through the Ocean Census, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-707, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-707, 2025.
EMSO ERIC is a cutting-edge research infrastructure that provides critical insights into the deep ocean's dynamics and seabed geophysics. To ensure the sustainability of ocean research and feed the next generation of marine scientists, EMSO has initiated two key initiatives: the EMSO Academy and the Personnel Exchange Program.
The EMSO Academy aims to offer a diverse selection of courses tailored to meet the needs of various audiences, including researchers, students, and industry professionals within the marine sector. It encompasses a broad spectrum of topics, ranging from introductory to advanced levels, and addresses critical subjects such as Ocean Instrumentation and Technology, Data Science and Analysis, Marine Ecosystem Monitoring and Modeling, as well as Policy, Communication and Management.
By providing accessible and engaging educational experiences, leveraging training sessions, webinars, internships, and summer schools organised by the ERIC and its network of Partner Institutions and Regional Facilities, the EMSO Academy seeks to empower individuals to acquire the requisite skills and knowledge and foster a collaborative environment.
Concurrently, EMSO ERIC is in the final stages of launching the Personnel Exchange Program, an integral component of its Strategic Plan for the medium and long-term vision. This initiative offers a distinctive opportunity to facilitate knowledge transfer and practical hands-on experience regarding operational procedures through the mobility of EMSO ERIC staff among its Regional Facilities. This initiative will promote the exchange of skills, techniques, and innovative methodologies to better address urgent oceanographic challenges.
How to cite: Pero, S., Donnelly, F., and Puillat, I.: Empowering the Next Generation of Ocean Scientists: The Role of EMSO Academy and Personnel Exchange, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-1045, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-1045, 2025.
The third Agreement under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) was adopted by consensus in June 2023 with the goal “to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, for the present and in the long term”. It addresses four primary topics: i) marine genetic resources including the fair and equitable sharing of benefits, ii) measures such as area-based management tools, including marine protected areas, iii) environmental impact assessments and iv) capacity building and the transfer of marine technology. Other existing instruments address specific geographies or specific issues. The BBNJ Agreement shall be applied in a manner that does not undermine relevant existing institutions, frameworks, and bodies.
At the occasion of the UN Ocean Conference 2025, an online course on biodiversity conservation in the international oceanic spaces will be launched. It will expose the existing conservation tools to protect biodiversity from human activities in areas beyond national jurisdictions (ABNJ) and explore the added value of the BBNJ Agreement in relation to biodiversity conservation. The objective is to have an overview of the human activities which can potentially impact biodiversity, understand how they can affect biodiversity and see which conservation tools, in the complex ocean governance framework, can be applied. The last part of the course will focus on the BBNJ Agreement and explore how it can have the potential to redefine the relationships among existing international frameworks and bodies and improve their coherence for more holistic ocean governance as described by Kim (2024). The objective of this course is to acculturate the different ocean actors (NGOs, researchers, students, policy-makers, diplomats, etc.) aiming to foster dialogue between them to better implement conservation measures in the ocean in a collaborative way.
This MOOC is produced in the context of a project funded by the French Facility for Global Environment (FFEM), SARGADOM (Contribute to a hybrid governance to protect and manage remarkable areas of the high seas: Thermal Dome and Sargasso Sea; https://sargadom.com/en/), in partnership with MarViva, the Sargasso Sea Commission and the French Biodiversity Agency.
How to cite: Richard, J., Bailly, D., Guillou, C., Guimezanes, M., Leclerc, T., and Quéffelec, B.: Online course on biodiversity conservation in the international oceanic spaces, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-1047, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-1047, 2025.
Oceans and marine coastal zones provide essential ecosystem services, crucial for maintaining our planet’s health and supporting human well-being. However, these ecosystems face threats from both local and global stressors, including climate change and pollution. To mitigate these threats, a combination of individual actions, policy changes, and global cooperation is required.
In this context, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has recently launched a new global capacity-building project aimed at improving ocean health and achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 13, 14, and 17. These goals include the need for integrated scientific research on marine pollution, climate change, ocean acidification, and the carbon cycle at a global level.
The project focuses on consolidating and integrating existing capacities in IAEA Member States for coastal marine monitoring, established through the IAEA’s Technical Assistance projects over recent decades. This strategic approach aims to develop a global network of marine laboratories proficient in using nuclear and isotopic techniques to provide responses to stakeholders at national, regional, and global levels. These responses will cover the monitoring and risk assessment of marine biotoxin and marine pollution by mercury, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and natural and artificial radionuclides.
Additionally, the project will integrate capacities to provide analytical responses in emergency situations and address SDG indicator 14.3 on ocean acidification. It also aims to strengthen global capacities to establish inventories and rates of blue carbon sequestration in coastal vegetative ecosystems. This effort will generate knowledge and scientific data to enhance understanding of the processes affecting ocean health and inform decision-making for the protection and conservation of the oceans, in line with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
This presentation will highlight the innovative approach of this unique project, addressing multiple major topics related to ocean health at once and it will provide up-to-date outcomes of this four-year international initiative.
How to cite: Metian, M., Osvath, I., Tolosa, I., Bersuder, P., Azemard, S., Hatje, V., Alonso Hernandez, C., and Salame, P.: New global capacity enhancement approach to strengthening Ocean Health for Sustainable Development, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-1106, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-1106, 2025.
Surfer Scientists explores the intersection of surfing culture, indigenous knowledge, and community-based science to enhance biodiversity conservation and Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) monitoring and reporting across South American and Asian coastal regions. Through the Surfer Scientists initiative, coastal communities use their passion for surfing as a gateway to engage in citizen science, mapping and monitoring surf breaks with affordable, easy-to-use devices. This initiative not only builds local capacity for sustainable marine resource management but also provides a means of preserving ecosystems, offering educational and economic opportunities, and generating essential data for local and international stakeholders, including the United Nations.
Indigenous communities possess extensive ecological insights from generations of close interaction with their environments. By involving these communities in data collection, analysis, and interpretation, the project seeks to bridge data gaps, enhance scientific understanding, and foster a mutual exchange of traditional and scientific knowledge. Our project highlights approaches for forming equitable partnerships with indigenous groups, co-developing monitoring frameworks and best practices that integrate traditional knowledge and scientific methods. These frameworks allow communities to monitor coral reef ecosystems, biodiversity, habitat health, and coastal erosion, reflecting both indigenous practices and the scientific rigor required for global biodiversity goals.
Digital platforms and community-based monitoring tools play a crucial role, facilitating accurate, high-resolution data collection by local participants. Case studies showcase best practices in embedding indigenous knowledge into NBS monitoring and reporting, creating participatory frameworks that bolster both local and international conservation efforts.
Key Points:
- Surfing’s global popularity, with over 25 million surfers, provides a unique, untapped avenue for marine conservation.
- Younger, engaged surfing demographics, including indigenous surfers, represent an ideal target for conservation efforts in remote, biodiverse regions.
- This initiative fosters sustainable tourism and supports local livelihoods while contributing vital data for managing ocean health and biodiversity.
In conclusion, integrating surfing culture, indigenous knowledge, and community-based data collection across coastal communities presents a transformative opportunity to enhance environmental stewardship, support sustainable livelihoods and culture, and advance biodiversity conservation on a global scale.
Surfing is huge. It presents a huge opportunity to assist local communities and provide vital information to better understand and protect our oceans.
Surfers are caretakers of the ocean. They can make a huge contribution to scientific data to better manage our oceans.
This project complements the German Ocean Foundation’s “Ocean Citizen Science” initiative engaging the global watersport’s community as data collectors and providing the infrastructure to share ocean observations.
Surfer Scientists is a United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development endorsed project under the Global Ocean Observing System Programme.
How to cite: Murray, E., Suita, A., Whyte, D., and Gorringe, P.: Leveraging Surfing and Indigenous Knowledge for Capacity Building in Ocean Conservation through Citizen Science., One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-1192, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-1192, 2025.
Cabo Verde, a Small Island Developing State (SIDS) off West Africa, and Germany have established a sustained long-term partnership in marine research. This 20-year long partnership, with capacity development in its centre, has begun with joint short-term research projects and evolved over the years into a sustained, long-term partnership. Besides long-term ocean observations in a socio-economically highly important region, the partnership established (i) on-shore research & knowledge exchange infrastructure such as the Ocean Science Centre Mindelo, (ii) a university M.Sc. graduation program in Cabo Verde for students from 12 West African countries, and (iii) a floating university program. This setting integrates perspectives and priorities from 3 different spheres: the international, the national (Cabo Verde) and the regional (West Africa).
In this presentation we will reflect on the establishment and achievements of this partnership and lessons learned along the way. We will report on how research capacities in Cabo Verde have increased and how the WASCAL M.Sc. program "Climate Change and Marine Sciences" in Cabo Verde – an UN Ocean Decade project hosted by the ECOP Decade program – brings together students from 12 West African countries with diverse cultural and religious backgrounds. Since the beginning of the M.Sc. program in 2020 and the Decade project, more than 50 students from the subregion have enrolled in the program and already more than 30 students graduated successfully so far. We will present how alumni proceed in their career and how many of them are engaged in the Ocean Decade ECOP network in Africa - to achieve the goals outlined in the Ocean Decade Africa Roadmap.
How to cite: Fiedler, B., Monteiro, I., Almeida, C., Zenk, C., Silva, P., Rodrigues, E., Vieira, N., Pinto-Almeida, A., Lima, E., Hahn, T., Koné, D., Rodrigues, Y., and Körtzinger, A.: 20 Years of Partnership in Marine Sciences between Cabo Verde and Germany – from Projects to Long-Term and Sustained Capacity Sharing, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-1193, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-1193, 2025.
Ensuring the accuracy and reliability of measurement data for monitoring and researching radioactivity and non-radioactive pollutants in the marine environment is crucial for the effective protection of people and the environment in International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Member States. The IAEA provides comprehensive data quality assurance products – Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) and the implementation of Proficiency Tests (PTs) and Interlaboratory Comparison (ILC) exercises – for verifying the quality of measurements in marine laboratories.
The IAEA Marine Environment Laboratories produce and distribute marine CRMs. These CRMs are essential for the validation of analytical methods and for maintaining their fitness for purpose, ensuring that laboratories worldwide can achieve accurate and comparable results. The CRMs produced by the IAEA cover a wide range of marine matrices, including seawater, biota and sediments, and constituents including radionuclides, trace metals and persistent organic pollutants. The IAEA maintains a maintain a quality management system in accordance with the International Standard ISO 17034:2016 and is an accredited producer of selected certified reference materials for activity concentration measurements of radionuclides.
In addition to CRMs, the IAEA Marine Environment Laboratories conduct regular PTs and occasional worldwide ILCs to assess the performance of laboratories involved in marine monitoring. These exercises provide an independent evaluation of laboratory capabilities, identifying any potentially needed corrective or preventative action and fostering a culture of continuous improvement regarding measurement quality. Participating laboratories benefit from benchmarking their performance against international standards, gaining insights into their analytical processes, and receiving expert feedback from the IAEA.
By providing both CRMs and PTs for radioactive and non-radioactive marine pollutants, the IAEA significantly elevates the quality of marine environmental data by supporting the credibility of research findings, underpinning regulatory compliance and informed decision making in marine environmental management. By promoting best practices and standardization, the IAEA marine laboratories are contributing to the global scientific community’s mission to protect and sustainably manage ocean resources.
This presentation will provide an overview of the IAEA’s quality assurance products available to laboratories in Member States, highlighting the development and application of marine CRMs and the implementation of PTs and ILCs. Insights into the methodologies and benefits for laboratories, as well as practical guidance on participating in these programs will be provided. Case studies will illustrate the positive impacts of these initiatives on measurement quality in marine monitoring. For example, the harmonization of quality assurance programs under the UNEP Mediterranean Action Plan through MEDPOL will demonstrate how these QA initiatives have strengthened the accuracy and comparability of pollutant measurements across Mediterranean laboratories, supporting regional efforts in pollution control and environmental protection.
How to cite: Sobiech-Matura, K., Azemard, S., Bersuder, P., Mc Ginnity, P., Osvath, I., Pham, M. K., and Tolosa, I.: IAEA Data Quality Assurance – An integrated approach to verifying and improving measurement quality in marine monitoring and research, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-1199, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-1199, 2025.
As the ocean faces unprecedented threats from climate change, pollution, and over-exploitation, innovative technologies are transforming our approach to marine conservation. The Kelp Forest Foundation’s Blue House Fellowship Program is a groundbreaking initiative, addressing key research and capacity gaps in kelp restoration and sustainable kelp farming.
This program provides targeted scholarships and hands-on vocational training for graduate students and coastal community members in countries including Namibia and New Zealand, with an emphasis on women and indigenous community members to lead in marine stewardship. Since 2021, the Kelp Forest Foundation has awarded 8 Namibian students with Master's scholarships, enabling research in kelp ecology, specifically focusing on carbon sequestration, biodiversity enhancement and water quality improvement. These fellows conduct baseline and impact studies along Namibia’s coast, particularly in Lüderitz, where they collaborate with Kelp Blue – a pioneering company cultivating giant kelp in open ocean conditions. This work is producing concrete insight into the role of cultivated kelp in sequestering carbon, fostering biodiversity, and enhancing coastal water quality, with direct implications for the sustainability of kelp farming practices.
The Blue House Fellowship program provides fellows with valuable skills and certifications to help them contribute to the blue economy and preserve marine ecosystems. The Blue House Fellowship equips students with the hands-on expertise necessary for success in marine research and conservation, providing training in swimming, diving, data management, and lab safety. Vocational skills training has proven to be essential to lower the barriers of entry for community members into this regenerative blue economy, as even some marine scientists have never had the opportunity to obtain swimming skills. Fellows are co-supervised by leading marine scientists from around the world, gaining access to global research networks and valuable practical experiences. We encourage these bright graduates to pursue careers in government, business, entrepreneurship, and academia.
This presentation will showcase how the fellowship combines academic research and practical field applications at industry players to produce a new generation of marine leaders who are prepared to address urgent environmental challenges. The Blue House Fellowship promotes capacity-building and cross-cultural exchange, providing a model for training future ocean leaders. By sharing our approach, we aim to inspire similar initiatives and support the creation of sustainable, climate-resilient ocean ecosystems through education and collaboration.
The Kelp Forest Foundation (KFF) is a Netherlands-based non-profit organization aimed at amplifying research initiatives, reforestation projects, and early-stage ventures that unlock kelp as a nature-based solution. We envision a future whereby wild kelp forests are recovering and thriving, and farmed kelp provides nature-based solutions in our everyday lives. KFF does so by initiating kelp research projects, involving industry stakeholders, and supporting kelp reforestation projects worldwide. Next to these activities, we advance kelp science through open knowledge sharing and sponsoring capacity-building programs for coastal communities worldwide.
Keywords:
Blue House Fellowship, capacity–building, marine science, kelp ecosystems
How to cite: Dodds, A. and Zhang, X. B.: The Blue House Fellowship Program as a Model for Knowledge Exchange and Ocean Restoration, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-1418, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-1418, 2025.
The ubiquitous pollution on land and at sea, the collapse of biodiversity, the acceleration of global warming, and “an ocean world deteriorating at an unprecedented rate”[1] call for strong awareness and are sirens for urgent action.
In light of the current crisis and the challenges posed by the lack of or delayed political action and by the increasing public denigration of scientists, it is crucial that scientific institutions maintain their efforts to inform, alert, and engage with society and political decision-makers. While the scientific evidence is well-established and proven, there is a widening gap between knowledge and action at a time when knowledge is sometimes perceived as militant in the public debate. It is therefore essential that scientists not only maintain their current level of communication and outreach activities but that they consider ways to enhance and intensify them.
It is also crucial that the scientific community continues to address misperceptions and deliberate disinformation. Fake news intentionally introduces errors to obfuscate public opinion, allowing ideology to infiltrate scientific discourse. Since science is increasingly dealing with complex phenomena and systems, be they natural or social, it often appears as too convoluted and nuanced for some to fully comprehend it, increasing the risk of scientific knowledge being perceived as mere opinions rather than factual information. There is thus a need to both improve the clarity of scientific communication and invest in the political, social, and media spheres to improve the general public's access to scientific facts and evidence, and to strengthen the collaboration between policy-makers, civil society and scientists. When science is misunderstood, it is undermined.
These issues are more than true when it comes to ocean science, which is characterized by the intrinsic complexity of the Ocean – Climate – Biodiversity nexus, by the fact that our earthward-looking society often overlooks or underestimates the fact that Ocean Health and maritime activities are vital for mankind. This communication outlines how IFREMER, France's only ocean-focused research institute, addresses these issues. IFREMER is indeed committed to demonstrating the value of ocean science as a driver of transformation. Fulfilling this ambition requires the mobilization of a broad spectrum of means and instruments.
[1] 1 IOC/UNESCO State of the Ocean Report 2024: https://www.ioc.unesco.org/en/stor2024
How to cite: Guillevic, G. and Houllier, F.: Ocean Science Communications are Key for Ocean Action, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-1583, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-1583, 2025.
In multilevel democracies, responding to environmental challenges requires ambitious policy action across all governmental levels. While substantial research has focused on environmental policy ambition at the national level, subnational efforts remain less explored, particularly in comparative case studies. Understanding subnational environmental capacity and initiative are essential to assessing the relevance of different factors enabling or hindering effective policy implementation in multi-level political systems. On the one hand, constituent units, might act as “laboratories” for public policy experimentation and counterweight central government inaction and support environmental sustainability. Conversely, limited capacity, lack of "vertical coordination" or conflicts among regions and central government might hinder environmental policymaking. On the other hand, studying this level also helps clarifying to what extent such dynamics are transversally influenced by partisanship. We know that party ideology plays a key role in shaping environmental policy preferences of political parties, but other factors such as institutional and capacity building or vertical congruence (Stefiruc, 2009) between different tiers of government remains still underexplored in environmental policies at multi-level systems.
To address some of these research gaps, the current study aims to comparatively assess the relevance of different factors shaping intergovernmental relations in environmental policies between the central and the regional government in Spain’s multilevel system since the early 2000s. The country’s geographical diversity and quasi-federal model provides a unique opportunity to deepen on similarities and differences among regions that have different contextual features (islands, small regions, bigger regions), started distinct pathways to autonomy (faster and slower), have developed distinctive legal frameworks and institutions (including different coordination mechanisms with the central government), and have been governed by different parties and coalition governments influenced generating several vertical partisan congruence problems . Thus, we will focus on the Canary Islands, Murcia Region, and the Valencian Community, all of them not particularly explored by the literature on multi-level governance or environmental policies.
Drawing on qualitative documentary analysis, legislative reviews, and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, the study seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding on how the above-mentioned factors have influenced institutional cooperation and coordination in environmental governance in Spain. More specifically, this paper will focus on those periods where vertical partisan congruence did not exist between the central and regional governments spanning from the adoption of the first National Adaptation Plan in 2006 to the present. By examining different capacities, institutions and center-periphery dynamics in these regions, the study aims to identify patterns and lessons that can be shared across similar political systems. Therefore, the empirical findings will enhance our understanding of path dependence, intergovernmental institutions and party politics factors shaping environmental policy implementation in multi-level political systems.
How to cite: Aldeguer, B., Lujan, I., Enguer, J., and Barberà, O.: Capacity Building in Environmental Federalism: Enhancing Governance in the decentralized Spanish system?, One Ocean Science Congress 2025, Nice, France, 3–6 Jun 2025, OOS2025-1141, https://doi.org/10.5194/oos2025-1141, 2025.
