Despite its immense ecological importance, the deep sea remains underrepresented in policy considerations and global conservation efforts. While the EU’s International Ocean Governance Agenda and Biodiversity Strategy emphasise marine biodiversity protection, there is an urgent need to translate these agendas into action, particularly concerning the deep sea. The EMB Future Science Brief No. 12 'Deep Sea Research and Management Needs' explores the complexity of the deep sea and its role in Ocean health today, highlights the critical ecosystem services and functions it provides, and underscores the risks to Ocean health in the face of climate change, direct human impacts, and future industries in the deep sea. This document provides policy, management, research and global capacity building recommendations to ensure a healthy Ocean and deep sea.

Our Ocean plays a key role in enabling life on Earth, and is increasingly also playing a key role in helping us to address the global crises we are facing. It is critical for us to better understand both of these roles, and the impact that playing them has on the Ocean in turn. EMB Policy Brief No. 13 'Navigating the Future VI: The Ocean's role in addressing global crises’ presents the main research and policy recommendations to help us to take that understanding forward.

Coastal systems face increasing and interacting pressures due to climate change and various human activities. Building resilience of coastal ecosystems and human communities is essential for them to persist, adapt or transform whilst maintaining their essential functions, and to safeguard life, ecosystems and economies. EMB Policy Brief No. 12 ‘Requirements for Coastal Resilience in Europe’ presents key policy, scientific and community recommendations for building coastal resilience and enhancing the capacity to cope with impacts from coastal pressures.

Accurate and extensive marine habitat maps are fundamental to support a wide variety of marine policies and ambitions including the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive and policies to deliver the ambitious plans of the European Green Deal. However, large areas remain unmapped, and current maps predominantly focus on physical aspects of marine habitats and lack sufficient biological resolution, such as species and communities.