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.
EMB publications
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.
The EurOCEAN 2023 Conference took place in Vigo, Spain on 10-11 October 2023. The main theme of the conference was "One Ocean, One Mission, One Decade - One Voice". Over 350 participants from across Europe gathered in person or followed online, representing academia, early career researchers, policymakers, industry, and NGOs. This document is a summary of the discussions, and full recordings of the sessions are available on the EMB YouTube Channel.
Navigating the Future VI is a flagship foresight EMB Position Paper that explores the role of the Ocean in the wider Earth system and promotes collaboration between disciplines to tackle global issues. This document aims to influence and guide international, European and national research funding programmes, policy development and inspire the scientific community. This publication aligns with and provides input to important initiatives such as the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and the EU Mission: Restore our Ocean and Waters, aiming to enhance awareness of the Ocean's critical role in addressing the climate, fresh water and biodiversity crises while supporting human health and wellbeing.
Impact report for the Future Science Brief 8, which highlighted the critical need to strengthen the marine science communication capacity in Europe, as well as develop dedicated training programs, and engage in deeper and wider collaboration with stakeholders.
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.
Throughout 2023, EMB organised a range of impactful initiatives, such as the EurOCEAN 2023 conference, the first EMB ECOP Network Forum, a Brown Bag Lunch, and the launch of four new foresight publications. EMB also continued its EMBracing the Ocean artist-in-residence and EMB Ambassador programmes. To learn more about EMB’s activities and achievements, dive into the EMB's 2023 Annual Report.
Impact report for the Future Science Brief 7, which outlined the state of knowledge on the sources of anthropogenic sounds and the effects of noise on marine organisms, and provided an overview of the measures that have been taken to address the issue of underwater noise.
Impact report for the EMB Position Paper 26 and EMB Policy Brief 10 on Marine Geohazards, which pointed towards relevant actions that would ensure the development of effective risk-mitigation and science-based management practices and policies to protect coastal population and economic activities at sea.
Impact report for the Policy Brief No. 9, which highlighted benefits, funding and governance challenges of in situ Ocean observations, and the investment needed for their transformation and sustainability.