Since 2014, Our Ocean conferences have invited world leaders to look forward and respond, delivering high-level commitments and transforming the challenges ahead into an opportunity for cooperation, innovation and entrepreneurship. As in previous years, the 2017 edition “An Ocean for Life”, will be upon invitation only. It will be hosted by the European Union in Malta, at the heart of the Mediterranean.

Visit the official website for more information.

The Ocean Exchange’s 2017 Annual Event will be held on October 8-10, 2017 in Savannah, GA and will focus on 'Impact Through Sustainability'.
Ocean Exchange seeks innovative, proactive and globally scalable Solutions with working prototypes that can leap across industries, economies and cultures. Following a Call For Solutions, selected solution creators will be invited to Savannah, GA to present their work.

Find more information and register for the event on the website of Ocean Exchange.

Blue Growth has become a major policy objective for the European Commission, Member States and a broad range of maritime actors. It has contributed to jobs and economic growth, supported innovation and research, and promoted a collaborative and inclusive approach to the maritime economy. Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) can help to accommodate tomorrow’s Blue Economy by creating a framework for evidence-based and inclusive maritime spatial plans from national authorities.

This conference aims to provide a forum for discussion and exchange, offering concrete examples and guidelines on how to apply MSP as a tool to accommodate sustainable maritime economic development.

More information on the official website.

Addressing the multiple issues related to land-based pollution of our oceans will be the main topic for the third Global Conference on Land-Ocean Connections which is taking place 23-24 October in Bali, Indonesia. The event brings together scientists, technical experts, policy-makers, businesses and civil society actors to discuss the latest science on the impacts of marine pollution and how to best address this issue.

The conference will directly precede the fourth Intergovernmental Review meeting of the Global Programme of Action, and offer specific recommendations that will be taken into account by the governments attending the meeting.

Find more information and download the agenda on the website of the Global Programme of Action.

Find more information on the website of the Global Programme of Action.

The Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA), the Institute of Marine Science and the Department of Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries [both of the University of Dar es Salaam] and the Tanzania Fisheries Institute are pleased to announce the Tenth WIOMSA Scientific Symposium which will be held in Dar es Salaam on 30 October – 4 November 2017.

The Symposium will bring together practitioners, academics, researchers and students to share knowledge, experience and solutions to the challenges experienced in our coastal and marine environment. The specific objectives of the symposium are to:

1. Present current knowledge on disciplines related to the theme of the symposium;
2. Provide a forum for discussion and exchange of information and experiences on coastal and marine science issues in the western Indian Ocean region;
3. Promote interaction among social and natural scientists in order to strengthen multi- and trans-disciplinary research for sustainable management of the coastal and marine environment;
4. Identify gaps and priority research areas for improved management of the coastal and marine environment of the western Indian Ocean region.

Contributions from all relevant scientific disciplines are welcome at this multidisciplinary symposium.

Find more information on the official website.

The 2017 UN Climate Change Conference will take place from 6 to 17 November at the World Conference Centre in Bonn, Germany, where the headquarters of the UNFCCC Secretariat is located. The COP 23 will be convened under the Presidency of Fiji.

More information on the official website.

This year’s Green Growth and Sustainable Development Forum (GGSD Forum) will focus on investment, innovation and employment aspects of the fast-growing ocean-based industries, together with policies to protect and sustainably use marine and ocean resources and ecosystems. It will explore how the economic development and conservation needs can be balanced successfully through innovations in established and emerging ocean industries, as well as marine spatial planning instruments. Issues such as national and international capacity for ocean industry oversight, the role of science and technology (including digitalisation), responsible business conduct and waste management will be addressed.

Visit the OECD Website for more information.

The 2018 Ocean Sciences Meeting, co-sponsored by the American Geophysical Union, the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography, and The Oceanography Society, will be held 11-16 February, in Portland, Oregon. The meeting is an important venue for scientific exchange across broad marine science disciplines. Sessions will include all aspects of oceanography, especially multidisciplinary topics, as well as presentations that reflect new and emerging research on the global ocean and society, including science education, outreach and public policy.

Find more information on the official website.

The World Conference on Marine Biodiversity (WCMB) has become the major focal assembly to share research outcomes, management and policy issues, and discussions on the role of biodiversity in sustaining ocean ecosystems. Arranged on a 3 - 4 year cycle, prior WCMB meetings (Valencia, Spain; Aberdeen, Scotland; Qingdao, China) have each attracted leading specialists from around the world, and catalyzed numerous sidebar sessions on marine biodiversity issues.

The 4th World Conference on Marine Biodiversity will be held at the Palais des congrès de  Montréal, Québec, Canada, from May 13-16, 2018. This meeting will bring together scientists, practitioners, and policy makers to discuss and advance our understanding of the importance and current state of biodiversity in the marine environment. Through a mix of keynote sessions, contributed talks and posters, and bookable venues for focused meetings, the conference program will address marine biodiversity across a deliberately wide range of relevant sectors. Participation will be encouraged from the broadest possible range of stakeholder groups from academics to industry.

For more information, visit the WCMB website.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy and the Community Conservation Research Network, two major international networks, have teamed up to co-organize “Communities, Conservation and Livelihoods”, a global conference taking place May 28-30^th 2018 in Halifax, Canada. It will be a unique highly-participatory gathering to explore the crucial role of local communities, around the world, in conserving local environments and at the same time supporting local economies and livelihoods. The meeting will also examine how governments, through their policy and practice, can best support these local conservation and livelihood initiatives.

More information on the website of the conference.

Mark your calendars for the 5th International Marine Conservation Congress (IMCC5) which will be held in the beautiful city of Kuching in Sarawak! This conference will bring together marine conserpeople from many walks of life including but not limited to marine conservation scientists, practitioners, teachers, policy makers, and journalists. Join us all in the middle of the Indo-Pacific as we come together to help "Make Marine Science Matter!"

For more information, visit the IMCC5 website.

The 4th ICZM symposium will be hosted by the Institute of Marine Research, Norway in Arendal, Norway, and held on July 2 – 5, 2018.  This multi-disciplinary international conference is intended to promote science and integration of knowledge for the sustainable management of coastal resources. It will provide a venue for scientists, engineers, managers and policy-makers to discuss recent advances and innovative ideas, to share experiences and to develop networks.

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