The future of the oceans were discussed at the National Marine Conference with international participation in Berlin.
Representatives from federal and state governments, companies, associations, administrations and research took part in the first National Marine Conference. It was held on the title “Living Seas” with around 400 participants at Berlin’s Westhafen Event and Convention Centre. The environmental status of the North Sea and Baltic Sea has only partially improved in recent years. Reasons for this include the accumulation of nutrients, for example from wastewater, and pollution from harmful substances. The rise in sea surface temperature, analysed weekly by the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH), places additional pressure on the North Sea and Baltic Sea. The data from the higher federal authority shows that the North Sea has warmed by almost 1.5 degrees since 1969. The Baltic Sea has already warmed by an average of 1.9 degrees since 1990.
Visibility
As a central marine policy forum, the National Marine Conference is, therefore, intended to emphasise the importance of intact and sustainably used seas for Germany, create visibility for marine policy issues and bring national players together with selected international players, including UN Special Envoy Peter Thomson and the French President’s Special Envoy for the Ocean, Olivier Poivre d’Arvor.
The aim of the conference was to present and discuss solutions for the growing environmental problems in the sea and concrete measures, including for a qualitative strengthening of marine protected areas in the North Sea and Baltic Sea, to combat marine pollution, for example by plastic or too many nutrients, and nature-compatible forms of marine use.
The national conference will also serve to prepare German contributions for the third UN Ocean Conference (June 9-13, 2025 in Nice, co-hosted by France and Costa Rica).
– Hansa.NewsGlobal
